she been blackmailing Freddie after the accident because it had been so bad for her?
If so then could her death have been a homicide rather than suicide…?
Thirty-Three
The house on the East hill where Connell lived was one in a long curving terrace of four storey Edwardian buildings. Climbing the four flights of stairs in the boarding house Trask wished for the umpteenth time that he’d kept himself fitter, as Brian Calder ahead of him, took it all in his stride pausing occasionally to grin down at him on the next landing. It was a hot day and Trask’s blue cotton shirt was clinging to him already like sticking plaster. Brian Calder chuckled as Geoff panting stopped a moment on the third floor below him to wipe his perspiring face.
‘They could do with a lift in here. If he’s not in, Calder, I’ll do my nut.’
‘Probably still in bed. He works long late hours remember.’
The door was opened at last after persistent ringing on the bell. Connell didn’t look surprised to see the m.
‘Good morning, officers.’ Muscular arms folded across his tanned chest he leaned casually up against the door. ‘So what do you want with me this time?’
Trask said, ‘Jerome Connell, you’re wanted down the station for questioning. Concerning the deaths of DS Linda Handley, Jude van Hoet and Ellie Cooper.’
‘You want me to accompany you to the station.’ His muscles rippled on his tanned shoulders as he shrugged. ‘I knew it was only a matter of time before you called. I’ve got a record. I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?’ he said to Calder. ‘Yeah. You came with that police bird DS Handley to the Casino. She gave me a good grilling then. That was the last time I saw her. Can’t tell you much more than that.’
‘Get dressed, Connell. We want to ask you some questions.’
Connell grinned. ‘Can’t tell you any more than you know already. ’
*
Peterson watched him taken into the interview room. ‘Did he seem worried at all Trask?’
Trask shook his head. ‘ No. He’s a crafty customer. Says he has nothing to hide.’
Farmer sat down opposite Connell and switched on recording machine.
‘DI Farmer interviewing Jerome Connell. DS Trask also present. July 25. Time eleven am precisely on July 25th.
‘DS Handley interviewed you on the 16th of July at the Orchid Club, Mr Connell. Is that correct?
Connell nodded his head slowly. ‘It is.’
‘You visited Geraldine Temple’s flat on the East hill twice before her death on the 2nd July. Was she a friend or an acquaintance?’
‘Neither. I told DS Handley that I went there on Mr Kaufman’s business. Ms Temple was an old friend of his and he liked to keep a friendly eye on her.’
‘Geraldine Temple was his one time mistress who committed suicide last month.’
Connell shrugged. ‘Like I said Mr Kaufman knew her from way back. I work for him.’
‘DS Handley - you were seen hanging about outside her flat on the seafront.’
‘Whoever said that is a fucking liar.’
‘Handley said herself that she thought she’d seen you in a shelter opposite her flat under the street lighting on two different occasions. Shortly before her death.’
Connell grimaced and shook his head. ‘Never - she must have needed her eyes testing.’
‘And on the night DS Handley was killed you said you had cut your hand with a knife on the bar counter slicing a lemon and went to A &E to have it stitched.’
‘That’s right, I did. You can ask Triage in Casualty. Waited a full two hours before I was seen. A messy business. It bled quite a bit. My boss and the manager can bear evidence on that score. It was a particularly busy night.’
Connell grinned and held out his left hand.
‘Connell shows plaster on healed wound on left hand. That still gives you time to pay Handley a visit.’
He leaned back in the chair with folded arms across his chest. ‘Like I said I had a long wait in A&E before I was seen to.’ He shrugged.
‘You were on the Club
If so then could her death have been a homicide rather than suicide…?
Thirty-Three
The house on the East hill where Connell lived was one in a long curving terrace of four storey Edwardian buildings. Climbing the four flights of stairs in the boarding house Trask wished for the umpteenth time that he’d kept himself fitter, as Brian Calder ahead of him, took it all in his stride pausing occasionally to grin down at him on the next landing. It was a hot day and Trask’s blue cotton shirt was clinging to him already like sticking plaster. Brian Calder chuckled as Geoff panting stopped a moment on the third floor below him to wipe his perspiring face.
‘They could do with a lift in here. If he’s not in, Calder, I’ll do my nut.’
‘Probably still in bed. He works long late hours remember.’
The door was opened at last after persistent ringing on the bell. Connell didn’t look surprised to see the m.
‘Good morning, officers.’ Muscular arms folded across his tanned chest he leaned casually up against the door. ‘So what do you want with me this time?’
Trask said, ‘Jerome Connell, you’re wanted down the station for questioning. Concerning the deaths of DS Linda Handley, Jude van Hoet and Ellie Cooper.’
‘You want me to accompany you to the station.’ His muscles rippled on his tanned shoulders as he shrugged. ‘I knew it was only a matter of time before you called. I’ve got a record. I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?’ he said to Calder. ‘Yeah. You came with that police bird DS Handley to the Casino. She gave me a good grilling then. That was the last time I saw her. Can’t tell you much more than that.’
‘Get dressed, Connell. We want to ask you some questions.’
Connell grinned. ‘Can’t tell you any more than you know already. ’
*
Peterson watched him taken into the interview room. ‘Did he seem worried at all Trask?’
Trask shook his head. ‘ No. He’s a crafty customer. Says he has nothing to hide.’
Farmer sat down opposite Connell and switched on recording machine.
‘DI Farmer interviewing Jerome Connell. DS Trask also present. July 25. Time eleven am precisely on July 25th.
‘DS Handley interviewed you on the 16th of July at the Orchid Club, Mr Connell. Is that correct?
Connell nodded his head slowly. ‘It is.’
‘You visited Geraldine Temple’s flat on the East hill twice before her death on the 2nd July. Was she a friend or an acquaintance?’
‘Neither. I told DS Handley that I went there on Mr Kaufman’s business. Ms Temple was an old friend of his and he liked to keep a friendly eye on her.’
‘Geraldine Temple was his one time mistress who committed suicide last month.’
Connell shrugged. ‘Like I said Mr Kaufman knew her from way back. I work for him.’
‘DS Handley - you were seen hanging about outside her flat on the seafront.’
‘Whoever said that is a fucking liar.’
‘Handley said herself that she thought she’d seen you in a shelter opposite her flat under the street lighting on two different occasions. Shortly before her death.’
Connell grimaced and shook his head. ‘Never - she must have needed her eyes testing.’
‘And on the night DS Handley was killed you said you had cut your hand with a knife on the bar counter slicing a lemon and went to A &E to have it stitched.’
‘That’s right, I did. You can ask Triage in Casualty. Waited a full two hours before I was seen. A messy business. It bled quite a bit. My boss and the manager can bear evidence on that score. It was a particularly busy night.’
Connell grinned and held out his left hand.
‘Connell shows plaster on healed wound on left hand. That still gives you time to pay Handley a visit.’
He leaned back in the chair with folded arms across his chest. ‘Like I said I had a long wait in A&E before I was seen to.’ He shrugged.
‘You were on the Club
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