Читать книгу Hush Hush - Mel Sherratt - Страница 14

It was a tight fit to squeeze everyone in. The room held a desk and computer, a filing cabinet with paperwork piled on its top and a small settee squashed in front of an opaque-glass window. Leon and Jade sat down on that, while Eddie went behind the desk.

Grace cleared her throat as they all looked at her, once again waiting for her to speak first. The atmosphere was loaded, but she wanted everyone to know that today was about Josh Parker, not anyone else’s grievances.

‘First of all, let’s get this over and done with,’ she started. ‘Any questions about why I am back are really none of anyone’s business but my own. I’m sorry to hear of your father’s death but I come here representing Staffordshire Police.’

‘As if we’re interested in anything that brings you here,’ Eddie snapped. ‘Your lot weren’t in the slightest bit concerned when our father was murdered.’

‘I doubt that is true,’ she interjected, her tone firm, before turning to the matter in hand. ‘Is there an overall manager or is it a joint effort?’

‘It’s a family-run business,’ he said. ‘Leon, alongside Josh, looks after the general running of the gym and the boxing club. Jade and our mum run Posh Gloss, and I oversee the finances and day-to-day running of everything. Has someone gone to tell Christa, Josh’s wife?’

Grace nodded. ‘We will need her to make a positive identification of the body. Can you take me through what would have happened at closing time yesterday?’

‘Josh was on duty with two other trainers until the gym closed at ten p.m. He usually stays behind to do his own workout then, so my guess is he was in the building for about an hour.’

‘Are your staff left to work alone?’ Grace frowned. ‘Haven’t you heard of the lone worker policy?’

‘You’ve seen the size of Josh Parker?’ Eddie scoffed as he pointed to a photo on the wall behind them.

Grace turned to see a recent image of Eddie, his arms around their as-yet-unconfirmed victim, who was built like the proverbial brick house. From the photo, she plainly recognised him as one of the men she had seen at Spice World on the night out with her team last month. Parker was tanned with shorn hair, a huge smile revealing a gold tooth. He was wearing a tight black T-shirt that was clearly a size too small and showed every curve of a torso that Grace had to admit was impressive. An image of a cartoon character flashed in front of her eyes as she noted his square chin. And no, she wouldn’t want to mess with him. Josh’s killer must have some guts. Imagine if it had gone wrong.

‘He was taken by surprise for someone to do that to him,’ Eddie added. ‘And it was outside the building, so don’t come all high and mighty with the lone worker policy thing. We look after our staff here. We always look after our own.’

She pulled her shoulders up that little bit higher, trying not to show how intimidated she felt.

‘So Mr Parker was the last one to leave the building?’ Grace started her questioning again.

‘We didn’t murder him, if that’s what you’re implying,’ Leon almost growled at her.

‘Was Josh the last one in the building?’ Grace repeated, ignoring his sarcasm.

‘I expect so,’ Eddie replied.

‘We’ll need access to any security footage you have, inside and out.’

‘We have a camera that covers the reception area but not the gym itself.’ Eddie went over to a machine, pulled out a CD and handed it to Grace. ‘And outside we have a camera on each corner of the building, but it doesn’t cover all of the car park at the back.’

Grace raised her eyebrows. It all seemed pretty convenient. And if their suspect knew this, he or she might have known where to carry out the attack with less likelihood of being seen.

‘You mentioned a signing-in book,’ she said. ‘Can you get me a list of everyone who was in the building yesterday evening – say, from six p.m. onwards? Staff, customers and guests, please.’

Eddie sat forward. ‘There’ll be around a hundred people in here during that time. It’s our busiest period.’

Leon whistled under his breath. ‘That’s a lot of people to question.’ He folded his arms and stared at Grace.

Just as she’d thought when she’d first seen them the month before, Leon was so much like Eddie that he could pass as his twin. If it hadn’t been for the faint two-inch scar visible to the side of his right eye, they might even have been able to use each other as alibis.

She had a feeling over the coming days she would get to know them regardless. Once the investigation was going at full steam, they would be sick of the sight of her and the rest of the team, who were probably already here by now.

Grace ignored Leon again, choosing to look at Jade who hadn’t said a word yet. She was crying, soft sobs and tears pouring down her face.

‘Are you okay?’ she asked.

