by P R Ellis
‘Hmm, yes, that’s it.’
‘So, where did you fit in?’
‘I was Harriet’s stud.’ There was a hint of pride in Nicholl’s statement. ‘Yeah, it was all about the sex between Harriet and me and, she was fucking hot. Still is in fact.’
‘OK, so you had an adulterous affair with Harriet Bunting while she kept her husband as a sort of slave.’
The flush returned to Nicholls cheeks. ‘Yes, well it was a bit more than that. You see, Harriet liked to have Evelyn with us when we, um, fucked.’
Jasmine struggled to speak in an even, unemotional voice. Inside she was screaming with hysterical laughter. ‘You mean you had to perform in front of Harriet’s cuckolded husband who was prevented from taking part in the proceedings.’
‘Oh, he took part, alright.’
‘Really, I thought Harriet kept his penis locked up.’
‘He had a mouth and tongue.’
‘Umm. I see.’ Jasmine wasn’t sure she could ask Nicholls to describe in more detail what happened in bed with Harriet and Evelyn.
‘Look, is all this necessary?’ Nicholls seemed to have just realised the intimate and personal information he had been freely giving.
‘We are trying to establish who might have wanted to kill Evelyn Bunting and burn down the business. The relationship between Evelyn and his wife and her other relationships with men could be, probably are, important.’
Nicholls lay back in the chair, relaxing as if he was over the worst. ‘Well, I’ve not got any interest in the business and my relationship with Harriet, and Evelyn, is over.’
‘Why?’ Jasmine thrust in the query, ‘It looks like it was a cosy threesome.’
‘Harriet ended it – the sex – and told Evelyn to buy me out so that I would have nothing more to do with them.’
‘And you accepted that?’
Nicholls shrugged. ‘What else could I do? She had gone after that youngster, Tyler. I was no longer the sex machine she wanted. I was happy to get out and have a normal relationship with a girl.’
Tracy reappeared carrying a tray with a jug of coffee and three mugs. Jasmine was pleased to see that there were also biscuits. The girl put the tray down on a large oak coffee table and began pouring. Nicholls mouthed a “thanks darling”.
‘Do you know how Harriet met Tyler Smith?’ Jasmine asked.
Nicholls chuckled. ‘Oh, yes. He was her personal trainer. Harriet got it into her head that to preserve her youth she needed to keep fit. Soon however she discovered that Tyler was good at other moves apart from squat thrusts and push-ups.’
‘What does he see in her? She’s quite a bit older.’
‘Harriet can be very persuasive and, um, alluring. She soon got Tyler wrapped around her finger. Mind you he’s getting everything he wants. She’s insatiable.’
Tracy passed a mug of coffee to Jasmine and offered milk and sugar which Jasmine declined and a biscuit that she accepted.
‘What about Tyler and Evelyn? Did they get on?’
Nicholls shook his head. ‘I have no idea, but I don’t suppose Harriet has changed.’
‘What about the other men?’ Jasmine asked. Nicholls frowned
‘Other men?’
‘Did you know about the men that Harriet provided a service for?’
Tracey held out a mug for Garry. He looked at it.
‘Oh, love, is there any cream?’
The girl frowned. ‘No, sorry. I thought you preferred milk.’
‘I think I’d like cream today. Be a dear, Trace, and go and get some.’
‘We haven’t got any.’
‘The village shop will be open. They’ll have some.’
‘You want me to go to the shop to get you some cream for your coffee?’ The girl’s face was all frown.
‘There’s a love. You don’t mind do you? I’ll make it up to you – promise.’ Nicholls gave her the most lascivious smile that Jasmine had seen.
The girl smiled, ‘Well, alright. For you Garypops.’ She trotted out again. Jasmine sipped her coffee.
Nicholls leaned forward and whispered, ‘You know about Harriet’s gang of acolytes?’
‘Acolytes?’
‘Well, they worship her. You know what goes on?’
‘I know that Harriet charges an immense fee to hold the keys to those men’s chastity cages, and what’s more, makes them take part in various acts when she releases them.’
‘Yeah, they love it. The more pain and humiliation the more they like it.’
‘How many are there?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Not sure if I came across all of them. A dozen or so. Perhaps.’
