Page 57 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

Palmer looked anxious as he entered the interview room. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy as if he’d been crying. ‘Did you find Wheeler?’ he asked nervously.

Chapman nodded. ‘Yes, we did.’

‘Does he think it was me that grassed him up?’

‘No, he doesn’t, and he never will,’ Chapman replied in a confident tone.

‘There’s nothing for you to worry about, Liam,’ Jessica said quietly.

‘Just take a seat, and I’ll explain everything,’ Chapman said.

‘We need to interview you to clarify some points and allow you to comment on information that has come to light since you were charged. Are you happy for me to do it without a solicitor representing you and with us both being present?’ Chapman asked.

‘What have I done now?’

‘Nothing. I just need to ask you a few questions about Wheeler and your relationship with him.’ Palmer looked at Jessica for reassurance. But he had to look away as she returned his look coldly.

‘Will what I say be used in evidence against Wheeler?’ Palmer asked.

‘No, it won’t, but it will help us clear a few things up and be to your credit if you can help us,’ Chapman replied.

Liam again looked at Jessica. ‘OK,’ he said quietly. Chapman switched on the recorder and went through the caution. ‘Do you know a John Wheeler who lives at 78 Fred Wigg Tower?’

‘Yes.’

‘How did you meet him?’

‘I met him in the pub a few months ago. I used to play pool with him sometimes until he got barred for punching this kid out because he’d switched the TV channel. He just fucking went for him, busted his face open, so we weren’t what I’d call friends. He scared the life out of me.’

‘Was that The Bell on Leytonstone High Road?’ Chapman asked.

‘Yes. Sometime after that, I was playing pool with him and he asked me if I was interested in buying some second-hand electrical stuff. I asked him what it was, and he said a couple of games consoles and a laptop. When we left the pub, he took me to his flat and showed me the stuff. It was in good nick, so I bought it.’

‘What, there and then?’

‘No. He gave me a couple of days to get the money and said to ring him when I had it and then come and collect the stuff, which I did.’

‘How much did you pay for it?’ Chapman asked. ‘Three hundred and fifty quid.’

‘Did you think it was stolen property, or was that a fair secondhand price?’ Chapman asked, deliberately giving Palmer a chance to sound good, but he didn’t twig.

‘When I gave him the money, he poked me hard in the chest and told me I wasn’t to tell anyone.

That’s when I thought it might be stolen.

Then one night, I was just coming out of my flat and I saw him in the road, and he was just standing there staring at me.

It freaked me out because it meant he knew where I lived. ’

‘Did he ever try to sell you any jewellery?’

‘No. Not interested in that stuff, just video games, like what he sold me.’

‘Did you have any dealings with Wheeler after that?’ Chapman asked.

‘No, he scared me, the way he was outside my flat. Somebody told me he’d done this bloke in at some place he was living, so I didn’t want to go near him. I know the landlord of the pub wasn’t keen on him being around and . . .’

Jessica interrupted him by holding up her hand. ‘Listen, Liam, we’ve examined your mobile phone. Wheeler called you on Monday around six p.m., and you spoke with each other for a couple of minutes. Is that right?’

A worried-looking Liam nodded. ‘I only did what he asked because I was scared of him.’

‘I understand, but we need to know what he asked you to do,’ Chapman said briskly.

‘He said he had a car he needed to get rid of and claim the insurance on. He wanted a can of petrol but was worried he might get seen on the cameras. It was me who turned them off. He paid me five hundred quid for doing it and letting him have the petrol and a can.’

‘Did you not think that was a lot of money for a can of petrol and switching the CCTV off?’ Chapman asked.

‘I wasn’t going to argue.’

‘Did you see the car?’ Chapman asked.

‘No. He must have parked it up the road somewhere and walked to the garage.’

‘Did he threaten you?’

‘When he gave me the money, he said if I told the police or anyone about the car, he’d come after me. I was shit scared. That’s why I didn’t tell you about him.’

‘Do you know anyone Wheeler’s close to?’ Chapman asked.

‘No. Will I have to give evidence against him in court? What if he finds out what I’ve told you?’

‘I couldn’t tell you this earlier because I didn’t want it to influence your answers. We found Wheeler at his flat, but he was dead. He can’t hurt you.’

Palmer gasped. ‘He’s dead! What the fuck happened to him?’

