Page 167 of The Last Love Song
‘Okay. I want to know exactly what Sorcha said before she died.’
‘As you know very well, Miss McCarthy, we asked her if it was you she’d seen standing at the door of recording suite one with the gun and she told Mr Daly and myself that it was.’
‘And that was all she said?’
‘I can’t remember her exact wording, but yes, we both heard her confirm it. I wrote every word she spoke down in my notepad.’
‘Would you by any chance have the notepad with the exact wording in it?’
‘Sorcha’s statement was typed up and will be in the police file.’
‘I think it’s unlikely I’ll be given access to that, don’t you?’
‘Highly. Miss McCarthy, can I give you one word of advice? You were not only convicted of this crime, but you lost two appeals. The evidence against you was beyond reasonable doubt. Now you are a free woman. Let it go.’
‘I didn’t do it, Inspector Garratt. My God, if I had wanted to kill either Sorcha or Con, I certainly wouldn’t have used my own gun, hid it in the cistern and then walked as bold as brass past the security guard! It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense.’ Helen’s shoulders drooped. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I’ll go.’
‘Look, give me your address. If I can get hold of the statement, I’ll send a photocopy to you, but it won’t do you any good. Mrs Daly’s words are there in black and white and there are two witnesses who heard her.’
Helen scribbled her address on the back of her bus ticket and handed it to him.
‘Still the same address. You managed to hang on to the house then.’
‘Yes, it’s about the only thing I’ve got left. Goodbye then.’
‘Miss McCarthy, just one thing before you go. As you know, past crimes are always inadmissible at a trial, but I’ve always wondered...Did you kill that young man we found in the bath at his flat? Tony...er...’
‘Tony Bryant? No! Of course not! You really do believe I’m a calculating, cold-blooded murderess, don’t you?’
‘My job was to look at the facts, Miss McCarthy. With your conviction for Sorcha Daly’s death and your presence in the flat of another murder victim, it has made me ponder the possibility, especially as Bryant’s murder was never solved.’
Helen could feel the tears burning the back of her eyes. ‘You see? Until I clear my name everyone will react like you do. I’m guilty until proven innocent.’ Helen clenched her jaw. ‘And I intend to prove that innocence if it’s the last thing I do. Goodbye, Inspector!’
He watched her turn and stride off down the path. She had certainly convinced herself of her innocence, if no one else. He’d seen it before. If he remembered correctly, it had been an open-and-shut case.
Garratt closed the door and went into the small room he used as a library. There on the shelves, filed neatly in alphabetical order, were photocopies of his case notes on crimes he’d investigated that had specifically interested him. One of his only pleasures these days was to look at the unsolved ones again. It kept his brain active.
‘Daly...Daly...’ He pulled the file off the shelf and, just for the hell of it, removed Tony Bryant’s file too. Moving to his desk, Garratt sat down and opened them up. He found the page that Helen McCarthy had been so interested in, then flicked through the rest of the notes and statements he had taken from all personnel who worked at Metropolitan.
No, there was no denying her guilt. His eyes moved across to Bryant’s file and read through the contents again.
‘Hold on a minute...’
Garratt re-examined the Daly file to double-check.
Yes, sure enough, the name was the same.
It was a total coincidence, surely? Garratt had seen many in his time, but one never knew...
He took out a sheet of writing paper and an envelope. He enclosed the photocopied page from his notebook, then scribbled down the name he’d just discovered. He presumed Helen knew of the connection, but if she didn’t, it might be worth looking into.
Garratt sealed the envelope, addressed and stamped it, then decided it was time for a cup of tea.
53
‘Right, chaps, let’s see what kind of noise you make,’ grinned Freddy as Todd, Derek and Ian settled themselves in the studio. ‘Let’s start off with “Way Across the River”. The riffs are easy on rusty hands. Okay, whenever you’re ready.’
Todd gave the signal and they started playing.
