Page 47 of Final Betrayal

‘I mean, Cyril Gill is the father of one of the two young women who gave evidence against you ten years ago. Why would you want to work for him?’

He sniffed and eventually said, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s my motto.’

‘Do you see Mr Gill as your enemy?’

‘What do you think?’

‘He did nothing to you.’

‘That scum bitch of a daughter of his did.’

‘Have you been in contact with Louise Gill recently?’

She thought she noticed a slight blush, but he quickly rubbed his hands over his cheeks and up onto his bald head.

‘No,’ he said.

‘And Amy Whyte. What do you know about her?’

‘She lied too.’

‘Lied about what?’

He scanned his surroundings with narrowing eyes, which landed on her. ‘Why have you got me here? I’m entitled to my solicitor and a phone call.’

Lottie felt Boyd kick her ankle. It hadn’t taken long for the ‘entitled to my solicitor’ line to raise its head.

‘You’re not under arrest,’ she said.

‘I can go so?’ He unfolded his arms and made to stand up.

Slamming her hand on the table, Lottie felt Boyd jump at the same time as Dowling.

‘Sit down!’

‘I am sitting.’

‘Listen to me. I want the answers to a few questions first, then you can leave. Okay?’

‘Suppose so.’

He was either stupid or pretending to be stupid. She intended to fire right ahead and find out.

‘When did you last see Amy Whyte?’

He half closed his eyes and watched her through the slits. ‘Might have been 2006. My memory’s not the best from all the beatings I got in jail. Where you and that pair of liars landed me.’

‘You’ve been free for two months. Did you make contact with Amy in that time?’ Chancing her arm, watching his expression, waiting for the break. But he remained calm.

‘I don’t want to clap eyes on that bitch ever again.’

‘Not likely, is it, seeing as she’s dead.’ Lottie let the sentence hang in the silence and watched his face for a reaction. But he simply stared right back at her.

‘When was the last time you saw Amy?’

‘What do you mean?’ At last. Realisation dawned on his face. He sat forward. ‘Look here. This is a joke. You pinned one crime on me, and sure as there’s a fire in hell you’re not going to do it again. You can piss off, you skinny bitch.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment,’ Lottie said. Boyd nudged her again. She glared at him. She wanted Dowling riled. He might inadvertently say something he didn’t mean to say. Hopefully.

---