Page 62 of Stolen Ones

‘Yes, which was the seventeenth to the twenty-first of August ’99,’ he said, consulting the message that had flashed on his phone.

‘And had he changed in the years since you’d seen him?’

‘Not a bit. He was still quiet and studious, pleasant enough but a bit detached.’

‘Wife or girlfriend?’

Butler paused and looked up, searching his memory.

‘You know, not in all the years I’ve known him has he ever mentioned the name of one female – or a male for that matter.’

It was as though he’d only just realised that himself.

‘And you’ve worked regularly for him ever since?’

‘He’s a good customer, and he’s not a bad name to throw around to attract other business.’

‘And did Steven Harte ever visit the building sites once he’d instructed the work?’

‘Oh yes, it was a job and a half to keep him away. He annoyed a couple of the older guys sometimes with his attention to detail, but hey, he’s the customer. He can be as anal as he likes.’

‘And was he? Anal, I mean.’

‘Absolutely, but the result was always worth it. He knew what he wanted and wouldn’t settle for anything less.’

‘Would he visit the site after hours?’

Butler laughed. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me. He liked to be sure his instructions were being—Hang on, you’re not trying to say he put those…?’

‘I’m saying nothing, Mr Butler. I’m just getting background on the working relationship between the two of you.’

‘Are you sure I don’t need my lawyer?’ he asked suspiciously.

‘Not unless you’ve committed a crime since the last time you asked.’

‘Okay, please continue.’

‘Did you or your guys report any strange activity around the area at the time?’

‘Bloody hell, Inspector. It’s been over twenty years.’

And that was always going to be her problem. Except Grace Lennard wasn’t twenty years ago and neither was she dead, Kim prayed, but to find her Kim had to know everything possible about Steven Harte and his associates.

Butler shook his head. ‘If we had I’m sure we would have reported it at the time.’

Bryant took out his notebook and Kim watched him scribble a reminder to check suspicious activity around a community park in ’99.

‘Just one last thing, Mr Butler,’ Kim said, recalling her and Bryant’s puzzlement in the reception. ‘I can see from your pictures out in the reception area that you’ve worked on many high-profile buildings around the country, projects worth hundreds of thousands if not millions of pounds.’

‘That’s true,’ Butler answered as his chest puffed out.

‘Then why on earth would you be interested in taking on such a tiny project worth a couple of hundred quid for a small community job?’

‘Because we were asked, and we like to keep our best customers happy.’

‘Roy Barber from the residents’ association is a good customer?’

He laughed. ‘No, we refused him.’