by Mayes, June
“Are you laughing?” Beth asked incredulously. “This isn’t funny,” she muttered looking back at the two detectives. Scott and Vickie had waved them in toward the living room while Beth shut the door. It looked like her luck had not changed overnight.
“You and I both know that you didn’t do it,” David said drawing her back into the conversation. Beth suddenly felt warm. He really believed that she had nothing to do with it. David believed in her. She felt relief flood her and had to stifle an urge to dance for joy. He continued, “I’ve had the pleasure of talking to you and your numerous friends. You couldn’t even have planned this. You’re a good person Beth.” Beth gave a laugh which surprised her in the face of the impending doom waiting in the living room. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She might just stand a chance of facing off with the two quietly waiting policemen.
“Thank you,” she said gently. It warmed her just knowing that he truly believed in her.
“Are you going to be okay? Can I help or do you need to go?” He asked sounding concerned despite lightening the mood.
“I better go,” Beth replied feeling calmer and ready to face whatever questions came her way. “Um should I call you back?” she asked as her nerves began to tingle. As the worry faded her body felt like it was coming alive. She wanted to speak to him again. She wanted to see him again. She liked this man.
“Don’t worry I’ll call you,” he laughed. “You can rest assured.”
“Why?” Beth asked just as they were both about to hang up. It puzzled her that disaster after disaster he was still calling her and from the sounds of it determined to call her again.
“Because this is all far too interesting to walk away from,” David answered gently. She could feel him smile over the phone as they said goodbye. Taking a deep breath Beth walked into the living room after the detectives. She could face their questions she decided. Her family, her friends and David all believed in her. Not one of them doubted for an instant that she wasn’t innocent. Beth squared her shoulders. It was about time the detectives figured out she was innocent as well.
Chapter 26
*
David stood staring at his phone. Again? He was amused and vaguely shocked. Somehow even in the course of the most normal and riveting, he had to admit, conversation she had managed to once again turn it into a fiasco. She really needed help David decided, just to get through life peacefully from the sounds of it.
Actually he thought after a minute, what she really needed was a keeper. David stopped what he was doing and stood stunned. What was he thinking? He barely knew this woman and now he was thinking of taking care of her as in long term? Surely he should get to know her a little better before planning a life together? Thinking about it a bit more David had to admit to himself that he actually would be more then happy to have something more long term with Beth. They had just spent nearly an hour on the phone talking about everything. He felt free to say what he wanted to her and knew that she wouldn’t judge him for it. Honesty, trust. That was the basis of something. Wasn’t it?
*
“We have some follow up questions which have come up in the course of the investigation,” Joseph said. He looked uncomfortable and ill at ease. Beth could understand why. She, Vickie and Scott were sitting solemn and staring unimpressed back at the detectives.
“What do you want to know?” Scott said quietly without inviting any further conversation.
“We are specifically keen to understand how involved any of you are in Brian’s business dealings,” Joseph said watching the unresponsive faces sitting on the couch opposite him. He offered an understanding smile but none of them responded. The other detective gave a wary glance to them and then back at his colleague.
“There is a feeling that the business was pivotal in regards to the murder. There were rumours that his business was in bad shape financially. Could you substantiate any of the rumours that are circulating?” Joseph continued prompted trying again to get them to respond. The room was quiet for minute. Joseph cleared his throat and asked directly watching Beth, “Do any of you know anything about it Brian’s financial and business difficulties?”
“Our business is distinct from Brian’s company. We had a separate partnership agreement,” Beth replied calmly. These detectives had better get the message soon; this family had nothing to do with Brian’s murder. She found herself sort of wishing that Joseph had a toupee that she could stomp on. Beth wished she had done it to their accountant when they had the chance because without him they wouldn’t be in this mess. She sighed.
Joseph asked a few more questions and the three of them answered the best they could. Most of the time he was asking for details Scott, Vickie and Beth just couldn’t provide, none of them knew much about what Brian did. The detectives didn’t look too convinced by the end of the questioning.
“With this link to the business you can’t really suspect any of us any more can you?’ Vickie asked hopefully. She was no doubt hoping that this would be the last visit of the terrible two.
“I’m afraid its not that clear cut,” Joseph said. An uncomfortable silence filled the room. He couldn’t be serious Beth thought. She looked back at his face. He was. It looked like Joseph despite all evidence to the contrary was determined to involve Beth and even her friends in the murder.
“Look none of us were near Brian the night he was killed. How can you still think its us?” Beth asked pleading the detective to try and explain his warped logic.
“Vickie and Scott do have an iron clad alibi,” Joseph admitted. The neighbour across the street was a nosey biddy-body who, when a policeman interviewed her, was irate that Scott and Vickie liked to sit in the family room in the evening without drawing the curtains. She had watched them from her house all evening.
