Lynda La Plante - Wrongful Death

Anna noticed that Dewar was looking around the room impatiently, chewing her bottom lip, clearly frustrated that she was not the one asking the questions. To add insult to injury Anna asked Dewar to take some notes and then wondered if Williams could go over the events of the day when he last saw Josh to when he was informed of his death.

Williams took a deep breath. ‘It’s hard to remember now. He came into work about twelve noon and was organizing the food-and-drink delivery for the VIP event that evening.’

‘How did he seem?’

‘Okay, but to be honest, he’d not been himself after his mother died. He’d also lost his father the previous year.’

‘What do you mean by not been himself?’

‘Looking back he must have been suffering badly from depression. I just wish he’d told me so I could have helped him through it. Who knows, maybe even have stopped him from taking his own life,’ Williams said emotionally.

‘So did his mood worsen that day?’ Anna asked.

‘I’d been out to get some lemons and limes for the bar and he was walking out the back as I returned. He looked like he was really upset about something.’

‘Did he say if anything was wrong?’

‘I asked but he just mumbled something about having to go out and see someone on business.’

‘What time was that?’ she pressed.

‘Half-three, maybe four, I can’t be certain now.’

‘Did you see or speak to him again that day?’

‘He rang me at about seven and said he was going home as he had a stomach upset and felt sick. It hurts that the last time we spoke I was annoyed with him.’ Williams paused and ran his hand across his face. ‘I felt he was leaving me in the lurch with the VIP do that night.’

Anna asked Williams how he had heard about Josh’s death and he told her that when Josh didn’t turn up for work the next day he just assumed he was still ill. It was about six in the evening when Donna’s mother Gloria phoned the club and told him that Josh had been found dead in his flat by Donna. Gloria had also said that as a result of the post mortem, and a suicide note left by Josh, the police thought that his death was not suspicious.

Anna asked Williams how he and Josh had met and the partnership formed. Williams told her sadly that he and Josh had been friends since grammar school and went to the same university. On graduation, Josh went to work in the City and moved up the ladder quickly, earning good money and big annual bonuses. Williams said he himself had worked for a business risk management company and he and Josh had remained best friends and regularly went ‘out on the town’ together.

‘Josh saved and invested his money wisely, but about two years ago he got made redundant by the bank and got a good payoff. He wanted to start up a small drinks club in central London, but I suggested a lap-dancing club.’

‘Why was that?’

‘Look around outside – it’s all sleazy clubs and sex shops. There was nothing upmarket slap in the middle of Soho. This place was a rundown shit-hole and going cheap. Josh was worried he might go under before he even got off the ground, so I said I would like to be his partner.’

‘You saw its potential to make money?’ Anna asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Were you equal partners?’ Anna continued.

‘No. Josh put more money in than me so we split the profits sixty-forty. He dealt with all the club’s finances and we shared the day-to-day running. We trusted each other and worked well together.’

‘Did he ever say anything about wanting to pull out or sell the club?’

‘Never, Josh was very keen to make the club work, we both were, and the pair of us put in hours of hard graft. Reality is, it has only just taken off, and if part of the reason Josh committed suicide was because he thought the club was going to fail then he couldn’t have been more wrong.’

Having got the pleasantries out of the way Anna felt it was now time to bring up Delon Taylor. She paused briefly and Dewar took the opportunity to jump in.

‘Did a Detective Simms ever take a statement off you?’ she asked.

‘Erm, Simms, no. We only spoke on the phone.’

‘Why doesn’t that surprise me,’ Dewar remarked and looked at Anna.

‘How did Josh get involved with Donna?’ Dewar asked.

‘She was one of the first dancers we hired. Josh made a bee-line for her; she didn’t stay on the poles for long. They got engaged and then married and he made her the head hostess. Josh never really liked her working here, used to get very protective as she was a very sexy lady and had a lot of admirers.’

‘How did that affect their relationship?’

‘Josh told me it caused arguments. Mixing business with pleasure is never easy.’

‘Did he force Donna out?’

‘No. Josh adored Donna and they wanted to start a family. Donna didn’t like the long days, finishing work in the early hours. She left here of her own accord and went to work for her mother.’

‘Were you one of Donna’s admirers?’ Dewar demanded.

‘She’s a special lady, everyone here liked her.’

‘How much did you like her?’

He stared at Dewar and shook his head.

‘Listen. Josh and me were like brothers and I’d never shit on my own doorstep.’

‘Delon Taylor said you did,’ Dewar remarked, hoping the mention of the man’s name would be like a red rag to a bull.

Anna knew what Dewar was trying to do and was surprised when Willams leaned back in his chair and laughed.

‘Oh, I see. Taylor’s your red-hot informant, is he?’

‘You framed Taylor because he found out what you were up to-’ Dewar accused but Williams interrupted.

‘You’ve got it all wrong, lady, Josh caught Taylor stealing money from the tills and I sacked him. And hypothetically speaking, if I murdered Josh, why didn’t I kill Taylor as well?’

‘Suicide or murder, you still benefited from his death,’ Dewar insisted.

‘No, I didn’t. I had to pay for the final refurbishment. I thought Josh had arranged the finances before he died but he hadn’t.’

‘How much did you pay Donna for Josh’s share of the club?’

‘I never approached Donna about selling Josh’s share. She shut herself off after his death. I saw her at the funeral but we haven’t spoken since then.’

‘So how did you come to buy the Trojan outright?’ Dewar wasn’t prepared to let go of this line of questioning.

‘Donna’s mother called and told me that her solicitors were handling Donna’s affairs and they wanted a quick sale so Donna could move on with her life.

‘How much did you pay?’

‘I don’t see that’s any of your business,’ Williams observed.

‘I can always ask Gloria.’

‘That’s up to you but the sale was all above board. I don’t deny I got a good deal, but I still had to pay fifty K out of my own pocket after the final refurbishment.’

‘Did you use money from a prostitution racket to pay for the club?’ Dewar said, leaning forwards.

‘No, I did not. I can’t believe you’ve been taken in by a scumbag like Delon Taylor.’

‘How did you know it was Taylor who said that?’ Dewar asked, obviously thinking Williams had slipped up.

‘Because it’s the same lie he told Josh. Do you think he would have kept me on as a partner if it was true that I was risking the business to line my own pockets?’

Dewar glanced at Anna as if looking for support, but Anna said nothing, feeling that the agent should have been more thoughtful and cautious in her line of questioning.

Stepping out to the rear mews of the Trojan club, Dewar said nothing as she got straight into her unmarked car and started the engine. Anna shouted that she would meet her in the road outside Gloria Lynne’s house, and watched as Dewar drove out, skirting around crates of empty wine bottles and refuse bins. A sweating Curtis appeared from the exit carrying a four-foot bronze statue of a Trojan soldier holding a sword and shield. He placed it down and removed a tin of metal polish from his pocket.