Devil in the Detail by A.J. Cross (love letters to the dead .TXT) 📗

and see him and ask him what he knows about this item of jewellery. If he recognizes it, I want whatever paperwork he’s got for it. Quick as you can.’

Jones took it, headed for the door. ‘On my way.’

They walked on. ‘Let’s see what Molly Lawrence has to tell us,’ Watts said.

Traynor had received a phone call forty-five minutes ago. He was now inside Molly Lawrence’s mother’s house, waiting. She looked to be in torment.

‘It was bad enough when I got your call about the life insurance. I knew then that Molly was in real trouble.’

‘If you know anything else which you think might have some bearing on the shooting of your daughter and son-in-law, you need to tell me.’

‘You don’t know what you’re asking of me. Of any mother,’ she whispered, reaching for a folded piece of paper lying on the low table in front of her. Her hands shaking, she opened it and held it out to him. ‘You need to read this.’

Traynor took it from her and looked at the heading in bold black letters. A coroner’s report. His eyes moved slowly over the concise words to the end and a decision in more bold letters: Verdict: Open.

‘I can imagine what it’s taken for you to make this available to us.’

‘I don’t have a choice.’ She glanced at the report still in his hand. ‘I know what Molly said happened that day.’ She looked away from Traynor to the window. ‘I always had my doubts. Can you begin to imagine how that felt?’

He was at a loss to find words to convey his sympathy and understanding of her situation. ‘Yes. I can.’

She nodded and gazed out at trees being whipped by a cold wind. ‘It’s not easy raising children and I’m thinking that I’ve made a mess of it.’

Traynor’s natural response was to reassure but he said nothing.

‘What does one do, Will, when two children are so … different, one outgoing, the other …? All young children are self-centred to a degree.’ She paused. ‘But it never changed. There were always the lies, the indifference to other people’s feelings and … using people, relationships, sex as a means to an end. Some of those things, the selfishness, became less obvious, but I knew they were always there. I tried to be a good mother, to guide, believe me. Our house was always full of children, playmates … but not one of them was like her.’

She looked up at Traynor. ‘If I’d said something, done something … would her sister and Mike be alive today?’

Traynor folded the report and returned it to his pocket. ‘I appreciate how hard this was for you. It was the right thing to do.’

Watts looked at a text which had just arrived from Traynor. He turned his phone to Judd, who read it.

She looked up at him and whispered, ‘What the hell?’

‘Are you still happy to lead?’

‘Yes.’

They entered the room. Molly Lawrence stood, her face deathly pale.

‘Mrs Lawrence,’ said Judd, ‘before you are interviewed under caution, do you wish to have legal representation?’

‘Under …?’ She looked at Watts. ‘What’s going on? I want to go home.’

Judd reached for the PACE machine and cautioned her. Molly Lawrence’s blue eyes were still fixed on Watts.

‘I don’t understand. I’ve been honest with you, Detective Inspector. I’ve told you all I know.’

‘Mrs Lawrence,’ said Judd. ‘I’m leading this interview. You’re under caution because we believe that you are withholding information from this investigation into the shooting of your husband and yourself.’

As if Judd had not spoken, Lawrence’s eyes remained fixed on him. ‘I’ve told you I was under duress from Brendan. I need protection from him!’

‘Because we believe you are continuing to withhold information,’ said Judd, ‘the purpose of this interview is to give you every opportunity to add to or amend what you’ve told us so far, and also the information you have given to Dr William Traynor. Do you understand?’

She stared at Judd. ‘Why aren’t you listening to me? I couldn’t be open. I was afraid for my life!’

‘Mrs Lawrence, you’ve acknowledged some involvement in your husband’s death.’

‘If you mean I was there, then, yes.’

‘We have reason to believe it was far more than that. Do you now wish to add to or amend what you said earlier?’

‘No. I don’t.’ She pushed her hair behind her ears, her eyes fixed on Judd. ‘If you’re suggesting that I had anything to do with what happened to Mike, you’re wrong. That is monstrous. I’m as much a victim of Brendan Lawrence as Mike was. I lost the baby I wanted.’ She gave Judd a direct look, her chest rising and falling. ‘Until that night, I knew nothing of what was about to happen.’

‘Brendan denies shooting you and your husband.’

‘Ha! Brendan is a liar. Whatever he’s told you is lies. Like I said, when we approached that place, Mike suddenly stopped the car.’

Judd was recalling Nigel’s description of the stationary Toyota, all of its doors closed.

‘What time was that, Mrs Lawrence?’

‘I’m not sure. All I remember is Mike telling me what he and Brendan had planned. I was terrified. We started arguing. I was almost hysterical, asking him how he could have agreed to do what Brendan was suggesting, knowing the situation we were in with the baby. He told me Brendan needed money, that he had to pay off a massive drug debt, that he’d promised he would help him. You know all of this. I threatened to get out of the car.’ She looked at Watts. ‘But if I had, where would I have gone? I didn’t have a clue where I was.’ She brushed tears from her face. Her voice dropped. ‘Brendan arrived.’ Her eyes widened. ‘When I saw the gun, I couldn’t believe it. I fell apart, crying, shouting at Mike, at both of them, to stop.’

She covered her face with her hands. ‘That’s when Mike slapped me. Hard. He’d never done anything like that before. I was in shock. I just sat as