‘The postmortem will determine the exact cause of death. However, it looks like he was tortured, possibly to extract information,’ Chapman said.

‘Oh my God, will they come after me as well?’ He suddenly looked terrified.

‘No, they won’t, because whoever else is involved with Wheeler doesn’t know what you told us and never will,’ Chapman said calmly.

‘What will happen to me now?’

‘We will speak to the CPS, and I’m confident they will drop the charges regarding the De Klerk case.

As I said before, I’m going to ask that the attempted rape charge be dropped to indecent exposure.

However, you’ll still have to go to court for that and the burglary charge you were wanted on a warrant for. ’

‘But you will protect me, right?’

‘Of course I will, but I can’t make the decision to release you right now. You’re going to have to go back to your cell and you’ll appear in court later this morning. I’ll let Mr Baldwin, your solicitor, know what’s happened. He can apply for bail on your behalf, but it’s up to the magistrate.’

The interview door suddenly burst open, and a red-faced Anderson entered the room with the custody officer in tow.

‘This interview is terminated,’ he shouted, leaning over and turning off the recorder.

‘Take him back to his cell, immediately!’ he told the custody officer.

He turned to Chapman and Jessica. ‘The pair of you in my office now!’ The custody officer grabbed a terrified Palmer by the arm and lifted him from his seat.

‘Take your hands off him,’ Chapman warned angrily. ‘He’s not a threat to anyone.’ He put a hand on Palmer’s shoulder. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll be OK. We’ll tell him everything you told us.’

‘Too bloody right you will!’ Anderson bellowed.

Jessica turned and looked at Anderson harshly. She waited for Palmer to be taken out before speaking. ‘I think you need to take some time to calm down before we speak to you, and I want to call my team for an update.’

Anderson looked flustered. ‘Twenty minutes, no longer.’ He turned and stalked out of the room.

Jessica looked at Chapman. ‘Might as well get some breakfast.’

He shook his head, smiling to himself. ‘Now I get why Taff calls you Dragon.’

*?*?*

DS Wood parked near the gated entrance to the impressive-looking house.

With its double frontage and prestigious location in Kingston upon Thames, he reckoned it was worth three and a half to four million pounds.

He pressed the intercom on the gate and a well-spoken female voice answered.

Wood introduced himself, holding up his warrant card for the camera.

‘Sorry for disturbing you, but I’d like to speak to Chandice Bramston. ’

‘I’m Chandice Bramston. May I ask what it’s about?’

‘I’m investigating a series of jewellery frauds and believe you might have been a victim.’

‘Does it concern that jeweller in Hatton Garden?’

‘If you mean Nathan Cole, then yes, it does,’ Wood replied, and the gates opened.

He walked up the driveway, the gravel crunching under his feet as he admired the landscaped front garden.

When he reached the house, the door opened.

Chandice was in her late thirties, dark-skinned, with high cheekbones and emerald green eyes.

She was wearing tight-fitting leggings, a sports bra, an Armani tracksuit top and fluffy slippers.

Wood thought she might easily have been a model.

‘May I see your warrant card again, please?’ He removed it from his pocket and held it up for her to see.

Chandice took it from him without saying anything and looked closely at the photograph and then his face before returning it.

‘Please come in. I’d be obliged if you could put a pair of those slippers on.

’ She pointed to a wooden box filled with slippers from upmarket hotels.

‘Excuse my attire, but I just returned from my morning gym session. Please come through to the kitchen. I was about to have a glass of Bucks Fizz. My little reward for a hard workout. Would you like one?’

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ he said, thinking she certainly didn’t look very sweaty if she’d been to the gym.

‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell your superiors you were drinking on duty,’ she smiled.

‘Go on then,’ Wood smiled back.

‘What makes you think I was a victim of Cole’s?’ she asked, as she expertly popped the cork from a bottle of Dom Perignon.

‘Through an informant who has connections to Cole.’

She poured a splash of orange juice and champagne into two glasses, handed one to Wood, raised her glass and said, ‘Cheers.’ Wood did the same, and they both took a sip. ‘Who was this informant of yours?’ she asked, calmly but steely-eyed.

‘I’m sorry, Mrs Bramston, but I can’t tell you that for legal reasons. I can only say that I was told Cole might have stolen some of your jewellery.’

Her eyes narrowed further. ‘How did you get my name and address?’