Chapter 22
The following day was Thursday but weary as she felt, Kelly pushed on with the investigation, as did her team. She drove back to Heron Hall with Emma first thing and they faced a full day of interviews there.
The VIPs from Hampton-Dent had decamped to the glorious estate of Dow Bank House and Emma said it was a pity they weren’t going there to conduct interviews. Kelly agreed.
‘I imagine it to be like Downton Abbey,’ she said as Kelly drove.
‘How are you feeling?’ Kelly asked.
Emma hadn’t officially announced her condition. Now was her chance.
‘You’ve guessed?’ Emma said.
‘I’m thrilled for you both. I just want to keep an eye on you, that’s all. How far are you?’
‘Fourteen weeks.’
Kelly smiled. ‘Past the big scan then.’
‘I couldn’t sleep last night. It was too hot; I feel as though I’m giving birth to a pressure cooker not a baby.’
Kelly laughed.
Ever since she’d discovered Emma’s secret, she’d looked at her in a new light. The rosy cheeks, the thick waist, the hot flushes and the sprints to the toilet.
‘But you don’t need to worry about me. I’m pregnant not broken,’ Emma said.
Kelly recalled her own pregnancy spent rushing around the Lakes chasing leads. The only change to her routine was waddling into an ice-cream shop for a fat cone dripping in caramel and raspberry sauce.
Nothing else changed. Except she was dog tired.
‘Is Dan excited?’ she asked.
Emma smiled broadly. It said everything. She changed the topic back to the case.
‘What struck me most about the people I interviewed at Heron Hall on Tuesday was their air of certainty. They’re not easy to read. They’ve been striking deals their whole working lives and I guess it’s hard to just be themselves. They’re real hardballers,’ she said.
They parked up outside the entrance and noticed the lack of cars compared to last time.
Jamie’s M4 was still there, and it’d be towed to the compound for forensic examination on Monday if they were lucky.
The hotel looked different somehow, though nothing had changed.
But without the buzz of people milling about down by the lake, or lights on above the atrium, it seemed abandoned, but it could just be her imagination.
Sandy Cooper should be waiting for them.
Doctor Cooper was a scientist, not a sales rep, so Kelly expected to get straighter answers from her; however, a check of her work history showed that she’d been employed by Hampton-Dent for thirty years and she also liaised with legal and HR.
It was an odd collection of hats and Kelly assumed it was one of those situations where a very experienced employee is trusted with more than the remit of her exact role.
It happened less nowadays but Sandy was in her fifties and a product of the market before over-regulation.
Her role fascinated Kelly and she wanted to get to know more about her.
There was no doubt of her value to the company, and she’d left her stamp on patents going back to the 90s.
She’d also been one of the only two people to try to help Jamie in his final minutes.
Even though she’d been useless in her anguish, she’d at least shown she cared for him and Kelly wondered if they’d been close.
In the footage of the incident, Sandy had been covered in Jamie’s blood.
Emma was tasked with finding Lee Lovett and Kelly found Sandy Cooper in the conference room, sitting alone, looking out of place.
Kelly didn’t see a wedding ring, though that was none of her business.
Sandy struck her as somebody who played fast and low.
Kelly smiled and thanked her for meeting her for an informal interview. Kelly sat down.
‘Coffee?’ Kelly asked.
‘I’ve had enough coffee to send me to the cardiac ward,’ Sandy said.
Kelly got a whiff of cigarettes and thought it was a good job Kate hadn’t returned with her – she’d be envious, for sure.
Kelly was surprised Sandy was a smoker. These days, especially being a supposed health expert, it was hugely unpopular.
But apparently coffee was bad for you too.
Kelly already knew that if you took every piece of advice offered, you’d not only cease to exist, but also suck every last bit of joy out of life to boot.
Kelly possessed a healthy dose of scepticism when it came to wellness advice.
She’d noticed in the few years she’d been back from London that her health had improved.
It wasn’t as if she’d been unfit in London, just her skin had brightened, her pallor shone, her personal bests had improved and she breathed easier and slept soundly, even with a two-year-old waking her up at odd times.
There was definitely something to be said for the Cumbrian regimen of fresh air, exercise and local food.
But she knew that the sort of backward beliefs that provincial folks spouted wouldn’t convince these cutting-edge corporate animals wanting to sell pills and gels over Keswick cheese and butter.
