They drew a blank with Boynton, who said he and Luke didn’t talk about the past but were more concerned with focusing on the present and the future. He claimed to know nothing about the tapes, though he did know that Luke had undergone hypnotherapy sessions as part of his drug treatment programme. ‘It’s on his prison file,’ Boynton had explained when asked how he knew. Of course, thought Horton, as they headed for Kempton’s and Kelly Masters. He wondered if Shawford would be there.
On his way he called the lab to see if they had anything from the search of Shawford’s boat and got a lecture on how they too needed sleep, were desperately short of manpower, were grossly overworked, and weren’t superhuman beings. Pity. A few of those would come in handy.
As they turned into Kempton’s, Horton noted that neither Shawford’s nor Catherine’s cars were in the car park. He wondered if Catherine had spoken to Shawford about the pornography. He couldn’t see her not doing so. Would she dump Shawford? He’d thought it highly likely after their encounter on Sunday. But would he get to keep his job? Horton didn’t know. He was relieved to see that his father-in-law’s car was also absent.
At reception, Cantelli asked for Kelly Masters. He got a wary look from the receptionist, but she rang through to the personnel officer and two minutes later Kelly teetered out on her high heels, huddled in a black coat with a thunderous expression on her fleshy face.
‘We’ll talk outside,’ she said crisply, brushing past them.
They followed her into the car park and beyond it to the main road, where she took a packet of cigarettes from her coat pocket and lit up.
Abruptly, Horton asked, ‘What did you and Luke discuss between the sheets? Oh come on, Kelly, we know you and he were at it.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘So I slept with him. That’s not a crime, though I can’t say it was a memorable experience.’
‘I expect he was out of practice,’ Cantelli muttered.
She flashed him a hostile look. Horton said, ‘And what did Luke tell you?’
‘I stopped listening after a while. It was boring stuff about prison.’
Cantelli said, ‘Did he mention anyone in particular? Any inmates, friends or anyone he was close to?’
‘No. Just how bad it was being locked up. Is that it? Because I’ve got to get back to work.’
‘We’ll walk back with you,’ Cantelli said politely. She didn’t look too happy about that and didn’t move.
Scowling she added, ‘He talked about prison then went to sleep.’
Horton said, ‘How often did you see him?’
‘Every day.’
‘You know what I mean, but I’ll rephrase it for you. How often did you sleep with him?’
‘That’s none of your business.’
‘It is when Luke Felton might be dead.’
She flashed him a surprised glance.
‘How often, Kelly?’ Horton asked more harshly.
‘Twice,’ she spat. ‘I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I thought he might be better second time around. He wasn’t.’
‘And?’
‘And what?’ she cried, exasperated.
‘He told you the same thing all over again?’ Horton said incredulously.
‘More or less. He said he wanted to put Natalie Raymonds’ killing behind him and move on. And that’s it, apart from what he muttered in his sleep, something about water and darkness and bailing.’
‘Bailing?’ Horton picked up eagerly. That was new. ‘As in bailing out?’
‘I don’t know. It might have been bailey. Now I’ve got work to do.’ She threw her cigarette down and ground it out viciously with the sole of her shoe.
This time they let her go. Turning to Cantelli, Horton said, ‘Are you thinking what I am?’
‘She could be mistaken. Or perhaps Luke Felton remembered Peter Bailey from the trial.’
Horton called Lena Lockhart on her mobile. After confirming she was safe and well, he asked her if Luke had mentioned anything about bailing or bailey. He could hear her thinking about this for a moment.
‘No, sorry. Is it important?’
Horton wasn’t sure. He let her go and rang Walters.
‘I showed one of the gravediggers Rookley’s ugly mugshot but he didn’t recognize him,’ Walters said. ‘I’m just waiting to speak to the other gravedigger, who’s due back from the dentist soon, but I’ve got the name of the funeral directors who handled the burial you saw on Friday. I’ll check that out after I’ve had something to eat,’ Walters added pointedly. ‘I haven’t had anything all morning.’
Horton wasn’t sure that Walters’ ‘anything’ meant the same as most people’s. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was almost one thirty. It was also time to move his yacht to another marina and safety, yet he hesitated. ‘If I move it, Barney,’ he explained as they headed back to the station, ‘it might delay me finding him.’
‘Or him finding you,’ Cantelli said. ‘I thought that was the point.’
‘If he returns I’ll be prepared.’
‘Or asleep. Even you can’t keep awake for ever.’
‘I don’t think he will return. Not now I’ve blown his hideaway.’
Cantelli snorted his views on that. ‘I’ll ask for a patrol along Ferry Road. I’ve not noticed anyone tailing us.’
‘Maybe he’s got to sleep some time.’
After grabbing something to eat, Cantelli went to interview Ashley Felton while Horton rang through to Trueman. He briefed Trueman about the stolen tapes and his interviews with Felton, Boynton and Kelly Masters, ending with, ‘I think it confirms that Luke Felton has nothing to do with the Venetia Trotman murder.’
‘I’ll tell the super.’
And then stand well back, added Horton, because Uckfield would need to start looking for another suspect. It also meant he had no reason to be involved in the Venetia Trotman murder, except that he wanted to be. Ridiculous though it was, he felt he owed her something.
