‘Thanks for coming in, Mr Neild. A lot of men in your position probably wouldn’t have …’
‘Quite,’ he said. ‘Well, I felt horrible about that poor girl. They say she was killed?’ There was some awe in his voice, for life and death and how a person could force the latter on to the former. I liked him for it.
‘I’m afraid that’s true. Can I start by confirming a few details?’
‘Of course.’
‘What do you do for a living?’
‘I’m an IT consultant.’
‘And your age?’
‘Fifty-four.’
‘You were a regular of Cherry’s, is that right?’ He nodded. ‘How long had you known each other?’
‘I don’t know if I’d honestly say that we did. We’d met several times, but of course not strictly for conversation.’ He re-clasped his hands. ‘I first picked her up on the Oxford Road, probably a couple of months back. I think we’ve seen each other three or four times since …’
‘Last Saturday being the final time?’ He nodded and I stopped in my tracks. It was Tuesday now. It had been just ten days since the events at the Palace Hotel. ‘First of all, I’d like to eliminate you from our enquiries into Cherry’s death. Can you confirm your whereabouts on Monday?’
‘May I take my phone from my pocket?’
I think he thought I might shoot him.
‘Be my guest.’
He took it out, moved his glasses to the end of his nose and scrolled. ‘Monday night I was working until gone one in the morning.’
‘Can anyone confirm that, Mr Neild?’
‘No point working late unless people notice you,’ he smiled. ‘Remember that.’
‘I’ll try,’ I said, more tersely than I’d intended, and he stopped smiling.
‘Various people passed in and out through the evening.’
‘I’ll need their names.’ He nodded like the day he’d been dreading had finally caught up with him. ‘There’s no need for me to tell them why I’m eliminating you from an enquiry, Mr Neild, as long as you’re telling me the truth.’
‘Of course, of course.’
‘Can you tell me about your last meeting with Cherry? Saturday night? I believe you went to the Palace together …’
‘I’m afraid we did.’ He closed his eyes. ‘She wouldn’t have even been there if I hadn’t picked her up.’
‘Had the two of you been to the Palace before?’
‘Once, but in rather different circumstances.’
‘Which were …?’
‘Well, of course you know the nature of our relationship. She simply said she had a friend working there who let her use a room. The first time we went in the front door it was unlocked for us. The second time we were sneaking around and I knew it. We got in through a fire exit that she said her friend had left open for us.’
‘What time was this?’
‘Around midnight …’
That accounted for the alarm which had taken Sutty and me there in the first place. ‘OK,’ I said. ‘Go on.’
‘It led up to the fourth floor but the rooms on that level were closed. Cherry said she had a room on the third floor, which we went to. I believe it was the same room we’d been to on our previous visit but I’m not certain. Once we’d finished up, we had to go back up to the fourth floor to exit the building through the fire escape. Well, the stairs there are impossible. I’d have been scared to death walking around with someone I didn’t trust. When we got to the fourth-floor landing we heard voices. Two voices coming up behind us. I thought my heart might stop. Cherry took my hand and led us down the right-hand corridor. By this stage I was feeling—’
‘Did you see them?’ I said. ‘The people that the voices belonged to?’
‘Just the back of them, just for a second. One wore a dark suit, I think, and the other … I got the impression that the other was a security guard, from his clothes and so forth.’
‘Could you see the guard’s skin colour?’
‘I’m afraid not …’
‘What did they do?’
‘They walked down the corridor, went to a room, opened it and went inside.’
‘Using a key card?’
‘I’m afraid I couldn’t see.’
‘OK,’ I said. ‘They go inside the room …’
‘They go inside the room and by this point I’ve had quite enough excitement. I crept straight to the fire exit and left.’
‘Alone?’
He twisted his hands on the table. ‘Cherry was interested. She wondered if another girl was working out of the building.’
‘Did you see or speak to her again after that night?’
‘I waited outside. I couldn’t run away without knowing she was OK.’
‘And had she seen anything? Did she say anything at all?’
‘When she got to the door it burst open and one of the men saw her.’
‘Did she say which one? Did she use any words to describe him?’
He thought for a moment and shook his head. ‘Not that I remember. She said the man was furious. He chased her, and she ran back to the landing and down the stairs. When they got to the third floor they both heard more voices, coming up the stairs. She ran down a corridor and the man froze on the landing. Then he walked after her, trying all the doors for a room he could get into, to hide. Then she said he’d taken a fire extinguisher off the wall and struck himself over the head with it.’
He stopped talking. I was staring down at the table. When he cleared his throat I realized I hadn’t spoken in over a minute.
‘Excuse me, Mr Neild. She said the man pursued her down to the third floor and, when he heard more voices, struck himself over the head with a fire extinguisher? You’re certain of that?’
‘I’m certain it’s what Cherry told me. Then someone came along the corridor with a torch and she bolted. Got back up to the fourth floor and out the fire escape.’
7
‘Hello, Ms Khan, this is Detective Constable Waits.’
She exhaled into the phone. ‘I’ve been dealing with your superior, Detective Constable. He told me that you’d been acting beyond your remit in investigating Natasha and Freddie. I’m afraid I won’t be allowing you any further access to them without legal representation, and only then in receipt of a written request, signed by your superior.’
‘That’s fine,’ I said. ‘But I’m going to need access to the Palace Hotel tomorrow morning.’
‘Why?’
‘We’ve received credible intelligence that the dead man from room 413 left an item in the room. Once we recover said item, I can assure you that we’ll be out of your hair for good.’
‘Item? What item?’
‘The man was murdered. It’s our belief that he left evidence relating to the identity of his killer. It’s all very clear. As I say, I’ll need access tomorrow morning with a SOCO team for recovery.’
‘I’d like to know what intelligence has led you to this item.’
‘A witness has come forward, Ms Khan.’
‘What witness? The Palace was empty …’
‘Not even close. There were two witnesses inside the building, as well as Ali, at the time of the man’s death. I’d appreciate it if you could alert the owners so there’s no confusion. Of course, I could do it myself …’
‘No,’ she said. ‘I’ll notify them. If that’s all?’
‘It is.’ I hung up abruptly. Felt the pulse moving through my body. I’d call in sick to my shift with Sutty. He could write his own reports for one night. I’d station myself outside the Palace and see if anyone felt like paying it a visit before my make-believe forensics team arrived in the morning.
‘Oh, by the way.’ I turned to see Constable Black leaning against the wall watching me, smiling. She’d changed into her own clothes and was going off-shift, happy about it. ‘Had someone asking about you today, Detective Constable …’
‘Who?’
‘Pretty little thing. Ann something? I’d have to check my notes.’
I frowned and saw her face change in reaction. ‘Ann, you say? Why did you see her?’
Constable Black moved backwards, along the corridor, and I realized I’d taken a step towards her.
‘There was a break-in,’ she said. ‘At her place on York Road—’
Ann. Annie. My sister.
‘Is she OK?’
‘Yeah, she was out when it happened. Someone kicked the door in and trashed the place. Kids probably—’
‘What did she say?’
‘You know, was it common in the area …’