It wasn’t worth arguing with these people who spent their lives on synthetic pick-me-ups.
‘Can you explain to me your role in Hampton-Dent? You’re a scientist, is that right?’
Sandy Cooper nodded. She told Kelly that it was her job to oversee the efficacy and safety of the myriads of supplements marketed by Hampton-Dent.
‘So, you legitimatise the product with scientific backing?’
‘If you want to put it like that, yes.’
‘Did you encounter any problems with YouthBlast?’
‘No, all standard stuff, I’ve been doing this for years.’
Kelly got up and walked to the flip chart and stood next to the poster that Tilda Dent had showed her yesterday.
‘It just strikes me as significant that Jamie was doing so well, especially with this new product that was being championed here, and that drew your most senior execs from across the pond. I guess I’m looking for a reason Jamie might abandon his dreams.’
She held on to Ted’s assessment that Jamie’s death was a homicide for a little longer.
Sandy shrugged. Kelly reckoned the woman was more used to running meetings than being the subject of them. Tough luck. She’d come across tight-lipped interviewees plenty of times in her career and most of them didn’t like her. But that wasn’t why she was here.
‘How well did you know Jamie?’
‘He was a colleague. I get to know my colleagues on a needs basis. If I need some information, I associate with them. If not, I don’t. We weren’t drinking buddies.’
‘I watched the footage; you were hysterical over him.’
‘Footage?’
‘Somebody recorded it, after he fell.’
‘What the fuck? Give me a name; they’ll be off the Christmas list by close of play today.’
Kelly didn’t like the woman’s attempt at grim humour. It was inappropriate.
‘I’m afraid I can’t. The investigation is ongoing.’
Sandy Cooper looked mad. Kelly changed the subject.
‘You gave a lecture yesterday?’
‘I spoke to the delegates at around three p.m.’
‘And did you see Jamie?’
‘No. He was busy preparing for his own keynote speech.’
‘I’ve been told that he watched your speech.’
‘Yes, he did but I had no interaction with him. It was busy; we had things to do.’
‘Of course. You were launching YouthBlast, right? And you’re a hefty shareholder in FairGro? I did my research.’
In fact it was Dan who was compiling the money trail and collecting the information on Hampton-Dent employees.
‘I have chosen a maximum pension pot, yes. I have no husband or kids to think about, just my retirement to a villa in the Caribbean.’
‘That sounds nice. Is it a tight unit? Hampton-Dent? Are people close, or is it typical of a large corporation where people don’t recall names?’
Sandy laughed. ‘It’s global; we employ around twenty thousand people.’
‘Got it.’ Kelly got a pad out of her bag and began to take notes. ‘I’m getting the impression Jamie had everything to live for, career-wise.’
‘Yes. He was happy. Or at least I thought he was.’
‘So the keynote speakers didn’t interact much? What did you do at night? When I’ve been to conferences we sit in the bar chatting, getting to know our colleagues,’ Kelly said.
Sandy eyed her. ‘I knew Jamie well enough. He was in his twenties; he wouldn’t want to hang out with oldies like me.’
‘Right. Did you stay in your room all morning, then, on Tuesday, preparing for your talk?’
‘I stopped for a few breaks. I avoided the communal eating spaces. I didn’t socialise with anybody really. I talked to the catering manager a few times; we had a few cigarettes together outside.’
‘Oh yes, Lee Lovett, the conference and banqueting manager?’
‘Yes. We went for a walk around the lake, to the caves.’
‘Rydal Caves?’
Sandy nodded.
‘You said you were practising your speech.’
‘It’s not far; I needed a break.’
Kelly sensed a shift in the air. The room suddenly felt stickier and the atmosphere close. Why a scientist would go for a walk to a beauty spot with a catering manager was a mystery.
‘Was Mr Lovett off shift then?’
‘It was before he started.’
‘You got close during the conference? Sharing cigarettes, visiting tourist spots?’
Sandy smiled. ‘I’m a free woman. Lee is a gentleman.’
‘Of course. I’m just trying to place everyone. So, after the caves, you went back to your room alone?’
‘No, Lee came with me.’
Kelly watched the scientist. For somebody so measured and in control, her behaviour struck Kelly as risky, but the woman had an alibi.
