Page 72 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

‘I’ve never heard her name mentioned.’ Bishop looked as if he’d come to the end of his tether. ‘Listen, what’s going to happen to me? Am I gonna be charged? I’ve told you everything I know.’

‘The CPS will decide that. Would you be willing to give evidence against Cole?’

‘Will I get a shorter sentence if I do?’

‘Possibly, but the CPS would have to accept a guilty plea to the charges before you give evidence against Cole. We would also give a letter to the judge saying how you admitted your part in the crimes and assisted us.’

‘Cole’s the one who got me into this fucking mess. So yes, I’ll give evidence against him . . . and De Klerk if you need me to.’

After the interview with Bishop, Chapman went to see Anderson in his office.

Jessica was with him, having watched the interview together in the viewing room.

‘Nice work, Mike,’ he said. ‘And the search of Cole’s shop turned up a loaded World War Two revolver hidden under the floorboards in the back office. ’

‘Good, that fits with what Bishop told us,’ Chapman said.

‘Do you think he was telling the truth about the rest of it?’ Anderson asked.

‘Bits and pieces, yes, but he’s trying a bit hard to make himself look like a victim. He could have refused to take Cole to Wheeler’s flat, but he didn’t. Bishop doesn’t have any previous convictions for violence, but he was prepared to assault Jessica to escape arrest.’

‘Nicki Giorgini thought the more recent mark on Wheeler’s face was a punch. I’d have expected a cut or a deeper bruise if it was a pistol-whip injury,’ Jessica said.

Chapman nodded. ‘I suspect Bishop was promised a cut of the cash or diamonds if he helped Cole. He also went straight to Cole’s shop when he knew we were on to him. I reckon they’re a lot closer than Bishop makes out.’

Anderson nodded. ‘I thought you and Wood worked well together. I’d like the two of you to interview Cole. Be interesting to hear what he has to say now the evidence is beginning to stack up.’

‘I suspect he’ll go no comment or just deny everything. But I’m confident the CPS will agree he and Bishop should be charged. With that in mind, we should consider disclosing some of our evidence against him to his solicitor before the interview’.

‘What about Bishop’s interview? Will you disclose that?’ Jessica asked.

‘I was thinking about it as a possibility. It might get him to talk.’

Jessica raised her hand. ‘Just a suggestion, but I think you might be better off holding back with Bishop’s interview until you question Cole.

I would tell Baldwin that you interviewed Bishop but don’t disclose what he said.

Then Cole might think Bishop hasn’t told you anything, and it will come as a shock when he learns otherwise in the interview.

Even if he makes no comment answers, his reaction on camera could be incriminating and good for a jury to see. ’

‘Very crafty, Jessica,’ Anderson smiled.

‘We’ll play it that way then,’ Chapman said.

Leaving Anderson’s office, Chapman went to organise a meeting with Baldwin, who was due to arrive at the station.

Jessica went to the canteen, hoping she might find DS Wood.

She got herself a coffee and a sandwich, then spotted him at a corner table away from the other officers. ‘Mind if I join you?’ she said.

‘Of course not, have a seat,’ he said.

‘I just wanted to say how well you seemed to work alongside Mike in the interview with Bishop,’ she said.

‘I’ve known Mike for a long time,’ he said. ‘He’s a good bloke and a good detective; we get on well.’

‘He told me how you got some new information that’s proved really useful, about the fake sapphire and Michelle De Klerk’s relationship with her friend, Chandice. You got to her via an ex-police officer, is that correct? Don’t worry, I’m not interested in the name.’

‘Yeah, he’d been hired by Michelle, but he’d been working in Spain and didn’t get to hear about the burglary until he returned. That was when he contacted me.’

‘I see. So, you then went to see Chandice.’

‘Yes. Look, I told Mike all about it.’

Jessica nodded and sipped her coffee. ‘It would be very useful for you to repeat it all to me. It would give me an insight into her relationship with Michelle, and that would help me when I talk to her. You did make notes, didn’t you?’

He started looking shifty. ‘Yes, I don’t have them with me now.’

‘Why don’t you start from the moment you arrived at her house. You’d be surprised how even the smallest details can give you a real insight into a relationship.’

Julian took a sip of his coffee. ‘Look, I have to look out for this ex-copper. I don’t want to get him into trouble. I mean I pretty well told Mike everything that she said to me.’

‘I’m sure you did.’

‘Then what do you want?’

‘I may be wrong, but I think you are a very experienced officer, and I know from experience that jotting down notes when you are interviewing someone can often make them less cooperative. So, I would understand if you’d recorded the conversation without her knowledge.

’ Wood sighed, then took his mobile from his pocket.

He scrolled through and then passed it to her.