Pauline Rowson - Footsteps on the Shore

‘I didn’t feel I could go into work not knowing where Luke was. Besides, I can work from home,’ he explained, reaching for his cigarettes. ‘Have you got some news about Luke?’ He sat down and lit up. He seemed a far cry from the confident, charming man Lena Lockhart had described.

Horton asked if Luke had talked about his drug treatment programme in prison.

Ashley Felton looked surprised. ‘We only talked briefly after Luke was released, as I told you, and he didn’t mention it then. He just asked for money to help him move out of Crown House.’

‘Did he ever confide in you that he didn’t kill Natalie Raymonds?’

Ashley Felton’s hand froze. Horton noted it was shaking slightly. ‘I don’t understand,’ he stammered. ‘What are you saying?’

‘There’s a possibility that Luke wasn’t alone that day and that the person with him could have been Natalie’s killer.’

‘But Luke confessed.’

‘We have evidence that throws new light on the case,’ Horton said, eyeing him carefully.

‘Jesus!’ Ashley Felton leapt up and stalked across the room. Horton said nothing and neither did Cantelli. After a moment he turned back to face them. He looked tortured and his voice shook as he said, ‘What evidence?’ The ash from his cigarette fell on to the wooden floor.

Horton answered. ‘Luke underwent hypnotherapy treatment while in prison and he recalled certain things about the murder. His sessions were recorded.’

‘You’ve got tapes?’

Horton thought Ashley Felton looked on the verge of collapse.

‘Where were you between Saturday midday and Monday midday, Mr Felton?’

‘Here. Why?’

Truth or a lie? Horton wasn’t sure but Ashley Felton didn’t want to look at him. Could Luke have confided in him? Could Ashley have sailed across to the Isle of Wight and stolen Lena’s tapes? Could he have killed Natalie Raymonds and framed his own brother for her death?

‘Alone?’ asked Horton.

‘Yes.’

Looking worried, Felton leaned over and stubbed his half-smoked cigarette out in the ashtray. Reaching into his pocket Horton unfurled the computer photograph and laid it in front of him. Evenly he said, ‘Why did you go to Crown House on Thursday evening at eight thirty-three p.m.?’

Felton slowly straightened up and fixed his bloodshot eyes on Horton. ‘I went to see Luke, but he wasn’t there. I felt bad about refusing to help him with the money. After he’d gone I couldn’t stop thinking about it.’ He sniffed and ran a hand through his fair hair. ‘You see, I said some dreadful things about how he’d killed Mum and Dad. I really tore into him. He didn’t retaliate. He said he would never trouble me or ask me for anything ever again. I thought. . well, I grew worried that I might have driven him to do something drastic. We were told that he had tried to kill himself in prison and I’d said something like “good riddance”. It was tormenting me. I had to see him. When I got there I felt even worse because I could understand why Luke wanted to get out of the place. But he wasn’t there. I thought that he must have managed to get a sub from Kempton’s and had found himself somewhere else to live. I wasn’t happy about not being able to see him to make it up to him but I thought that I’d get the chance at some stage. Then you showed up to tell me he was missing, and as time’s gone on and he’s not been found I thought. . No, I know,’ he corrected, ‘that Luke must be dead. He’s killed himself.’

Horton studied him closely. Felton looked haunted by what he’d done, but was that refusing to help his brother? It was possible, but Horton could see there was more to Felton’s agitated manner than guilt. And he knew the cause of it, he’d recognized the signs: the shaking hands, bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils, agitation, talkativeness, constant sniffing. Evenly he said, ‘How long have you been addicted to cocaine?’

‘I’m not!’ Ashley Felton started. His eyes fell and he turned away.

‘Is that why you went to Crown House? Did you think Luke would know someone who could help you?’

He spun round. ‘No. I went there to apologize.’

‘Did Luke say he could get you some coke?’ Horton held Ashley’s tormented eyes.

After a moment his body slumped. He sat down heavily and reached for another cigarette. ‘No. I went to ask him if he could get me some. My supply in London’s dried up.’

And Horton knew that could only be because Ashley could no longer afford it. When they looked into his financial affairs, his guess was that Ashley Felton would be up to his eyes in debt.

Coolly, Horton said, ‘Luke didn’t come here asking you for a sub, did he? In fact, he didn’t come here at all because he didn’t know where you were living. This address isn’t held on any directory of company directors. We’ve checked.’ Cantelli had done so before they’d left and he’d discovered that Ashley Felton had only bought this apartment in November.

Felton fidgeted nervously but said nothing.

Horton continued. ‘You contacted Luke and asked him to meet you at Portchester Castle on Tuesday evening.’

That got a reaction. Ashley’s head came up. ‘No!’

‘What did you do, Ashley, when he refused to help you? Did he threaten to tell your sister and brother-in-law about your drug addiction? Or perhaps he remembered that you were that other person with him on the coastal path when Natalie was murdered. And that you killed Natalie.’

‘No!’ Ashley sprang up. ‘I didn’t even know Natalie and I was in London when she was killed.’

At a sign from Horton, Cantelli put the photograph of Ronnie Rookley in front of Ashley. ‘Did you see or talk to this man?’ he asked.

Ashley rubbed a shaking hand across his eyes. He was perspiring heavily. It seemed to take him a while to focus on the picture in front of him but when he did he shook his head. ‘No. I went inside and asked someone where Luke’s room was. I knocked and hung about but there was no answer.’

Horton eyed him closely. Was he lying? Perhaps Rookley said he’d get Ashley drugs. Stabbing at the picture of Rookley, Horton said, ‘Did you arrange to meet this man in the cemetery on Friday morning where he said he’d give you something?’

‘No. I tell you I’ve never seen him.’ Horton studied him, forcing Ashley to add, ‘If I’d got something do you think I’d be in this bloody state?’

He had a point. ‘When did you start taking drugs?’ asked Horton.

Grudgingly Ashley replied, ‘About eighteen months ago at a party in London. Business was tough. It seemed to help me through, but now. .’ He shrugged.

‘Did you take drugs in 1997?’

‘No.’

‘Did you know Natalie Raymonds?’ Horton asked again.

‘I told you. No. I wasn’t even in the country then. I was working on a project in Germany. You can check with my former employers.’

Horton wasn’t going to take it at face value. Ashley Felton clearly wasn’t a supplier, but maybe Natalie had been and had refused him more drugs. Would that have been enough for him to kill her and frame his brother? It was possible.

He said, ‘Who’s your London supplier?’ He didn’t expect an answer so he wasn’t disappointed when he didn’t get one. ‘We’ll need you to make a statement. And we’ll need to check your movements.’ Not only over the last week but also in 1997, Horton added to himself. They’d also get a warrant to search this flat and Felton’s boat. Ashley Felton could have taken his brother out on his yacht on Tuesday night, killed him and dumped his body in the sea. And he could be lying about not knowing or meeting Ronnie Rookley.

Cantelli slipped out to call a patrol car.

Horton said, ‘How did you know Luke was living at Crown House if you didn’t see or contact him?’