‘You met them? Did you take part in sexual activities with them like you did with Evelyn and Harriet?’
Nicholls roared with embarrassed laughter. ‘God, no! I was just the chauffeur. Harriet doesn’t drive you know.’ Jasmine nodded. ‘I just delivered her to her appointments with those weird guys and kept out of it.’
‘Like Tyler.’
Nicholls shrugged, ‘Yeah, I suppose he’s her driver now.’
Jasmine put her empty mug down on the tray. ‘The bond between Harriet and these men is strong.’
‘I’ll say. They’ll do anything for her, buy anything for her.’
Kill for her, Jasmine wondered. ‘Do you know who they are?’
‘No. Harriet kept their real names to herself. She used to keep the keys and her notebook with their details, in her handbag, which she always has with her.’
‘She told you what she made them do?’
There was chuckle in Nicholls’ answer. ‘She used to like telling me her plans for them and how they responded. She enjoyed having power over them.’
‘And Evelyn and you?’
‘What?’
‘Having power over you?’
‘She didn’t…’ Nicholls paused and considered. ‘Well, I suppose she did. Not like Evelyn or those other guys, but yes, I suppose she got what she wanted from me.’
‘And when she’d had enough of you, she discarded you.’
Nicholls frowned. ‘I suppose it looks a bit like that.’
‘Were you angry?’
‘I was at first when she started seeing Tyler instead of me but then I sort of woke up.’
‘What do you mean?’
Nicholls smiled as if he had regained control. ‘I realised how much she had used me and how weird the set up with her and Evelyn was. When she said it was over between us I was quite relieved actually.’
‘But you insisted on your payment.’
‘Yeah. I wanted to get my own back. I said I’d leave them if they paid me my share of the business.’
‘Harriet agreed straight away?’
‘Yeah. She wanted me out of the way so that she could install Tyler in my place.’
‘Did you know that paying you a hundred thousand pounds would all but bankrupt the business.’
‘Can’t say I cared by then.’
‘Did you have a grudge against Evelyn Bunting?’
Nicholls looked confused. ‘A grudge? No why should I. It was Harriet who was breaking the relationship. Harriet who I was angry with. Are you suggesting I might have killed Evelyn?’
‘Just testing the possibilities.’
‘I told you I wasn’t here.’
‘We’ll check your alibi.’
Nicholls showed exasperation. ‘Look, I’m sorry Evelyn is dead. He was an odd guy, but I knew him for years and liked him. Yes, I did, I liked the guy. There was no way I would kill him.’
‘Or burn down the business?’
Nicholls shrugged. ‘Why should I? I had nothing to gain from it and it wouldn’t have been a way of getting back at Harriet – she had little interest in it. I’m not the one you should be questioning about this. I think you’re done now.’ He stood up and glared at Jasmine. She got to her feet.
‘Thank you, Mr Nicholls for being so open about your relationship. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you but we do need to ge
t all the facts on this case. I agree that you don’t seem to have a motive for either the murder or arson. Can you think of anyone who might?’
Nicholls shrugged, ‘No, I can’t. No one had anything against Evelyn. Why set fire to the shop? Unless… insurance?’
‘That’s a possibility,’ Jasmine agreed.
‘But Evelyn would be the one to benefit from any insurance payout. Why did he get killed? I don’t get it.’
‘Nor do we at the moment. But there are still questions to ask. Either I or a police officer may have more for you, especially as you knew the business.’
‘Not a lot. Evelyn looked after everything. I was very much a sleeping partner.’
‘Sleeping?’
Nicholls flushed again. Jasmine walked into the hallway. Nicholls opened the front door and Jasmine stepped outside. The door closed behind her.
Tracy jogged into the driveway, breathing heavily and grasping a carton of cream. She stopped and looked at Jasmine.
‘Oh, are you leaving?’
‘Yes,’
‘But I’ve got the cream.’
‘I’m sure Mr Nicholls would still like it in his coffee.’
‘He doesn’t usually have cream. That was just to get me out of the house wasn’t it?’
Jasmine shrugged. She didn’t want to come between the lovers.
‘He didn’t want me listening while you asked him about his last woman,’ Tracy stated.