There were no signs of Waverley or Harlam and Bliss didn’t make her presence felt either. Horton called Sergeant Stride, who said that no motorbikes had been stolen in the Portsmouth area over the last month — which was good for motorbike owners, not so good for Horton’s mission to unmask his mysterious persecutor. DCI Pritchard hadn’t returned his call, so Horton tried him again, only to be told he was in a meeting. If it was the same meeting it was a bloody long one.
He then called the lab and managed to get hold of Joliffe this time. Joliffe said there was no match on any of the fingerprints taken from the houseboat debris, but he would see if they could get a match on DNA, which would take longer. Horton felt frustrated at the delay but consoled himself with the fact that it ruled out a convicted villain, recently released and after his blood. Did that make the case stronger for his graffiti artist being someone connected with Zeus? Horton wasn’t sure.
His phone rang. Horton answered it to find Walters on the end of the line.
‘The other gravedigger remembers you, guv, and he remembers Rookley.’
Thank heaven for an observant man. ‘And?’
‘He didn’t see where Rookley went because he was watching the committal, but after it he saw Rookley again, talking to someone at one of the graves. He couldn’t see who because he had his back to the gravedigger, but he described him as a well-built man but not fat, dressed in a dark overcoat. He couldn’t see the hair colour because he wore a hat and they were standing under a black umbrella.’
‘Not much help there,’ Horton grumbled, though one person flitted into his mind. Neil Danbury. But then thousands of men were well built and wore dark overcoats; the description also fitted Ashley Felton, who had a reason to be dealing with Rookley, while Neil Danbury didn’t.
Walters continued. ‘The gravedigger says it didn’t look as though they were arguing, and neither did they look as though they were discussing the dearly departed. They weren’t standing over a grave or nothing.’
‘Ask him if Rookley left with this man.’
‘Already have. He doesn’t know. He had to go in the opposite direction to dig another grave.’
Horton cursed. ‘Get around to the funeral directors.’
‘But guv-’
‘You can grab some lunch as you go.’
Restlessly, Horton applied himself to his paperwork while his mind busied itself elsewhere. He thought about Venetia Trotman and the man with the foreign accent who had reported her death. Trueman hadn’t said they’d got anything from analysing his voice pattern, so they must still be waiting on the report. Then there was Jay Turner washed up in the harbour. Where had he come from? Why had he ended up on their shores? Had he been killed? And where was Rookley? He’d vanished completely, like Luke Felton. Could both be connected to drugs? Did Ashley Felton know more than he’d told them?
Horton fetched a coffee, hoping the caffeine would clear his mind, and took it back to his office. Drinking it, he stared across the car park, deep in thought. If Luke had been trying to remember who had been with him on that fateful day, why hadn’t he called Lena Lockhart and asked to listen to the tapes in the hope that it might stimulate greater recall? Perhaps he didn’t want to remember but wanted to put the past behind him and move on, just as Boynton had told them. Horton knew that was easier said than done. Kelly had told them that Luke remembered bailing, which meant he’d either been on a boat at some stage or, as Cantelli had suggested, was getting the word confused with Peter Bailey who gave evidence at his trial.
He turned back to his desk. The fact that the tapes had been stolen proved that someone had been with Luke when Natalie was killed. So why hadn’t Bailey seen this man? He sipped his coffee as he assembled his thoughts. One reason could be because Luke had agreed to meet the man and Natalie in the copse. The accomplice could have driven there and parked up nearby, or he could have come by boat from Portsmouth, and taken Luke Felton back to the Portsmouth shore by boat in the dark, hence bailing. Yes, he liked that idea. Another option was that Bailey was lying about seeing Luke Felton. And why would he do that? Because Bailey was the accomplice and Natalie’s killer. Mentally, Horton ran through their previous interview in that depressing house. Bailey had seemed agitated and had looked decidedly uncomfortable when Horton had mentioned Portchester Castle. Why? Could Bailey have met Luke Felton there on Tuesday, afraid that Luke had started to remember certain things about that day?
Horton sat up. With a frisson of excitement he quickly grasped the theory and began to push it further. Why would Bailey want Natalie Raymonds dead? And why should he wish to frame Luke Felton? Bailey was hardly their drugs supplier. And how would he have known either of them? Horton guessed he could have seen Natalie Raymonds when she’d been running along the coastal path. But how would Bailey have known Luke Felton, and more importantly his background, well enough to get him to agree to a meeting in that copse? There were two possibilities. Bailey had either worked or socialized with Luke Felton, which seemed doubtful unless the job his father had got Luke had been at Hester’s Shipbuilding, or Bailey already knew him. Peter Bailey didn’t have a criminal record, so he couldn’t have been involved with Luke during his community service for the attack on the pensioner in 1995, unless. .
With his heart racing, Horton quickly turned to his computer and called up the case files for 1995. When he found the one he wanted his eyes devoured the text on the screen. Several minutes later he sat back, with a grim smile of satisfaction. There was a great deal more to Peter Bailey than met the eye and considerably more than he had told them. Bailey also had a very strong motive for wanting Luke Felton convicted and put away for a very long time.