Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(94)

‘Um . . . I’d rather not tell you about my financial arrangements, if you don’t mind. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary. Please tell me what this is about first. Is he under investigation? Surely, it isn’t illegal to do what he’s done?’

‘It’s not illegal to date several women at the same time but three of the women on this list are dead, under suspicious circumstances. And there’s the possibility of Ellerman having defrauded these dead women out of their money.’

‘Dead? Women from this list?’ Her demeanour changed slightly. She seemed more guarded, aware that she was being watched. She seemed to be able to control her reactions.

‘Yes. Um . . . I’m sorry to have to tell you that these women died under suspicious circumstances and we are conducting murder investigations,’ Carter said.

Willis watched Emily intently.

‘So . . . um . . . what has that got to do with JJ?’ Emily looked up from her lap, composed, her breathing rate returning to normal. ‘It seems that . . . um . . . all that the women had in common is knowing him. We know that he knows a lot of women. I understand that he has a dubious past.’

‘We think you might have met one of the women who died – Lisa Tompkins?’

‘Um . . . yes. I did. Once, um . . . just briefly. I didn’t know her before that day.’ Emily sat, covering her eyes and her forehead with one hand. ‘Why are you here today? Have you come to warn me?’

‘Yes, partly, and also to ask for your help. We would urge you not to see JJ Ellerman again, until these enquiries are resolved.’

‘When you say their deaths were suspicious, that means you are not sure they were murdered?’

‘Olivia Grantham was. She’s on the third page of the letter. Gillian Forth was – definitely, she’s on the second page. Lisa, we have yet to solve her death. Did you ever meet either of the other two women?’

‘No. Just Lisa. Once, as I told you, in the presence of the other women: Paula and Megan. Did you talk to them?’

‘Yes, and we will be doing so again, and many of the other women on this list.’ Emily pushed her glasses up on her nose several times in succession. ‘Just so that we can create an accurate picture of the events, we need to know where you were on the dates that these women died. They are Sunday the fifth, Tuesday the seventh and Saturday the eighteenth.’

‘Um . . . I was here in my cottage. I was here and so was JJ. He was with me.’

Carter waited. Willis paused in her note-taking.

‘You know, Mrs Porter, we will have to check out these facts and this is not a time to make hasty statements without being sure of the facts. I appreciate that you are fond of JJ Ellerman, but you do him no, or youself any favours by lying on his behalf.’

‘Maybe it’s the other women who are lying, not me. Um . . .’

‘When you met up with them, what was the outcome of the meeting?’

‘We talked about general things. We wanted to support one another.’

‘That wasn’t at all awkward?’

‘No.’

‘How did you leave it with the other women? What were your parting words?’

‘I can’t remember exactly.’

‘See you again? I don’t ever want to see you again?’

‘More like – we’ll wait and see what happens.’

‘What could happen?’

‘Um . . . I’m not sure.’

‘Let’s hope what can happen is not another murder, Mrs Porter. Our aim here is not to get anyone into trouble unnecessarily or to cause embarrassment or to expose you in any way. But serious crimes have been committed and JJ Ellerman seems to be in the middle of it all. Would you mind if I ask you what you intend to do now?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Will you be carrying on your relationship with Ellerman?’

‘No, of course not.’ Carter looked across at Willis. She was watching Emily Porter intently and she knew she was lying.





Chapter 52


Bella had been waiting too long for Ebony to call. She’d chewed all the scenarios over in her head and she hadn’t slept for days.

She looked across at the pregnant woman, who stared back uneasily.

‘Let’s stop all this,’ said Bella. ‘We’re both in here for the same reasons.’

‘I’m not a murderer like you,’ the pregnant woman, Jolene, replied.

‘Maybe not, but you were sectioned, weren’t you?’

‘For my own protection.’

‘Okay, well I accept that we don’t have masses in common but we are here together and we may as well make the most of it. I have a present for you, to say sorry for the way I’ve behaved towards you.’

‘What present?’

‘Chocolate. I got my daughter to bring it in.’

‘I didn’t see her bring anything.’

‘No, come to think about it, you’re right. I asked the nurse to buy it from the hospital shop. I’ve had a couple out of the box but I don’t want to get fat sat in here doing nothing all day. It’s all right for you, you can eat what you like.’

‘That nurse? Is it the young lad? The fit one? What’s his name? Jamey.’