“Interview suspended.” Willoughby looked up. “Who the fuck are you?”
“I am Miss Spence’s legal adviser. Do I understand that you did not offer her the opportunity for representation before you commenced the interview?”
“Miss Spence is helping us with our enquiries.”
“And I guess that was where she sustained that injury to her head? Has she been seen by the doctor?” The woman shook her head. “Constable…”
“Detective Chief Inspector…” Willoughby snapped.
“Whatever. You seem to have ignored any rule or procedure and arrested an innocent bystander with no reason.”
“She is hardly innocent!”
“So you believe you have your case sewn up already?” She sighed. “I need some time with my client.”
“And?”
“And Fuck off! Detective Constable.” She held the door open and Willoughby and Jackson stormed out. She sat down opposite me, handing me a tissue. I was, to be honest, a bit scared by the forceful woman. She wore what was obviously a tailored suit and carried an expensive leather case which she placed on the table. Her voice softened as she spoke to me. “Hi there Mandy. Sorry if that all seemed a bit much, but I have to put them in their place. I am one of Edwin’s team of lawyers. I can’t say anything much here. Walls have ears and all that, but we’ll get you out of here as soon as we can. Be brave.”
“How is Edwin? Is he okay?”
“He’s strong, but this isn’t looking good for him.” She stood up. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
***
“The raids, which took place across London culminated in the seizure of drugs with a street value of almost two million pounds from a riding school in Clapham, South London. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police stated that ‘this had been a coordinated programme to get these drugs off the streets. The perpetrators would be looking at long prison sentences.”
I switched off the television. It was weird watching the news and seeing the stables. Worse was seeing the girls, the reporter said they had been drugged so that they stayed asleep, I began to wonder if that had happened to me on those days when we all felt so ill in the mornings. My heart sunk, Liz, she’d been asking questions about the muck heap. I pushed the thought from my mind.
True to her word the forceful woman had got me released from the police cells, my arrest had been rescinded but I had been told not to go anywhere as I may be required for further questioning. I was sitting in Edwin’s empty house, Maria had made a meal but I couldn’t eat. I reached for my phone and dialled.
“Mandy! Thank goodness, we heard they had arrested you. What the flying fuck has your boyfriend done?”
“Hi there…” My lip trembled and I burst into tears. Sue was speaking, I eventually dried my eyes.
“Come, home babe… We’ll look after you.”
***
Sue was waiting when I arrived back at the yard. I had taken the bus and hobbled exhausted through the gate into her waiting arms. I sobbed loudly, she supported me as we walked into the living room. The girls all embraced me warmly, suddenly I felt part of a family again.
***
The next morning the forceful woman who told me her name was Fiona, met me at the stables. She looked around the living room with an obvious look of disgust and said we could talk at a local coffee shop, so we walked together down the High Street and found a quiet table at the back of a local cafe.
“They’re going to refuse to give Edwin bail, there’s just too much evidence and they think he’s a flight risk, which means they think he would leave the country, which he would. I spoke with him this morning, assured him that we had got you out, which made him very happy. However, I need to tell you that he’s likely to go to prison for a long time. We as a legal team will do our best to get him acquitted but there is just too much evidence and, worryingly someone had been revealing information about what has been happening.” I must have looked shocked as she raised her hand. “No, we realise that it wouldn’t have been you.” She looked down. “However, I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of anyone who would have spoken out of turn.”
She sipped her coffee. “I’m sorry, I think it’s a shock for you, Edwin wasn’t just a restaurateur, we are indeed aware that he had dealings with class A drugs. I know I shouldn’t be saying this, however, I think you need to understand.”
“Oh…” My heart sunk. I didn’t know what I felt, he had been someone I had loved, did love, I think. Drugs, well that was something I couldn’t justify in my mind. It couldn’t be true, could it?
“Look, I’ll keep in touch with you, as soon as you can see Edwin I will arrange it.” She smiled, taking my hand. “Just hang tight.”
***
“I’m as shocked as you are.” Anne slurred. “Who would have known what was going on, my staff drugged you say. It’s shocking.”
Willoughby watched through the one-way glass. “She’s drunk…”
“She was drunk when we picked her up. To be honest, I think she is just a lush, goes home at night and drinks the night away. It’s clear she knows nothing about this.” Jackson shrugged. “You’ve got the key players, let’s get rid of her, there’s nothing we can stick on her.”
“Agreed.” He tapped on the glass. The police officer looked up nodding and terminated the interview.
***
Anne gasped in the fresh air, Oh God, if she had been there that morning… She left the thought hanging in her mind but realised it didn’t look good. Someone would have had to have told the police what
