Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(78)
Lisa took a few deep breaths. She felt so angry she badly needed to calm down. The letter shook in her hand. She picked it up and put it down several times before settling down to read the list of names again. When she was ready she picked up the phone.
‘Who is this?’
Dee Ellerman was in the kitchen when she answered the phone. She was watching the gardener pick up the rest of the debris he hadn’t been able to fit in his van the week before.
‘My name is Lisa.’ Lisa’s words stuck on her tongue. ‘Look . . . I just wanted to say that I’ve been seeing your husband but he told me that you knew all about it and that you were cool about it – you had your own life . . . hello?’
‘Yes, I’m listening.’
‘Look – I just rang to say I’m sorry. It’s not my style – married men. He told me he was separated, just stuck living in the same house as you. And he told me he had to stay because of your son.’
‘He’s dead.’
‘Yes. I heard. I’m truly sorry.’
‘Thanks for calling. Goodbye.’
‘No, please, please wait just a minute. I need JJ to give me back the money I gave him for the Spanish house we were supposed to be going to live in.’
‘I think you’ve lost your money.’
‘No, well, I’m sorry and all that, but that’s where you’re wrong, because I will take him to court if he doesn’t give me it back.’
‘How much is it?’
‘Twenty thousand.’
‘Why did you give him such a lot of money?’
‘I didn’t give it to him. It was a loan. He said the house needed urgent work before the winter; he said he’d pay me back and then it became an investment in our future.’
‘I can’t help you.’
‘Look – I don’t like to cause you more problems but I need you to impress upon him that he either pays me or I’m going to sue him and you, both of you. I’m sorry.’
‘Do what you must.’
Chapter 42
Later that day, Lisa was sick of thinking about nothing but JJ Ellerman. She needed a run. She needed to think about everything and decide what to do. She headed out of the house, back out through the alleyway. The weekend traffic was noisy as it drove over the wet road, the swish of tyres on Marine Drive – the coastal road that ran over the top of the cliffs from Black Rock to Saltdean. The cliffs shone luminescent as the last rays of sun fell across the Channel.
She got into a good pace and ran for further than she thought she would. It was dark when she doubled back along the top of the cliffs. As she ran she heard her own breath, her lungs beginning to burn with the cold air. Her legs were tiring on the homeward stretch and her sweat cooled ice cold on her skin as the air temperature plummeted. She glanced behind at the sound of another runner. The thud of trainer on tarmac. She felt reassured. She never liked running late and it was already gone nine. To her left the ocean was now a vast expanse of pitch-black. To her right a lonely stretch of road now, with just the odd car passing. In the darkness she was aware of the other runner gaining on her. Lisa sprinted a little. The coastal road was a long one. Her legs were already weary. She didn’t have a lot left in the tank. The other runner was now just a step behind her but just out of her vision. Lisa thought about stopping, pretending to have stitch, letting the other runner pass her, but they were alone on the road and beside them was the long cliff drop. Lisa put on another spurt. The runner caught up. Lisa turned to look again and she saw that the runner’s face was hidden beneath a hood. They were coming close now and matching her speed. Now the runner’s arm was brushing hers as her arm moved with the running motion. Now their breath was on her neck and she felt herself panic. She stifled a scream as she tried to run faster but the runner pressed even closer. She went to turn away but she felt her legs buckle and a pain in her shins as she fell over something hard and rolled towards the cliff edge. She was lifted and pushed and, screaming, she felt her body twist in the air as she fell.
Chapter 43
The next morning, Willis parked up in the car park at Fletcher House and, instead of taking the lift up to the third floor and MIT 17, she walked across to the staff entrance of Archway Police Station. She found Carter waiting for her outside an interview room on the ground floor.
‘Everything okay?’ He asked, watching her walk towards him along the corridor. She nodded.
‘Good. Right then, let’s go.’
Carter opened the door to the interview suite. JJ Ellerman was sitting next to his lawyer Petron, deep in conversation. They stopped talking and waited whilst Carter and Willis sat opposite. Carter switched on the recorder and introduced himself and everyone in the room.
‘This is Detective Inspector Carter showing exhibit number 312, a typewritten letter three pages in length. Have you seen this, Mr Ellerman?’ Carter asked.
Ellerman glanced at it. His eyes flitted around the room. Panic registered on his face as his eyelids fluttered, his breathing quickened.
‘Yes, I’ve seen it. Where did you get it?’ Petron glanced his client’s way. Ellerman didn’t react to him.
Carter watched Ellerman play-act at being Mr In Control of the Situation, on top of his game. But Ellerman had a bloom of perspiration on his blanched face. He didn’t look well, thought Carter. There were bags under his eyes. Life was catching up with him. Carter could see Ellerman’s mind turning over. He would be working through the list of women, to figure out how Carter could have got the letter. He might come to Harding. That was a risk they knew they would have to take.