Page 44 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

Jessica was making notes on her iPad when she saw Palmer and his solicitor, Baldwin, enter the interview room, followed by Anderson and Chapman.

They all sat in the same places, and Anderson turned on the digital recording machine.

Everyone introduced themselves as before, and Anderson again cautioned Palmer, who said he understood.

Anderson put a photo of the stolen laptop, PlayStation and Xbox on the table.

Jessica thought Chapman might lead the second interview, but Anderson opened the questioning again, this time with a soft approach.

‘I’d like to pick up where we left off, Liam. You were asked how you came to have those items in your flat and replied, “I didn’t steal the laptop and game boxes. I bought them.” Would you like to elaborate on that?’

Palmer looked at Baldwin, who, to Jessica’s surprise, nodded. ‘I bought them at a local car boot sale about a month ago.’

‘For how much?’

‘About three hundred and fifty quid.’

‘That was a pretty good deal for property worth about a thousand pounds.’

‘He wanted more, but I got him down. I wouldn’t have bought the stuff if I’d known it was stolen.’

‘Can you describe the man who sold it to you?’

‘Short guy in his fifties with grey hair.’

‘And would you be able to recognise him again?’

‘I might . . . I’m not sure.’

‘OK, we’ll move on then. Have you ever been on Wanstead golf course?’

Palmer laughed. ‘I’ve never played golf in my life.’ Jessica picked up that he now appeared more confident.

‘What about walking around it?’

‘I’ve never been anywhere near it.’

Baldwin interjected. ‘May I ask what playing golf has to do with the reasons for my client’s arrest?’

Anderson smiled. ‘Just curious, that’s all. What were you doing last Sunday night and Monday morning, Liam?’

Palmer shrugged. ‘I was at home watching TV and playing games on the Xbox and the PlayStation until the early hours. I got up Monday at about midday.’

‘Did anyone visit you at your flat on Sunday or Monday?’

‘No. I was on my own.’

‘Did you go out at all?’

‘Not on the Sunday. On Monday I went to the pub at lunchtime, had a couple of pints and a burger, then went home to bed and left for work at about eight fifteen.’

‘Which pub?’

‘The Bell on the High Road.’

‘Did you leave your work at all during the night, specifically between one and three a.m.?’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course I am. If I did and customers came along, they’d complain to the manager that no one was there to serve them.’ He was adamant, but Jessica could tell he was edgy now.

‘Have you checked the till receipts?’ Baldwin asked.

‘Yes, we have, and there were no sales between two and three a.m.’

‘It’s not unusual for zero sales at that time of night. I never left work and had nothing to do with that car being set alight,’ Palmer said, looking even more agitated.

‘Where exactly was the car found?’ Baldwin asked.

‘On Wanstead golf course, about a mile from the garage. We did a test run from the garage by car at thirty miles an hour. We were there within two minutes. The quickest route back on foot took twenty minutes. Driving to the dump site, setting the car alight and walking back could all be done in under half an hour.’

‘I can’t walk that fast. I’ve got foot drop,’ Palmer snapped back.

‘What’s foot drop?’ Anderson asked.

Baldwin answered for him. ‘Liam was hit by a car two years ago. He broke his leg, dislocated his knee and fractured his skull. He can’t lift his right foot properly, so it drags on the ground when he walks.’

‘Can’t be that bad. He managed to run from my officers when we arrested him this morning,’ Chapman said.

Palmer pulled up his right trouser leg and lifted his leg. ‘I have to wear an ankle foot support to help me walk better. It makes the drag less noticeable but doesn’t help me to walk any quicker.’ Jessica made a note to request Palmer’s medical records while Anderson continued.

‘Our forensic team found fertiliser pellets embedded in your doormat. They’re identical to the pellets used on Wanstead golf course . . .’

Baldwin interrupted. ‘That is ridiculous, DCI Anderson. Anyone visiting his flat could have left them on his mat, or it could have been an innocent cross-transfer onto my client’s shoe.’

‘I am aware of that, I just felt it’s something Liam should know, in case it jogs his memory about being on the golf course.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you? I’ve never been on that bloody golf course, and I didn’t set light to the car.’ Liam pursed his lips and sat back defiantly with his arms crossed, but he was looking more worried.

‘Do you own any trainers like these?’ Anderson asked as he put a picture of the Adidas Ultraboosts on the table.

Liam shook his head, pointing to his shoes. ‘I wear Skechers all the time. They’re lightweight and make it more comfortable for me walking. Like I just told you, I got a bad leg.’