‘Perhaps,’ Jasmine agreed.
‘Harriet wasn’t it. He doesn’t talk about her but sometimes he says the name when he’s asleep.’
‘Does he really?’ Jasmine wasn’t particularly interested in Nicholls sleep-talking.
‘He says another name sometimes,’ the girl went on.
Now Jasmine was interested. ‘Really? What name?’
‘Evie. I thought it was another girl he had sex with, but you said the name of Harriet’s husband was Evelyn. Do you think that was Evie?’
‘Possibly. I can’t be sure.’ Jasmine didn’t want to give the girl ideas.
‘I didn’t think Gary had sex with guys.’
Jasmine shook her head. ‘I really don’t know…’
‘Which do you fancy? You’re one of them trans people aren’t you.’
How did I give myself away this time, Jasmine asked herself; was it the voice or my appearance?
‘I’m a woman.’ She stopped herself adding “now”.
Tracy looked her up and down. ‘OK. You look pretty good. Do men fancy you?’
‘I’ve got a boyfriend.’ Jasmine mentally kicked herself. She didn’t need to get into this self-justification.
‘Oh well. Takes all sorts I suppose. Gary’s a real man, even though he’s old.’ The girl trotted on to the front door. Jasmine stared at her, wondering what the exchange was all about. Was it a tigerish, “keep away from my man” thing, or “I know more than you think”?
She returned to the Mini and started up. She turned in the road and headed slowly back towards Kintbridge. Where next? She reviewed her conversation with Gary Nicholls. There was no reason for him to be involved in the murder or arson but one thing he had said was at the forefront of her thoughts. Nicholls had said that Harriet’s slaves would do anything for her, anything at all. Did that include setting fire to Molly’s to get the insurance money, or disposing of Evelyn to please Harriet? She needed to speak to Harriet again.
18
SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER
LATE MORNING
‘Gather round, people. Let’s see what we’ve got,’ Tom Shepherd called out to his team. They looked up from their papers or screens and shuffled across the office to cluster around the whiteboard. ‘Right, who wants to start? Terry?’
Terry Hopkins took a breath, opened his mouth, and stopped. The door to the office had opened revealing the bulk of DCI Sloane. Tom looked at him in amazement. He had received no warning of the boss’ imminent arrival.
Sloane approached the group, his face not giving away any emotion.
‘Shepherd. Glad to find you here. Thought I’d call in for an update on your inquiry. It looks as though I came at the right time. Can’t stop for long, taking the wife out for lunch.’
Tom continued to stare at his superior officer. Despite apparently being off-duty, he was still in his everyday grey suit. Tom shook himself.
‘Good to see you Sir. We were just about to go over where we are.’
‘Are you about to make any arrests, Shepherd? That’s what I want to know. In a high-profile case like this, a murder and arson, it’s important to make progress quickly.’
‘Um, yes, Sir. Er, I don’t think we are in a position to make an arrest just yet. The evidence is not strong enough. We’re looking for communications between Bunting, that’s Evelyn, Mr Bunting, the victim and Neville Griffiths’ people regarding the fire at Molly’s.’
‘Ah, yes the arson. Insurance, do you think?’
‘That’s our theory, Sir.’
The DCI eased himself into a chair facing the group. ‘Well? Evidence?’
Tom shrugged. ‘There are some emails relating to the loan Bunting took out from Griffiths, but we haven’t found anything in his phone records or emails to suggest a conspiracy to set the place alight. I think the contact would be with Griffiths’ employee, Elvis Preston, but Bunting seems to have avoided speaking to him using his own phones.’
‘Public phones only, eh?’
‘Presumably.’
Terry coughed.
‘Yes, Hopkins, do you have something.’
‘Yes, Sir. CCTV from the centre of Thirsbury shows Preston’s car was in the town on the evening of the fire.’
Sloane frowned. ‘The centre of the town. What about nearer the premises.’
Tom replied. ‘There aren’t any cameras. Neither Bunting nor any of his neighbours have CCTV.’
The DCI growled with discontent. ‘I know Preston of old. Nasty piece of work. Arson is well within his remit. Are you going to arrest him?’
