Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall, #3)(51)

“When did Gabe withdraw his statement?”

“I think it was a couple of months before Joanna’s story was published. Early 2002.”

“Why did he withdraw his statement?” asked Kate.

“As far as I can recollect, he didn’t want to out himself and risk prosecution. And, hearing that he had a criminal record prior to this, makes all the more sense. He sounds a rather vile young man,” said Ashley.

Juliet leaned in, touching Ashley’s arm supportively.

“What does this specifically have to do with Joanna Duncan going missing?” she asked.

“Of course,” said Kate. She went on to explain the petrol station CCTV footage from August 2002, when Joanna met with Noah Huntley. She took out the photos and laid them on the table. “Do you know why she was meeting with Noah Huntley five months after her story was published?”

Ashley and Juliet stared at the photos, and Kate watched them both carefully for their reactions. Again, Ashley looked surprised. Juliet’s eyes flicked between her husband and the photos. She was perspiring heavily. Ashley opened his mouth to say something, and she interrupted.

“Oh Lord! I’m so sorry, but could we move our little talk down to the pool? I’m going to pass out with this heat. There’s more of a breeze down there, and it would be nice to dip our feet. Ashley, could you help me? I feel a bit faint.”

She stood abruptly and set off walking down to the pool.

Tristan looked at Kate.

“It is bloody hot, but she’s broken the mood,” he said in a low voice. Kate watched Juliet marching out toward the pool with her caftan flapping behind her and Ashley hurrying to join her.





28


The Olympic-size swimming pool at Thornbridge Hall was built on a tiled terrace platform sunk into the hillside at the end of the large gardens. At the far side of the pool, there was a railing where the terrace jutted out over a steep drop, looking down to the sloping hill below. On the terrace next to the deep end of the pool were a barbecue and a small bar, and along the near side were six wooden sun loungers and large umbrellas.

At the shallow end, the tiles sloped down into a paddling area where the water was just a couple of inches deep, before sloping farther down for swimming.

When Kate and Tristan reached the pool, there were a couple of deck chairs placed in this paddling area of the water, along with a huge umbrella.

Juliet was sitting in one of the chairs, fanning herself, with her feet in the water. Ashley was moving two chairs for Kate and Tristan.

“You okay to wade?” he asked.

Kate looked down at her black boots and jeans. Tristan wore shorts and trainers.

“Yes,” she said, annoyed that Juliet had caused the interruption, and now she had to take off her shoes and socks and roll up her jeans. And she hadn’t shaved her legs. On the upside, it was much cooler down by the pool. There was a breeze coming off the hills. Kate took off her shoes and rolled up her jeans as far as she dared, just above the ankle, and waded over to join them.

As much as Kate welcomed the cool, she’d have preferred to keep Juliet and Ashley sweating and agitated.

“We were just talking about these CCTV photos of Noah Huntley when he met with Joanna, two weeks before she went missing,” said Kate, steering the subject back to the case. Ashley leaned over and took the photos and looked through them.

“I don’t know why she would have been meeting him,” said Ashley.

“Would Joanna have had to account for this meeting in her notes?”

“She never had to give a day-by-day outline of her work. She’d only come to me when she’d identified a story she wanted to pursue or if she was close to breaking a story.”

“Did you speak to Noah Huntley before or after Joanna’s story was published?” asked Tristan.

“I had dealings with his lawyers, of course, in the run-up to, and after, the story was published. I didn’t talk to him personally. Joanna gave him the opportunity to comment on the story twenty-four hours before we went to press. He declined.”

“Did you ever consider running the story about Noah Huntley paying for sex with rent boys after the fraud story broke?” asked Kate.

“He just told you. Gabe Kemp withdrew his statement,” said Juliet. Then she sat back and smiled. “It’s perfectly normal for stories to be pulled or killed for various reasons; usually there are legal issues. In this case, obviously, Gabe Kemp was a convicted criminal who didn’t want to risk further prosecution.”

“Are you friends with Noah Huntley?” asked Tristan.

“Of course not,” said Juliet.

“You’ve never socialized with him or had any dealing with him since?”

“I just told you. No. Never,” said Juliet, her eyes narrowing.

Ashley took her hand.

“It’s okay, Juliet . . . My wife is very protective of me; she’s learned to be after dealings with the press.”

Kate saw Tristan look across at her, and she nodded. She took out a copy of the photo from the Jesper’s hotel opening ceremony.

“This is both of you pictured with Noah Huntley and his wife,” said Kate.

“Well . . . ,” blustered Ashley when he saw the photo. “We may have seen him at events.”

“So you have socialized with him?”