Deadly Secrets (Detective Erika Foster #6)(52)

‘I’m waiting for my son; he’s taking me to the doctor’s surgery. He said he’d be here…’ She looked past Erika and up the empty street, leaning painfully on the stick.

‘Is everything okay?’

‘It’s my leg. I’ve been waiting four days to see someone; you know what it’s like trying to get an appointment… Where is he? I’m going to miss my appointment! Please, move your car.’

Her nose was dripping from the cold, and she juggled her stick to pull out a tissue and wipe it.

‘I have some more questions,’ said Erika.

‘More? You asked me a plethora of questions yesterday.’

‘Did Marissa steal a pair of diamond earrings from you?’

‘No.’

Erika kept her eyes on Mrs Fryatt as she looked past her distractedly.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course I’m sure. I’m in perfect health, both physically and mentally.’

‘Yes, you said that yesterday, but now you’re off to the doctor.’

‘What is this? I’ve done nothing wrong. I will cooperate with you, but I don’t like your tone.’

A car appeared at the top of the road, and Mrs Fryatt looked hopeful, until she saw it wasn’t her son and it sped past.

‘I spoke to a colleague of Marissa’s; he did the alterations for her costumes. He said that Marissa was showing off a pair of diamond earrings, and she boasted that she took them from you.’

Mrs Fryatt turned to Erika. Her composure regained.

‘Really? How strange. That’s not true.’

‘I don’t know why he would make it up,’ said Erika, searching the old lady’s face, but she was still distracted by the top of the road.

‘Well, if you don’t know, how the heck should I? Did you find a pair of diamond earrings on Marissa’s person, or in her house?’

‘I can’t share that with you.’

‘That’s a “no” then,’ said Mrs Fryatt dismissively.

‘Marissa went with another of the girls and had them valued in a jeweller in Hatton Garden.’

‘Ah, here he is! About bloody time!’ she said, whirling her walking stick around her head. A sleek white car pulled up next to Erika’s. ‘Officer, is that all? I don’t know what Marissa could have been talking about. She was probably winding this person up. She was like that.’

Mrs Fryatt’s son, Charles, got out of the car and came up to the pavement.

‘You’re late!’ she shouted. He looked flustered and he eyeballed Erika.

‘The traffic was bad,’ he said. ‘Hello, Officer. Is everything okay?’

‘Marissa never said anything to you about stealing a pair of your mother’s earrings?’ Erika asked him.

Mrs Fryatt rolled her eyes and started to make her way to the car. ‘He wouldn’t know. I’m the only one who opens my safe, and all my jewellery is accounted for! Now come on! I can’t miss this appointment!’

Charles gave Erika an awkward smile. She noticed that he had a large sticking plaster on the side of his neck, and a little blood had soaked through.

‘How did you cut yourself?’

‘Shaving, the razor slipped… A symptom of not wanting to be late for my mother,’ he said, giving her a smile. It was an odd smile, showing wide crooked teeth, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He hurried off to help his mother, who was now at the passenger door. Another car pulled up behind and honked its horn. Mrs Fryatt started to shake her stick at it.

‘Can you wait for ONE MINUTE!’ she cried. Charles helped her into the passenger seat and did up her belt. He nodded at Erika, the serious expression back on his face, and then he drove away.

There was something that wasn’t quite right, but Erika couldn’t put her finger on it.

‘Well, I did ambush her,’ she said as she got back into her car. She took out her phone and dialled McGorry.

‘Alright, Boss,’ he said. ‘I’ll be there in a sec, I just got off the DLR at Lewisham.’

‘It’s okay. Just a question. You’ve been going over everything in Marissa Lewis’s house, all her belongings. There weren’t any diamond earrings?’

‘Erm, there was jewellery… But I dunno. I don’t know if I would know the difference between a real diamond and costume jewellery. I can look back over the photos taken by forensics. Do you remember seeing anything when we looked round her bedroom?’

‘No. Can you have a look for me?’

‘Sure.’

Erika came off the phone. She thought of all the people who could have taken the earrings. Joseph Pitkin touched Marissa’s body before the police arrived… Mandy found her daughter’s body. Could Ivan have taken them? When had been the last time Don Walpole saw her alive?

‘He saw her on Christmas Eve, at the station!’ she said triumphantly. She started the engine and did a U-turn, driving over to Coniston Road.





Thirty-Five





Don Walpole opened his front door, and wasn’t pleased to see Erika again.

‘Is this a good time?’ she asked. He was wearing an apron, and Erika could smell bacon frying, which made her stomach rumble.

‘Does it matter if it is?’ he said.