Tom grimaced. ‘The evidence is weak at the moment, Sir. We need to get a look at his phone details. He must have been in contact with Bunting, about repaying the loan if nothing else.’
‘Get him in,’ Sloane urged, ‘then you can get hold of his phone. The evidence will be there, Shepherd, if you look hard enough.’
‘Yes, Sir.’
‘Did Preston kill Bunting as well as set fire to the place.’
Tom sucked in a breath. ‘It’s possible, Sir, but the murder could be a separate incident to the arson. Killing Bunting seems illogical when he was going to be the recipient of the insurance money.’
‘Hmm,’ Sloane pondered. ‘What’s Frame got to say about the case? This Bunting chap was like her, wasn’t he?’
Tom stopped himself from sighing. He was glad Jasmine wasn’t present to hear Sloane liken her to Evelyn Bunting. ‘I don’t think they are that similar, Sir. Jasmine has been investigating the relationship between Evelyn and Harriet Bunting. It wasn’t what you would call a typical marriage, Sir.’
Sloane snorted. ‘Where is Frame? Isn’t she in today?’
‘It is Sunday, Sir. Actually, she was going to see if Gary Nicholls was at home. He’s been away since before the incident.
‘Nicholls?’
‘The former partner in the business, who Bunting bought out precipitating his financial problems and dealings with Griffiths. Nicholls also appears to be have been a previous lover of Harriet Bunting.’
‘Previous, you say. Who’s the current one then?’
‘Tyler Smith, a younger man,’ Tom explained.
‘Um, Sir.’ Young detective Sassani raised a hand as if he was in class. Tom glanced at him.
‘Yes, Hamid?’
‘Miss Frame has shown that Smith’s alibi for Tuesday night is not secure.’
‘What’s that?’ Sloane said.
‘Go on, Hamid,’ Tom urged.
The officer took a breath. ‘Miss Frame found that Smith was not with Harrie
t Bunting in the Faringdon hotel for all of Tuesday evening. In fact, I’ve now seen CCTV from the Royal Hotel. It shows Tyler Smith leaving in his Mercedes-Benz about seven-forty-five and returning soon after ten. He could have got back to Thirsbury in that time.’
‘He did!’ Sasha Patel said. Everyone looked at her.
‘How do you know?’ Tom said.
‘I’ve been looking at the same CCTV as Terry. Tyler Smith’s car was in the centre of Thirsbury at eight-thirty on Tuesday evening.’
Sloane stood up. ‘Well, DI Shepherd, I think you have another suspect to interview. It sounds as though Mr Smith has some questions to answer. Good work. I’ll leave you to get on.’ He lumbered towards the door, paused and turned. ‘Oh, and thank Frame for her assistance.’ He departed.
Tom was left facing his team. ‘Well, thanks, guys. Seems we have a couple of arrests to make. Let’s see about tracking down Preston and his Polish mate and Smith. Terry, you and me for Preston. We’ll need some uniform back-up for that I think. Sasha and Hamid, you find Tyler Smith. I expect he’ll be with Harriet Bunting.’
The team started to disperse, but Hamid stood still. ‘What about Jasmine?’
‘What about her?’ Tom asked.
‘She hasn’t been in touch this morning.’
Tom shrugged. ‘She said she’d have a look at Nicholls’ place. Perhaps he’s not back yet and she’s got nothing to report.’
19
SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER
EARLY AFTERNOON
It didn’t take long to drive across Kintbridge, even though the Sunday lunch traffic was building up. She pulled up in the road a few yards from Harriet Bunting’s borrowed house and was about to get out of the Mini when a car emerged from the driveway. It was a Merc, driven by Tyler Smith with Harriet in the passenger seat. She lay down across the passenger seat as it went past.
Jasmine started up the engine. At least this car was more reliable at re-starting than her old Fiesta. She did a quick three-point turn and was in time to see Smith turning left onto the main road. Jasmine followed, managing to insert herself into the flow of traffic while keeping her quarry in sight. At the centre of the small town they turned off the main road and drove over the canal and railway line through country and onwards, heading south. There were no cars between them now so Jasmine hung back. What was the reason for this journey, she wondered. Were Tyler and Harriet going out to a nice lunch together, or was there some other purpose?