Jade nodded. ‘It’s such a shock, that’s all. I was only talking to him on Monday. It doesn’t seem possible.’ She blew her nose loudly.

‘What time did you all leave last night?’ Grace glanced at each one of them in turn.

‘Half past six,’ Eddie said.

‘Did you go straight home?’

‘Yes. My son can vouch for me. I took him to football training at seven.’

‘I wasn’t here yesterday,’ Jade said.

Grace looked at Leon. ‘What about you?’ she asked when he didn’t come forward with anything.

‘I’d say about eightish.’

‘I’d say be more specific.’ Grace’s voice was just as curt as his.

Leon sighed. ‘It was about ten past eight.’

Grace nodded and then turned back to Eddie. ‘I was also told that Josh was your right-hand man?’

Eddie’s glare alarmed her slightly and her left eye began to twitch under the strain of it. But she didn’t want to look away. She wanted to see if grief was washing over him. She was watching them all to see if their reactions were real or put on especially for her.

Eddie swallowed. ‘He was my best friend. I’d known him since junior school.’

‘You all knew him well, I presume?’ Grace looked at the others.

‘Yes,’ Jade said before wiping her nose loudly.

‘You might have known him too,’ Leon taunted.

‘I didn’t go to your school. I would have remembered that.’ Embarrassed by the reference, Grace looked at her notepad again. ‘Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to harm Josh?’ she asked no one in particular.

‘Probably half of Stoke at one time or another.’ Leon folded his arms. ‘But no one would have messed with him if they’d seen him before he was toast.’

‘Leon!’ Jade’s sobs grew louder.

‘Sorry.’ Leon had the manners to bow his head for a moment. ‘Bit of a bitch, though. Tough to lose him.’

The room dropped into silence again as they remembered their friend. Grace took the opportunity to get out her contact cards and hand them round.

‘Is this for when we go out for a family meal?’ Leon took one from her.

‘Show some respect, Leon,’ Eddie warned.

‘I think I’ve given her enough of that already’ – Leon folded his arms – ‘so don’t tell me what to do.’

Surprised by the reference to their connection to her, Grace was desperate to get out of there and rejoin her colleagues. But she had to have her say first.

‘I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell my colleagues how we know each other.’ She paused for a moment. ‘I think it’s best that we investigate Josh’s murder without any hindrance.’

‘Better the devil you know, and all that?’ Eddie smirked. Leon and Jade both opened their mouths to speak, but he held up a hand and shook his head.

‘I’ll find out who is overseeing the house-to-house enquiries and ask them to keep you informed of anything that comes up while we continue with our investigations,’ Grace added. ‘We’ll be in touch shortly.’

Once outside the room, Grace breathed a sigh of relief. It had surprised her that they’d accepted her request to keep her identity to themselves, perhaps even given her reason for concern as to why. She would have expected them to stir things up, cause trouble for her straight away.

Yet even though she had felt intimidated by the encounter, a feeling of anticlimax washed over her. She’d wanted to meet them all for many years, despite her job and their reputation. Secretly, she’d hoped they’d be friendlier with her. In an ideal world, she might have got to know them, but today had shown that wasn’t likely to happen.

There was one thing she had learned, though; from that meeting alone, she sensed that the Steele family were unnerved about something. Grace had seen the looks flicking between them. Were they trying to put up a united front that didn’t exist? Or was it meeting her that had made them feel so uncomfortable?

She went to join Perry.

‘We’ve just busted Parker’s locker open,’ he told her. ‘There’s the usual stuff in there – spare workout clothes, a towel, pair of trainers and some protein shakes. But we also found a leather bag full of sex toys, condoms, lubes, et cetera. And this.’ He held up a key ring. Attached to it was a luggage label, a key and an electronic key fob. The numbers 171794 were written on the label in black pen.

‘Playing away?’

‘It’s possible.’ Perry paused. ‘What did he mean back there?’

‘Who?’ Grace questioned.

‘Eddie. When he said “Well, well, well”?’

‘I’ve no idea,’ she replied, spotting Nick returning. ‘You?’

Perry shook his head. ‘I just wondered, with it being a really strange remark.’

‘It was,’ Grace said quickly. ‘I’ll go and update Nick.’ She walked away, hoping he wouldn’t see the blush she could feel forming on her face.