‘Can you imagine?’ she had asked the policeman, ‘the nerve of youngsters today’. Beth and Vickie could well imagine. That particular neighbour was well known for ‘knowing’ everything. Still on this occasion it gave Vickie and Scott an alibi. The detective looked almost disappointed when he told them but he wasn’t convinced that Beth wasn’t involved in some way.
“We spoke to the bar manager who corroborated your story Ms. Grant and David Andrews confirmed you were with him from approximately 19:30 pm,” Joseph forged on oblivious to the obvious growing displeasure being aimed his way. “On further questioning, despite his claims that you were with him the entire evening, he can not completely vouch for your whereabouts.” Beth gasped. What? Joseph continued, “I am aware that he has been prescribed serious painkillers for a shoulder injury. The doctor has confirmed that these would render him near unconscious. You must appreciate that for the hours that Brian was murdered we have no alibi that can be corroborated for your location. Hotel staff did see you depart yesterday morning. However with a conference taking up most of their attention, no one was able to confirm or deny that you may have left in the late evening and returned later,” he sounded serious and very formal. He had the grace to look a little uncomfortable.
Beth felt a jolt at the news. The detective was still seriously considering her. She felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Beth wouldn’t hurt a fly, in fact often let flies out when caught in the house, and here the detective thought she was guilty. She was being considered a real suspect! A headache began to pound behind her eyes and her shoulders felt tense. Vickie reached an arm around her somehow knowing that she needed the comfort of another’s touch. She sat trembling as the detectives stood.
Apparently having asked all they needed to, the detectives took their leave but not before requesting that Beth not take any trips away. From Beth’s point of view, they seemed far too sure that she was someway involved. Even more frightening they seemed determined to gather the proof they needed to arrest her. Beth slid down on the couch feeling drained. What was she going to do? One thing was for sure though was that it seemed her bad luck was holding.
“Beth, he has nothing co
ncrete to link you into Brian’s death.” Scott said in his ever sensible voice. “He’s just speculating. If he had anything on you, we would be on our way to the station for questioning. He can’t take it that far because there is nothing to pin on you.” Scott looked relax and calm in jeans and a sweater. He looked believable and not fazed by the fact that he had come downstairs to be greeted by accusations and policemen.
“Why me?” Beth wailed “Why does he think I did it? Why not someone from work? Why not Vickie as well even with an alibi? I’m surprised that he isn’t accusing me of hiring a hit man!” she said. Okay this was pitiful but Beth felt like the centre of a target in a national darts competition. A competition scheduled to last at least a week with really sharp darts.
Vickie laughed at her sister’s pitiful outcry. She looked soft and sweet in her pink sweatshirt and loose white cotton trousers. There was no way anyone looking at her could even consider she might be involved in anything untoward. “It can’t be me, Beth” she explained. “Heavily pregnant women can’t be suspects in murder cases. It’s just not politically correct. He has to pin all his hopes and fears on you.” Vickie sounded positively cheerful when she finished. Proudly she patted her rounded stomach with a look satisfaction; Scott laughing quietly next to her.
“Of course,” Beth said smiling through her misery. “The poor detective. He really has no choice but to suspect me. After all, Brian didn’t have a butler and the only other family member who might want to kill him is a poor defenceless pregnant mum-to-be. What was I thinking?” The light-hearted banter made Beth feel a lot more secure. The detective was doing his job. In the face of no big leads, he was trying to shake loose a murderer. He needed to put the pressure on everyone linked to Brian. No doubt he had planned to put both sisters on the spot when he first started investigating.
“The theory of course was no doubt easier then the practice. He met the obviously pregnant Vickie,” Scott continued with a nod toward his wife, “with a protective husband and an iron clad alibi. When push came to shove, upsetting the pregnant sister was just not something even Joseph had the nerve to do.” Scott gave a grin and Beth smiled back.
“Upsetting the sister of said pregnant woman, however, would put everyone on edge without him having to play the bad guy,” Beth had to agree as she thought about it. Beth wondered if the detective was really that clever or if she had been watching too many mysteries on television.
Sitting together, Beth, Vickie and Scott talked through the murder. They still didn’t have enough details to know what happened. What they did know was that it was going to be okay. There was no evidence linking Beth to the murder. Both Vickie and Scott were determined to calm Beth down. By the time they finished with her the headache had lessened and she was feeling a great deal more like facing the rest of the day.
It was inconceivable that she could be linked to Brian’s murder in any way. There was no way the detectives would be able to find any evidence to prove otherwise. Anything they might find would have to be circumstantial and even that would be hard to find. Having set Beth’s mind at ease over the detective’s suspicions, they faced the next big problem. What to do about the company. They sat chatting for hours just playing through the options. It was a great morning for reflection. By lunchtime they had figured out a plan of action for both their best and worst case scenario. It was a relief to have an end game in sight.
“The long and the short of it is that we have the collateral to pay off the loan from the bank. We own the house free and clear. If we take out a mortgage or a loan against the house we can make all the main financial worries behind us,” Beth summarised as she pushed back from the papers on the coffee table.
