Condemned, R.C. Bridgestock [most romantic novels TXT] 📗

Mike followed Charley back to her office. ‘You’re not really coming into the interview, are you?’

‘Why? I want to get under his skin just as much as you do. It’s the best part of the job.’

‘Because, The Police and Criminal Evidence Act says it’s oppressive for your rank to interview a prisoner; you know that, the solicitor knows that. He might try to get the interview thrown out in court, and then we may lose anything he might disclose…’

Charley considered his remark. ‘Oppressive? Moi, oppressive?’ She laughed in mock horror. ‘I don’t know about that.’

‘Well you do scare the shit out of that lot in there,’ he said, nodding in the direction of the CID office.

‘My dad used to say that a little bit of fear never did anyone any harm and I tend to agree with him. There’s something though about James Thomas that doesn’t sit right, and it’s annoying me, because I don’t know what it is.’

Mike looked puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I get this feeling that he likes to be thought of as Mister Clean, generous towards charitable causes et cetera, but I think he knows exactly what he is doing It’s as if inwardly he’s at home on a stage, and he enjoys the limelight.’ Charley paused for a moment or two in thought. ‘In brief, he’s a devious bastard whom I don’t trust. According to Dixon there were five people in that room when Faisal was shot dead. We know that four out of the five were involved with drugs. He might not be a user, Mike, but he’s amongst it, which suggests to me perhaps he injects cash into the distribution. That’s what I’m thinking…’

‘He’s a gibbering wreck at the moment, by all accounts.’

‘That’s how he wants us to see him. If he’s innocent and he’s nothing to hide, why should he be a “gibbering wreck”?’ Frustration was written all over her face. ‘Okay! You’re right! I won’t interview him. Take Wilkie in with you. I’ll be watching on the monitor.’

An hour and a half later, Ricky-Lee Lewis and Annie Glover had spoken with Jonathan Raglan, and were in Charley’s office with the result. Charley, fresh from her strategy meeting with Mike, was eager to hear what was said.

‘We threw everything at him and his arse well and truly fell out! He’s been crying, and he says he didn’t kill anyone. Though he did think that he himself was going to be killed. He admitted to being a drug addict, and he even confirmed to us the name of his supplier, which as we thought, turned out to be the Dixons.’

‘He never questioned what you were saying?’ Charley interrupted.

‘No, and his solicitor was as good as gold. He just let him talk and talk, which makes a change.’

‘What did he say when you informed him that Brad Dixon told us that Faisal Hussain’s firearm was an imitation?’ Charley was keen to know more.

‘Nothing, as far as he was concerned it was the real thing.’

‘What about Faisal’s body?’

‘Raglan admits to helping hide the body.’

‘Who does he say fired the gun?’

‘He didn’t, but he did confirm that there were two guns. The old man’s head was bobbing all over the place, his tick appears to get worse when he’s put under pressure or panicking. Having said that, for his age, and considering all his drug problems, he’s still a wily old bastard. He knows what he’s doing.’

‘His solicitor told us that his client wanted to make a written statement about everything, including the drugs money going through the business account, the Crownest house sale, and Faisal’s death, so we’ve left them to it,’ said Annie.

Charley took a deep breath. ‘That’s going to make some interesting reading. I’ll look forward to it. Tell me,’ she said. ‘Do you believe he’ll tell us the truth?’

Ricky-Lee and Annie shook their heads in unison. ‘No,’ said Ricky-Lee. ‘He’s up to his neck in it, and blames anyone and everyone rather than himself for the situation he’s found himself in.’

Annie lifted her shoulders and yawned. It had been a long day. ‘It’s only the first interview, of course.’

Charley smiled. ‘You wouldn’t want to buy a house from him then?’

‘He comes across as dodgier than a car salesman,’ Annie said, ‘and car salesmen are well dodgy!’

‘Not all of them, Annie,’ Charley chuckled.

Soon after, Charley had her eyes glued to her monitor whilst Mike and Wilkie sat in another interview room in the cell area. The door was open as they waited for James Thomas and his solicitor to arrive.

Formalities over, Mike took the lead in the interview.

‘You’ve met my boss, Detective Inspector Charley Mann, before Mr James, at the site of Crownest, when you were told that enquiries were being made into the discovery of two skeletons inside that building, and you were also made aware that enquiries were being made into how those people came to meet their deaths. We know you are aware, as your solicitor has been informed, that the remains of the body behind the fireplace have been identified as one Faisal Hussain. We also know his death was caused by a shot in the back of the head, and the weapon that was used has been recovered. I think it’s fair to tell you that, Brad Dixon, who was allegedly renting the property at Crownest, has been arrested, as has Mr Raglan of Raglan Estate Agency. Investigations are all to do with ascertaining the truth about what took place, so with that in mind, this is why you are here. But, before we talk about that, tell us a little about yourself,’ said Mike.

Charley could see, by the expression on Thomas’s face, that this opening line of questioning was most unexpected.

Chapter 40

James Thomas pulled himself to the front of his seat – he was sweating profusely even though they were in an air-conditioned room. ‘What do you want to know?’

Charley leaned back in her chair in her office as she watched the interview