If they were working on an assumption that Jamie was pushed after a fight, then whoever did it had left clothing in the corridor and wore muddy boots too big for Sandy Cooper, who had been busy shagging the conference and banqueting manager.
But it also didn’t escape her attention that whoever pushed Jamie would have left trace evidence on him, and Sandy Cooper had that covered because she’d thrown herself at him when he was dying on the floor.
Cute.
‘So, you gave your speech at three p.m. How did Jamie seem after?’
‘Snappy.’
‘Example?’
‘I saw him arguing with Tilda – she’s a CEO of Hampton-Dent.’
‘Yes, we’ve met. What time did your speech end?’
‘Four.’
‘Long speech.’
‘It was well received.’
‘Did Jamie congratulate you?’
‘Yes, he did. He said it helped his vision immensely. He wasn’t a man bent on killing himself. He was hungry for the future. You think you know someone…’
Kelly nodded in understanding. Enough people had told her exactly the same thing.
‘So, what happened after four o’clock?’
‘I was hungry so I thought I’d grab something from the buffet. That’s when I went downstairs.’
‘And that was what time?’
‘About five.’
‘And you were in your room all that time?’
‘Yes.’
Kelly noticed no flicker of hesitation. Not one sniff of vagueness.
‘Right. And so you went downstairs.’
‘That’s when it happened.’ Sandy looked up at the ceiling as if she might find answers there.
‘Did you notice anyone missing from the conference during the day at all?’
Sandy looked at her suspiciously. ‘I didn’t see Paul.’
‘Paul Burlington, Jamie’s partner?’
‘Yes, they were inseparable. He wasn’t here when the police came. When everybody was screaming and running around, trying to figure out what the hell happened. He wasn’t here.’
‘And Joe Folly, have you heard that name? Or the DiggerMan?’
‘The what?’ Sandy chuckled.
‘It’s his podcasting name,’ Kelly said.
‘Oh. No, who is he, is he here? He could have been invited as media.’
‘I doubt it; he was digging, excuse the pun, into the damage pharmaceuticals cause people. Were you aware you were facing litigation from several sources?’
‘At our size, somebody is always suing us for some unfairness.’
‘Oh, my mistake, I thought I saw you listed as a liaison for the legal department during a couple of personal damages cases over the last couple of years.’
‘Oh, yes, right, that. I give advice on the scientific bit.’
‘Jamie was dealing with a few litigation cases; I’ve seen the emails. He cc’d you?’
The vagueness was back but the demeanour was just as tough. However, Kelly saw that her foot was curled around the chair leg so tightly, the skin around her ankle was changing colour.
‘I work for a pharmaceutical company; people sue us all the time.’
‘Sure. Was Jamie worried about any of them?’
‘The cases? Not that I recall.’
‘Right. Can I ask you one more thing. Did you know Jamie’s sister?’
‘His sister?’
‘Yes, Angelina.’
Sandy shook her head and kept the rest of her body very still. ‘He had a sister?’
‘Yes, she was staying not far from here, in a hotel, paid for by Jamie. So, you never met? He never introduced any of your colleagues to his family?’
‘No.’
‘It’s just that Angelina was found murdered on Monday afternoon and I was hoping somebody in the company might be able to cast a little light on who might have something against both brother and sister.’
Kelly saw the colour in Sandy’s cheeks change.
‘So, you’re saying they were both murdered? Dear God.’
It was the first indication of true emotion Kelly had seen from the scientist.
But it was unconvincing.
‘I’ve got a couple more questions. I believe Mr Hampton and Ms Dent have headed over to Dow Bank House?’
‘I believe so.’
‘Did any delegates go over there this week? Security staff, admin staff? Anybody?’
Sandy shrugged. ‘There is a skeleton staff kept there to get it ready for events like this one. I’m also heading over there this afternoon, I think. I can ask.’
‘And will the close protection detail for Hank Hampton be there?’
‘The heavies?’ Sandy laughed.
Kelly remained serious. She didn’t find it funny, not since one of them was a person of interest to her. Mercedes man.
‘They come everywhere with us.’
‘Is there any reason one of them might have been anywhere else? Like Skelwith Bridge, for example.’
‘Where?’
‘It’s where Jamie’s sister was staying.’
‘Oh. I doubt it. They stick to Hank and Tilda like glue.’