Page 140 of Her Last Walk Home

‘Hello, Charlie,’ Boyd said politely. ‘We’re recording this interview. You’re free to leave at any time. We’re just after some information.’

‘That’s totally fine. I want to help if I can. It sounded urgent when I picked up the message from my answering service this morning.’

She smiled sweetly, but Lottie noticed how quickly the expression disappeared from her face when Boyd lowered his head to switch on the machine.

Charlie was dressed casually while still managing to look like a model: denim jeans, her white shirt immaculately ironed, a sweater tied loosely around her shoulders. Her hair was loose, slightly damp from a recent shower. She looked twenty-six rather than forty-six. Must be Botox, Lottie thought.

‘We appreciate you helping us out.’ Boyd had the charm offensive in spades. ‘We need to ask you about last Friday afternoon. We met you around half three at Pine Grove to view the show home. What time did you arrive?’

‘Oh, I was there earlier than that. I had a chat with Patrick, the site manager, in his office.’

‘Do you know what time that was?’

‘I’ve no idea. Sure, it’s days ago now.’

‘Did you meet or see anyone else at the site office?’

‘I can’t recall. Gordon Collins may have been there, or maybe that was after… you know, after we found the body.’

‘And did you see John Morgan that morning before we found him dead?’ Boyd was so polite, but if Charlie professed not to remember one more time, Lottie thought she’d slap her.

‘Not that I recall.’ Charlie’s lips were pursed and she no longer looked like a model. There was something simmering beneath the surface, Lottie was sure of it. Time for her to jump in.

‘What was your relationship with John Morgan?’

Slowly Charlie turned to face her. ‘Relationship? I had no relationship with him. He was just a lad working on the site.’

‘But you must have met him when you were in and out to the site?’

‘I dealt with prospective clients there. On occasion I met with Gordon or Patrick.’

‘Really?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Charlie was unsettled, Lottie could hear it in her tone.

‘I find it hard to believe that when you were around the site, you never passed the time of day with John or had a chat.’

‘I didn’t say that. I said that I cannot rec?—’

‘Yeah, yeah. You can’t recall.’ Lottie folded her arms and leaned back in her chair.

‘I don’t like your attitude, Inspector,’ Charlie snapped. ‘I’m here of my own free will and I think I’d like to leave now.’

Boyd interjected. ‘Charlie, I’d appreciate if you could hold on. We’ve just a couple more questions.’

‘Okay, sure.’ The saccharine smile was plastered back in place.

‘We went through a lot of camera footage around Pine Grove. Can you look at this?’ He slid a photo from the file and slid it across the table. ‘This is you, Charlie.’

‘Looks like me.’

‘Do you know where that is?’ Boyd asked.

‘Yes, it’s the lane by the back entrance to the show home.’

‘Do you see the date and time?’

‘I’m not blind.’

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