Chapter 10
Ten
The foot spa was sandwiched between two charity shops in Cradley Heath High Street.
A customer in her early fifties was just on her way out as they entered the shop, leaving the premises empty except for the woman behind the front desk.
‘Gemma Ross?’ Kim asked, showing her identification as Bryant closed the door behind them.
‘That’s me,’ she said, frowning.
‘Would you mind closing up for a bit while we have a chat?’ Kim asked, nodding towards the door.
‘Of course,’ she said, stepping out and heading for the door.
Kim took a moment to appraise both her and her surroundings and found the place pretty much matched the owner.
Both looked tired and a little sad. Everything about Gemma screamed functional, from the comfortable trousers to the Crocs on her feet and the untidy bun holding back her hair.
Likewise, the equipment and furnishings looked clean but worn and old.
The town itself had been dying for decades, and Kim could only wonder how she managed to keep her business afloat.
She wasn’t getting rich off it. That was a fact.
‘How can I help?’ Gemma asked, pointing for them to use the sofa reserved for waiting customers.
Both she and Bryant sat as the shop owner pulled up a stool from one of the foot stations. Kim couldn’t help but imagine the volume of nail clippings and dead skin cells that had landed on its surface. She shook the thought away and focussed on the woman waiting for her answer.
‘We’re here about Ashley Reynolds,’ Kim said, choosing not to mention why.
An injection of granite was pumped into Gemma’s features. ‘What about her?’
‘You don’t like her very much.’
‘I hate the fucking bitch. What of it?’
‘Yes, we gathered that from your Facebook messages.’
Gemma shrugged. ‘Has she finally seen them? Good. She really called the cops on me?’
‘What’s she done to you?’ Kim asked, choosing not to add any details until she had the full story.
‘Stole my man, the homewrecking whore.’
‘Daniel?’
‘Yeah, Daniel. He left me for her. She ruined my life, and I intend on making her life a living—’
‘You don’t blame Daniel at all?’ Kim interrupted, wondering why it was always the woman that got the blame.
‘He’s a man,’ she said as if that explained it all.
Did the woman think that men were genetically formed without the ability to say no and therefore they were excused from blame?
‘Tell me what happened,’ Kim urged her, wondering whether Daniel was as wholesome as she’d first thought. The list of suspects was growing, but he was still very much on it.
‘He was my everything. We met at college. It was instant. I knew that we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. We were madly in love, both besotted with each other. We survived attending different universities. It was long distance for four whole years, and we still knew we were meant to be. We were about to get engaged – I know he was about to propose. And then he met her.’
‘How did that happen?’ Kim asked.
‘On a train,’ she sneered. ‘Of all places. There was a mix-up with seats, and he ended up sitting next to her for two hours.’
Kim could argue that it sounded like fate, but she thought better of voicing the theory.
‘Did he cheat on you with her?’
‘He says not, but I think so. He made it all sound so innocent, but I know better. She got her claws into him and stole him from under my nose. She knew exactly what she was doing, and he had no chance of resisting her.’
‘You’re still angry with her all these years later?’ Kim asked.
‘She stole my whole world, Inspector. She robbed me of the life I’m supposed to be living now, with Daniel, with our children.’
‘You haven’t met anyone else?’
‘No one that measures up. Daniel was my soulmate. My one and only. It’s that simple, and that fucking slut took it all away from me. My rage will never die.’
If true, that was a great shame, Kim thought, deciding now was the time to pull her cards away from her chest.
‘Ashley Reynolds was killed last night.’
‘She’s dead?’ Gemma asked, and Kim tried not to be sickened by the note of hope in her voice. It was quite worrying that she still cared enough to have that hope and hadn’t yet moved on with her life.
‘She was murdered,’ Kim said, meeting and holding her gaze.
‘Sh… she… was… what… oh no, if you’re thinking what I think you are, you’re dead wrong.’
‘Are we? You’re still pretty consumed by hatred for the woman.’
‘Not enough to risk being sent to prison! But I’m not going to pretend I’m sorry that she’s dead.’
Quite the opposite, Kim noted, realising Gemma’s posture had changed since learning the news. Now she sat erect, her expression more animated. Her eyes filled with hope. Did she really think Daniel would welcome her back with open arms as though they’d never been apart?
‘Where were you last night, Miss Ross?’
‘At home.’
‘Anyone that can corroborate that?’
‘Two cats and an Uber Eats driver.’
‘You answered the door to the delivery guy?’ Kim asked.
‘Well, not exactly. I told him to leave it on the step,’ she said, standing. ‘And if you’re done accusing me of murder, you can leave unless you intend to arrest me.’
Kim was beginning to wonder what Daniel had ever seen in this woman. She was finding very little to like at all.
‘Not right now,’ Kim replied. ‘But don’t leave the immediate area, just in case.’
Gemma opened the door and waited with a sulky look on her face.
Kim had mixed feelings as she walked back towards the car. She had seemed genuinely surprised to hear of Ashley’s murder, but Kim couldn’t be sure the woman wasn’t capable of committing murder to get her man back.