‘How much longer do you think they’ll be?’ Patel asked, popping a mint in his mouth and waving the packet in Kate’s direction.

Declining the offer, she leaned back on her desk chair and stretched her hands high above her head. ‘Your guess is as good as mine. I’m half-tempted to observe their private conversation in the interview suite. I would, if it didn’t breach his rights.’

‘Do you reckon he’s spilling the beans to her?’

Kate cocked an eyebrow. ‘If he is, you can bet she’ll tell him to give you nothing but “No comment” to all your remaining questions. Did you see the look of panic on his face as he asked to speak with her alone? He knows you’re on to him. I used to think criminals were getting smarter. With so many cop shows on the television, you’d think he’d have covered his tracks better.’

‘Maybe the first one wasn’t planned, he panicked and has been trying to clear up the mess. Who knows what goes through a psychopath’s head.’

Kate’s eyes narrowed. ‘You reckon he’s psychopathic then?’ She wasn’t sure whether to share her suspicions about Isbitt’s possible connection to the London crimes.

‘Well, whatever the correct term is, he’s definitely not right in the head. He wanted her dead. That’s why he used a bag to suffocate Helen. He’d have felt every last breath as her body tried to cling to life. And then to go and do it all again… he’s not right.’

‘I agree. Which is why I’m going to come in with you for the second part of the interview.’

She saw him fire a glance towards Laura who’d been sitting at her desk, quietly observing their exchange.

Kate turned to face her. ‘I think you’ve done fantastic job, Laura, I’m proud of you, but we need to make sure we press him in the right way. We need him to confess. A new voice will unsettle him and help catch him off guard.’

‘What about the supe?’ Laura challenged.

‘Leave him to me. When he realises we managed to catch the killer, he won’t be worried about my involvement.’

---

It had been an hour since Cindy Everidge had demanded a quiet place to review matters with her client. Kate had spent most of that time on the phone to SSD chasing up the forensics. Now she was growing impatient. They could only hold Isbitt for twenty-four hours before they’d have to either charge or release him. She needed the DNA match or a confession; ideally both.

She had disclosed to Everidge that they’d found fragments of Isbitt’s card in the second vehicle. Isbitt’s face was puffy and red, and he was nursing a tissue when they entered. Everidge wore a coquettish smile, which Kate tried to ignore.

Restarting the recorder, Kate confirmed the interview was reconvening and introduced herself, reminding Isbitt he was still under caution.

‘My client wishes me to read a statement on his behalf,’ Everidge declared, picking up a pad of handwritten notes.

Kate nodded for her to continue.

‘My client, Mr Gavin Isbitt, wishes to put it on record that he was not responsible for the unfortunate death of Helen Jackson. He has never met or seen Helen Jackson, and cannot explain how she wound up dead in the motor vehicle he was leasing for business. Mr Isbitt reported the vehicle stolen when he first became aware of it on Wednesday morning. He has followed the correct procedure for the theft and was issued with a crime reference number, which you’re already aware of.’

She paused for a sip of water. ‘You have disclosed that my client’s DNA was discovered inside said motor vehicle, but as he freely admits to leasing and driving the vehicle for business reasons, it should come as no surprise that his DNA was present. You have not disclosed that his DNA was discovered on the victim’s body, and unless you are later going to confirm this, there is nothing linking my client to her death, other than circumstantial evidence, which we all know the CPS will not uphold.’

Kate remained quiet and still until the statement was complete.

‘Now, to the matter of my client’s mobile phone activity yesterday. Mr Isbitt originally advised you that he was at the Marriott hotel in Colchester, attending a technology conference. My client now wishes to revise that statement. Whilst there was a conference at that hotel on Saturday night, and my client had booked a room there, he in fact decided against attending the conference. He says the hotel will be able to confirm he never checked in. My client admits to misleading you originally, but his reason for doing so was to validate the lie he had told to his wife, who was present at the scene when his whereabouts were first questioned. Mr Isbitt was in fact in Portsmouth from lunchtime yesterday, and spent the night there too. Mr Isbitt has provided me with the name of a woman who will confirm he was with her between midday on Saturday until eight this morning. Mr Isbitt has been conducting an extra-marital affair with this woman for several months, and using the guise of conferences to cover his actions. Whilst there is nothing illegal about such activity, Mr Isbitt is deeply ashamed of the lies he has been telling his wife, and would like the opportunity to come clean to her in his own time.’

