Page 51 of Her Hidden Shadow

‘How did that make you feel?’

He swallowed. ‘I didn’t want her to leave. This might sound stupid but as soon as I met her, I knew we were meant to be together. We got on well and I thought her moving in would turn my life around but after that, everything went downhill. My house got repossessed. I knew it was coming but I was living in denial. I even thought, with Sienna’s wage coming in and her savings, I could pay them off and keep the house, and that we’d all live happily together in it and in return, I’d put her name on the house. It was a pipe dream. I know that now. She found out about my financial situation, we argued, and she stormed out. I did everything I could to win her back. I begged, I pleaded, but she didn’t want me.’

Gina took the file off Collier and began to read through the notes. She’d been told that Sienna had left him because of his possessiveness and that he’d harassed her after. There was more to the story than Hale was letting on. She’d seen that much for herself. ‘Tell me about the caravan.’ Gina laid the photos of his boards and the note on the table while she described them for the tape. ‘We found photos of Sienna Moorcroft, photos of Robbie Shields and a log of their whereabouts. The note says, “that bitch. She’s nothing but a cheap whore and to think, I thought I could marry that. She’s not going to get away with what she did to me, and she lied. All that time she was with him too. The plan. Make her pay. Follow her, fuck with her head. She deserves it.” All this is followed by a doodle of a gun. This shows us that you were stalking her and were planning to kill her and then, we find her murdered.’

‘I can explain.’ He scrunched his brows.

‘Please do.’

‘I was angry, in fact, I knew there was a reason she’d left me, and I suspected it was because she was seeing someone else. I did follow her. I wrote all those horrible things, but I didn’t kill her. My head was in a real funny place, and I thought by writing my feelings down, it would help. I’d lost my home and she walked out on me. My own mother wouldn’t let me stay with her and she made me sneak into that cold, damp caravan when the site was shut. Everything was going wrong at once and I stupidly blamed Sienna. I’m not proud of my behaviour. That’s why I went to London to see my old uni mates. I needed to clear my head. Really, I needed to take responsibility too, so it’s important that I tell you the truth. I will admit to following Sienna a little bit. Not all the time. It’s not like I tailed her twenty-four seven. Just when I pined for her, or I was a bit lonely – you have me there. I’m guilty of being a nuisance to Sienna, but I did not murder her or Robbie. On that night I was staying with my mother. I was there all night.’

‘Your mother said she went to bed early because you fell asleep on the settee. You had opportunity and you have a motive. She rejected you and you couldn’t handle it, could you? You needed her money as you were about to lose your home. That’s why you followed her. Your mother didn’t hear you leave. You saw Sienna go to Robbie Shields’s house and you killed her, didn’t you?’

‘No.’ He slammed his open palm on the table and tilted his head. His bottom lip quivered, and he looked like he might cry. ‘That’s not what happened. I didn’t follow her that night and I’ve never been violent.’

‘And how about Robbie? He popped out and when he came back, he saw what you’d done to Sienna. Tell me what you did to him?’

‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘Forensics have samples from Robbie Shields’s car. We will know if they belong to you so it’s in your interest to tell us now.’

‘I have nothing to tell.’ His chin and cheeks began to turn crimson. ‘You really are barking up the wrong tree.’

‘Do you ever go to Redditch?’

He scrunched up his nose. ‘What has that got to do with anything?’

‘Please answer the question.’

‘I’ve been to the shopping centre, but I tend to go to Birmingham more. I have a friend who lives in Redditch, but I last went a few years ago.’

Tiffany had been strangled in her home four years ago. Gina wondered if he’d mention Tiffany’s name. ‘What is your friend’s name?’

‘Seriously?’

‘We just need a name.’

‘Janice Grant. We went to school together and I used to hang out with her brother. He died so I visited her a few times. We didn’t date or have a relationship. I just went to see if she was okay.’

Flicking through the file, she pulled out the photo of the ring that the pathologist had emailed to her. ‘Have you ever seen the ring in this photo?’

‘No, it’s not mine. I’ve never been married.’

Gina placed another photo on the table. ‘For the tape, I’m showing Mr Hale a photo of the scarf which was used to strangle Sienna Moorcroft to death.’

He shrugged. ‘What’s that?’

‘Your mother owns a scarf with blue flowers on it.’

‘She owns a million scarves. Every drawer is stuffed with them. She hoards them like some crazy person.’

‘Except her scarf like this one is missing.’

His shaking got more erratic. ‘This is a fit up. I’ve never seen that scarf in my life. In fact, I’ve changed my mind. I didn’t want a solicitor because I knew what I’d done and I wanted to own up and do the right thing, but I’m not having you lot falsely charge me with a double murder. I. Did. Not. Kill. Anyone. I was at my mother’s house all night on Saturday the twenty-eighth. I’m sure there will be a way of me being able to confirm that. Ask some of the neighbours if they saw me go out. There’s a nosy bastard who lives next door, his name is Amos Jeffrey. Ask him. Do your job.’

Gina collected up all the photos and passed them to DI Collier, who placed them back in the file. She went to speak.

‘Don’t ask another question. I’m taking my right to silence. Don’t waste your breath.’ He made a zip motion across his mouth with his fingers and folded his arms again.

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