Chapter 29
Kelly knocked on the door of the loft penthouse suite.
Her witnesses were leaving Heron Hall for good. This was her last opportunity to nail a few details that perturbed her. It was also an opportunity to catch Tilda Dent unprepared and ask her how long she intended to stay at Dow Bank House.
Tilda wasn’t pleased to see her and Kelly could see she’d come at a bad time.
‘Can I help you?’
‘Yes. Can I come in?’ Kelly asked. ‘I’ll be quick.’
Kelly had come across people like Tilda before. They thought they owned the place. They believed that their superior wealth gave them more moral fibre and thus more entitlement to the air in the room. But she also appreciated it was a byproduct of privilege and not necessarily personal.
Tilda opened the door and Kelly went inside following the jangle of Tilda’s jewellery.
The room was untidy. Expensive handbags and clothes littered the sofas.
Kelly looked around for scarves similar to the purple one taken into evidence, but couldn’t see any or stolen CAT boots either.
It was a suite overlooking the lake, but the curtains were drawn.
People who discarded beauty just because they could afford it were people Kelly didn’t generally care for.
Tilda went to the wall and flicked a button, opening the heavy drapes.
Kelly noticed a pair of lacy pants on the floor before Tilda could pick them up and stuff them into a suitcase, and she tried to push the thought of Paul Burlington pulling them off out of her mind. They made an odd couple.
Tilda was wispy, stylish and an heiress; and Paul was a working-class English boy.
Her Mellors perhaps. She couldn’t help wondering if they’d enjoyed a quickie after Jamie died too and the thought shocked her.
It was an unsavoury and disturbing image, and she didn’t know why it had popped uninvited into her head.
‘I want to pass on the constabulary’s appreciation that your guests have been so willing to give us statements. It’ll help get to the bottom of what happened here.’
Tilda laughed.
‘What’s funny?’
‘Oh, these Southern boys from Texas, they’re very religious, you know, they take their morals very seriously. It was Hank who insisted we all stay. He’s very noble.’
‘And I take it Hank is now at Dow Bank House?’
‘He is. He adores it there, so tiny and cute.’
Tilda smiled wolfishly and Kelly thought the severe and edgy tough act slightly overdone and ridiculous.
They weren’t in a boardroom and Kelly wasn’t her gofer.
It was also mildly depressing that a woman of Tilda’s status demeaned herself to a caricature.
Kelly would like to get to know the true person behind the bullshit but she doubted she ever would.
Body armour was an important part of the corporate illusion.
‘Do you think Jamie was an addict? Paul doesn’t.’ She got down to business. The question caught Tilda off guard.
‘I was merely pointing out that Jamie wasn’t pure as the driven snow.’
‘Hank was quite adamant you called Jamie an addict. Paul is convinced he wasn’t. There’s inconsistency there.’
‘Well, it depends how you define an addict doesn’t it? He drank too much and enjoyed recreational drugs. Are you going to arrest him posthumously?’
‘That’s a tasteless joke,’ Kelly said.
The two women stared at each other.
‘You like power, don’t you?’ Kelly said.
She didn’t expect an answer. Tilda’s face was a picture of indignation and intrigue.
The woman was touchy. ‘You’re rich, beautiful, clever – I assume – and powerful.
I know you’re sleeping with Paul Burlington.
’ Kelly held up her hands. ‘I know, it’s none of my business, but it certainly smacks of favouritism between two partners. Did it affect business?’
Tilda folded her arms. ‘Last time I checked, it wasn’t a crime. Are you from the 1970s or something?’
‘It’s not about that. Help me understand why you’re sharing your bed with business partners. They were childhood pals. Is that part of your plan? To pit them against each other? Is it about control?’
‘It’s none of your fucking business.’
‘I know. Just woman to woman, you’re worth more than that.’ Kelly walked to the door.
‘Is my sex life on trial or have you got a fucking job to do?’ Tilda shouted. She was rattled and Kelly wasn’t bothered.
Kelly smiled and reached for the handle. Tilda lit a cigarette. Kelly stared at it.
‘Are you going to arrest me for smoking now?’
Tilda stood in front of her, indicating for Kelly to challenge her and see what happened. She behaved as though she was above the law, and something told Kelly that she was.
Kelly opened the door.
‘Can I ask just one more question?’
Tilda sighed.
‘Did you know Jamie’s sister?’
‘Angelina?’
‘Yes.’
‘I know he has a sister. I don’t think I’ve met her.’
‘But you knew of her?’
‘Jamie talked about her.’
‘And you’re sure you’ve never met her? She was staying at a hotel near here, paid for by Jamie.’
‘Really?’
‘Really. Her body was found on Monday. She’s dead.’
Tilda didn’t react for a minute, then she made a cruel joke.
‘Suicide too?’ Her face barely changed.
Kelly’s stomach tightened.
Tilda softened. ‘She was an incredible artist, I recall. We have some of her work in the head office in New York.’
Then Kelly realised what had been bothering her. She’d seen Angelina’s paintings hanging in the offices of Hampton-Dent online, and one had stood out because of its familiarity.
‘You were saying?’ Tilda said.
‘Sorry, yes. I know her work is quite exquisite,’ Kelly said. ‘Did you manage to visit the caves? Everybody else seemed to.’
‘That’s two questions.’
‘Is it?’
Tilda stared at her. ‘What caves?’
‘Rydal Caves. The award-winning painting hanging in the atrium of Hampton-Dent HQ, isn’t that what you were talking about when you admired Angelina’s work? I didn’t make the connection till now. It’s special, this place,’ Kelly said.
‘Is it? I find it cold, bleak and damp.’
‘You didn’t want to come?’
‘Like I said, Hank loves it here in the UK.’
‘Was it him who commissioned her work?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘You know you’re free to leave. I got a call from your lawyers reminding my department of the fact, just in case I tried to detain you. Overkill, don’t you think?’
‘We’re a pharmaceutical company; we leave nothing to chance.’
‘Indeed. I know Dow Bank House. I’ll come to you if I need anything else.’
‘Of course. I’ll look forward to it.’
Kelly didn’t know how to take the comment, so she decided to ignore it. She hadn’t gone to Tilda’s room for confrontation, but it had turned out that way.
‘How well do you know Hank’s bodyguards?’
‘That’s three questions and I’m growing tired of your interrogation.’
‘I could ask more; I have an endless stock, such as do you own a purple scarf or what are the chances Hampton-Dent will be able to silence critics like the DiggerMan? Or, why it is that you’re covering for Paul Burlington’s drug habit but were so keen to flag up Jamie Robbins’ non-existent one?
Diplomatic immunity is a wonderful thing when you’re on the right side of it. ’
‘And now you can fuck off out of my room,’ Tilda said.
Kelly smiled. The meeting couldn’t have gone any worse but she was frustrated and angry.
‘We’ll get answers for you very soon, I’m sure. I know how valuable Jamie must have been to Hampton-Dent; you all must be grieving.’
Kelly didn’t wait for a come-back. She’d had enough of the prickly hostility of the woman from New York and it was time she headed over to Chapel Stile.
She left the room, and Tilda slammed the door shut behind her.