“It’s heartbreaking but we can do it.” Vickie agreed with a smile.
‘Look I can cover the majority of the monthly payments with my salary” Scott said with a nod when he sat back from his figures.
“If I can get a job, even a secretarial position I can cover the rest. We’ll be fine,” Beth agreed grinning. It was actually true they would be okay with Vickie receiving maternity benefits from her job and although she wasn’t planning on returning that option was still open to them as well. They had no idea how crippling the repayments might be but if they put the business on hold they would be able to live comfortably enough.
Chapter 27
The next two days sped by in a blur. Before they knew it, Beth was heading to the last meeting hoping to find a last minute reprieve or out for the business. By the end of it only one company was interested but they had already bought their new season’s range. A new order wouldn’t be placed for at least another six months. The net result of all the meeting and running around was that their worst case scenario plan became their next course of action.
In a last ditch effort to see what they could salvage, Beth decided to go through the box of papers from Brian’s house. There was a chance that they could prove how Brian had siphoned the funds away. If they could get that they could try just try to claim it back from his estate. If it worked and within the timeframe. Given her luck of course it was a long shot but worth looking through a few papers for the potential chance of saving the business.
Beth poured through the business plan, the projected finances and the action plan. Everything was on target and looked sound. The only thing that was really destroying them was the fact that the money was no longer in the bank account. Brian must have stashed it somewhere but it wasn’t here. Beth opened another file from the box. The bank statements, the crucial missing link they had been looking for. It should show how much Brian had taken and when. If they could find evidence that Brian withdrew the money from the account, surely there would be a way to claim it back from his estate.
Beth flipped through the pages. Just lists of numbers, dates and references. There was nothing duller she decided then bank statements. At first the activity seemed normal. There were withdrawals for stock, debits to suppliers and the usual sundries. Beth kept looking. There was no lump sum withdrawal. There was no direct debit to Brian’s account. There was nothing to explain where all the money had gone. Beth looked back at the figures again.
Hang on. She had purchased materials for the line they were working over the last three months. All the payments she had made were there and accounted for. She looked at the next month. Similar payments were made in addition to her own orders. That wasn’t right. The next month showed the same again. Beth pulled out her order book and studied the costs against the stock purchased. There it was. She had found out how he did it. Brian had been skimming them from the beginning. He had taken legitimate spending figures and echoed them with slight variations month after month. There were cash withdrawals and direct debits with replica descriptions of the legitimate expenditure. That sneak! No wonder they hadn’t noticed. It all looked legit.
While it was a plus to know exactly how he had done it, the draw back was that they probably wouldn’t be able to claim against the estate. So much for saving the business. Beth ran a hand through her hair. At least they knew. She looked through the papers over and over again but there was no way she could see that would show the legitimate spending vs. the illegitimate spending. All the illegitimate expenses went into one of three separate accounts. Nothing linked the spend with Brian or the accounts as his. She put all the business paperwork to the side and went back to the box from Brian’s flat. The family papers would need to be put in the safe. Anything that didn’t relate to them needed to be returned to Brian’s office. Neatly Beth sorted everything into piles of keep, file and return.
Beth looked at the return pile. They would have to go back to Brian’s office. All she had to do was figure out how to get the papers back again without anyone asking how Beth got them in the first place. Although the paperwork they retrieved belonged to them, Beth realised she still felt guilty about sneaking into Brian’s flat. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but now, well it hadn’t been the most mature response even if it had worked.
“It’s clever,” Scott said. “None of his withdrawals would have flagged a problem. After you made your payments to the suppliers, you wouldn’t check the accounts again until the next order. Brian just made dummy orders for the times the two of you weren’t ordering. Then he just pocketed the cash. The bank that loaned the business the money would see it as an legitimate expenditure. They wouldn’t raise the alarm. Basically the only thing that would have caught Brian out was time. Once the next order was placed and one of you looked at the account again, it would have been clear there was an issue.”
“Which must be why he dissolved his partnership when he did,” Beth mused. “He knew that the range we were working on was nearly finished and that I was looking at new materials.”
“One of us could have placed an order any day. That’s why he had to get out quickly.” Vickie agreed nodding. No doubt about it, in a scam like this Brian would have been in his element.
While Beth and Scott were cleaning up after dinner, someone came to the front door.
Beth’s heart had jumped when the bell first rang. For a brief second she thought it had been the telephone. David had called her every day this week and the two of them had fallen into a routine of talking to one another. She was hoping he would call again soon because she wanted to hear his voice again. They talked about everything together. It felt good to share and know that someone was there for her. Okay if she was honest, Beth thought, deep down she wanted to beg him to take her away everything. All the suspicions, the financial stresses and just the loneliness of having to face it day in and day out were starting to wear on her. In the face of it Beth thought she had been dealing with the situation but deep down she dreamt of being swept away from it all.