Everidge passed them the piece of paper. Patel excused himself to make a copy of the page, returning two minutes later. Kate restarted the recorder. ‘Who is this woman in Portsmouth?’

He was slouched in his chair. ‘I’ve known her for years. We used to go to school together, but lost touch, and then she added me on Facebook. We met for a coffee, and it was like we’d never been apart.’

‘Your wife told me she thought you were having an affair with a former employee. Why perpetuate the lie?’

‘I love my wife and my son, but you don’t know what it’s like living with her. She gave up work when he was born, but since she took me back, she’s become paranoid about my every movement. Ironically, it was her behaviour that drove me to having another affair.’

Kate couldn’t control her reaction. ‘It’s always the wife or girlfriend’s fault with men like you, isn’t it?’ She shook her head in disbelief. ‘It’s nobody’s fault but your own. If you think otherwise, you’re kidding yourself.’

‘I should have known you’d take her side. You women stick together.’ He leaned forward. ‘Is it normal that she checks every email I receive? That she goes through my bank statements, and my Facebook timeline – is that normal? A marriage should be built on love and trust, but she doesn’t trust me.’

‘With good reason, from what you’ve admitted today. Did you ever plan to tell her the truth?’

‘I don’t know… yes… maybe… What’s it to you, anyway?’

‘I think she was a fool for taking you back the last time you abused her trust, but I’d be very surprised if she makes the mistake again.’

Everidge raised her hand. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that the details of this interview are confidential, detective. If you tell Mrs Isbitt about what my client has said, we will seek civil redress.’

‘I don’t need you to remind me of your client’s rights,’ Kate said, glaring at her before turning back to Isbitt. ‘What were you doing at the Teletron offices on Friday afternoon?’

He frowned. ‘Uh… oh that’s right, I had a meeting with the Managing Director there. They’re looking to upgrade all their systems to Windows 10 and he wanted me to quote for the business.’

‘You had a guest pass to enter the building and car park, didn’t you?’

‘Yeah. What of it?’

‘What happened to the pass, Mr Isbitt?’

‘What? I handed it back in to the woman in reception when I left.’

‘So you didn’t keep it and use it to gain entry back into the car park late last night?’

‘No. I’ve told you, I was in Portsmouth last night.’

‘Your phone was in Portsmouth, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you were.’

‘Phone my girlfriend and she’ll confirm I was there all night.’

‘I’m sure she’ll tell us anything you ask her to.’

He gasped in exasperation. ‘It’s the truth! What is it with you people? I am not a killer!’

‘Can you explain why fragments of your business card happened to be found squashed into the cushion of the vehicle where our second victim was located?’

‘How the hell should I know? Maybe I met the killer at some point and gave him one of my cards?’

‘Do you give out many business cards?’

‘All the time. I give one to every new person I meet. Even if they don’t need our services, they often know someone who does.’

‘Our Scientific Services team are currently comparing samples taken from the second vehicle to your DNA profile. You’re going to have a lot of explaining to do if they find a hit. This is your chance to come clean and tell us what you did.’ She slid the autopsy photograph of the second victim towards him. ‘Who is she? How did you meet her?’

He sat back and folded his arms. ‘I don’t know who she is or who killed her. For God’s sake, how much more of this do I have to put up with?’

‘Did you meet this victim online too? Is that how you met Helen Jackson as well? Were they both former girlfriends?’

He spoke through gritted teeth. ‘I don’t know either of these women.’

‘My colleagues are conducting a search of your home as we speak, so just come clean and spare us the effort.’

‘I’ve had enough of this. Ask your bloody questions, but don’t expect an answer from me.’

‘Did you kill Helen Jackson and leave her body in the boot of your business car?’

‘No comment.’

‘Did you kill the woman in this photograph and leave her on the back seat of a Mercedes you’d broken into?’

‘No comment.’

Kate suspended the interview and stopped the recorder, before storming out of the room.