Anderson put down a picture of the gloves. ‘Have you ever owned any Sealskinz gloves like these?’

‘No, I’ve only got a pair of woollen gloves. Would you like to know what underwear I’ve got on?’ Palmer asked with a smirk.

‘I know this may be frustrating, Liam, but we are investigating a serious crime. Johan De Klerk’s house in Victoria Park Road, Hackney, was broken into around two a.m. on Monday . . .’

‘For fuck’s sake, I don’t know the guy, and I’ve never been to Hackney in my life!’ Palmer interjected.

Anderson continued calmly. ‘Please, just let me finish, Liam. During the burglary, he suffered a fractured skull and was repeatedly stabbed. At present, he is in a coma, he should be conscious very soon and hopefully will be able to identify the man who attacked him.’

‘Good, because then he’ll be able to tell you it wasn’t me.’

‘I told you in the first interview that we found De Klerk’s Rolex and a large sum of cash in your flat.

’ He put the photographs on the table. ‘You previously chose to give a “No Comment” answer when I asked about them, but I’d like to give you another opportunity to explain how they came to be in your flat. ’

Palmer shook his head in apparent despair. ‘I don’t know! I’ve never seen that stuff until now.’

‘I find that hard to believe, seeing as it was hidden under your kitchen sink,’ Anderson said.

‘Then someone else must have put it there.’

Anderson frowned. ‘Are you seriously suggesting someone broke into your house and put them there to frame you?’

‘Yeah, and I think it was him.’ Palmer pointed at Chapman.

‘That’s a very serious allegation to make, Liam,’ Baldwin said, sounding genuinely surprised.

Palmer looked straight at Chapman. ‘He arrested me years ago for something I didn’t do. They tried to fit me up, but it was all fucking lies, and I was never charged.’

‘Have you arrested my client before, DI Chapman?’ Baldwin asked.

‘Yes, about ten years ago, when I was night duty CID. The case was allocated to Detective Sergeant Blake to investigate . . .’

‘Is Blake also involved in your current investigation?’ Baldwin interrupted.

Anderson answered. ‘No, and for your information, DI Chapman didn’t recognise who Liam was until his fingerprints were taken.

When he was identified as William Palmer, DI Chapman immediately informed me about the previous arrest.’ Jessica winced as she watched the screen.

She was seriously worried now that the revelation of Liam’s previous arrest could lead to her and Chapman’s removal from the investigation.

She also worried that Anderson might reveal that she’d been the victim and was now in charge of the team dealing with the forensic investigation.

It felt as if everything was unravelling.

‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’ Baldwin asked Liam.

‘Because I didn’t recognise him at first. Then when I was told his name it came back to me. I was thought it would look bad if I said anything, but I had no choice when they started trying to fit me up again.’

‘What were the circumstances of the previous arrest?’ Baldwin asked.

Anderson answered. ‘I can assure you it has no bearing on this case. I wouldn’t have allowed DI Chapman’s continued involvement if I’d felt it had.

As you well know, Mr Baldwin, it’s not uncommon for police officers to arrest the same person more than once, and we are talking about something unrelated that happened ten years ago. ’

Baldwin looked at Liam for an answer. ‘They said I tried to rape a probation officer. She told them a pack of lies, and they believed her. I was . . .’

‘That’s not true,’ Chapman interrupted.

‘Let my client finish, please, officer,’ Baldwin frowned.

‘I was only fifteen, and she came on to me, but I wasn’t interested.

She didn’t like that I turned her down, so she made it all up to get back at me.

My mum told Chapman I was at home all night, but he still arrested me.

’ Palmer glared at him, breathing heavily.

Palmer’s false accusation made Jessica clench both her fists tight with anger.

He hadn’t come up with that story when he was arrested ten years ago, and she wished she was in the room now to challenge his lies.

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and listened carefully as Chapman responded.

‘I met the victim that night, and from the state she was in, I had no doubt she was telling the truth. She didn’t hear the offender break into her flat but woke up to find him standing by her bed, masturbating.

He jumped on her, put his hand over her mouth and tried to rape her.

Then, when she managed to scream, he ran off.

Although he wore a balaclava, the victim recognised his voice and named William Palmer as the person responsible.

The grounds for his arrest were completely justifiable, and I had no further involvement in the investigation,’ Chapman said, matter-of-factly.

‘I take it the CPS decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Palmer,’ Baldwin said.