Dark Secrets: A Cavendish & Walker Novel - Book 11

by Sally Rigby

  ‘Yes. Sort that out, will you? We’ll be back later.’ She turned to George. ‘Right, let’s go.’

  When they arrived at Hutt Consulting, the subdued atmosphere was almost palpable. After Whitney had explained who they were, they waited to the side of the reception desk for David Barker’s immediate boss to be found.

  After a few minutes, a man in his fifties, of medium height and build, approached them.

  ‘Hello, I’m Robin Tavistock, Chief Operating Officer here. I understand you want to speak to me about David Barker.’

  ‘Yes. I’m DCI Walker and this is Dr Cavendish from Lenchester CID. Is there somewhere we can speak in private?’

  He led them to a meeting room which was along the corridor from the main reception area. It had a large light oak table, with chairs to seat twenty. They sat at one end.

  ‘David was a valued member of the team and what happened to him, and his family, has deeply shocked the whole company. If there’s anything I can do to help, please ask.’ He leant forward with his fingers steepled.

  He spoke the appropriate words, but George wasn’t convinced they were genuine. He hardly blinked and stared directly at Whitney. She would need to watch for any other telltale signs.

  ‘Thank you. To start, we’d like to know more about David’s work here,’ Whitney said.

  ‘He was one of our senior technology consultants and would spend much of his time on site with new, or existing, customers advising on their IT systems and how they could be utilised for delivering their business goals.’

  ‘When did he join the company?’

  ‘Ten years ago. He was my first hire as COO.’

  ‘Did he come into the office often?’

  ‘It varied, depending on where the particular client was based. If he was working within a sixty-mile radius of here, we would see him most weeks. Any further afield, and it would be less often. He kept in contact with his PA on a daily basis, and he’d be here for our monthly meetings. Other than that, he was autonomous.’

  ‘Had his work always been like this?’ George asked.

  ‘Before he was promoted to a senior position, he would work more locally and have more supervision.’

  ‘When was he promoted?’

  ‘About six years ago.’

  ‘Was David well liked?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘I believe so but, to be honest, it wasn’t something I paid attention to. His PA would be able to tell you more.’

  Again, another lie. The man was clearly trying to distance himself. From what, remained to be seen.

  ‘Is his PA in today? We’d like to speak to them.’

  ‘Yes, she is. I saw her earlier. I’ll arrange for her to come in.’ He walked out of the room, leaving them alone.

  ‘He’s hiding something. He couldn’t get out of here quick enough and he wasn’t being completely honest with you,’ George said.

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘When you asked about David Barker’s popularity, he knew more than he told you. He most likely didn’t want to disparage the man because of the situation. His body language was very easy to read.’

  ‘That’s useful to know. Let’s see what his PA tells us.’

  The door opened, and Robin Tavistock returned with a woman in her late twenties.

  ‘This is Lauren Maxwell, who worked for David. I’ll leave you to it, if that’s okay. I’m expecting a phone call.’

  ‘That’s fine. Thank you for your help,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Wanda on reception will call me if you need to speak to me again.’

  Whitney gestured for Lauren to be seated and she sat on the chair opposite, twisting the wedding band on her finger around and around.

  She was nervous, but George didn’t detect from her manner that she was upset by what had happened.

  ‘Thank you for coming to speak to us. We’d like to ask you a few questions about David, if that’s okay,’ Whitney said, her voice soft.

  ‘Yes, of course. I expected you would want to because I reported directly to him.’

  ‘How long were you his personal assistant?’

  ‘Four years. I joined the company after leaving university.’

  ‘Was he a good boss?’

  ‘He left me alone to get on with my work and wasn’t constantly breathing down my neck, which I appreciated. He delegated a lot of the customer liaison work to me, and I would prepare draft quotes for him.’

  ‘David Barker was living a double life. Were you aware of this?’

  Lauren looked away and bit down on her bottom lip. ‘I suspected but didn’t ask. It wasn’t my business.’

  ‘Why were your suspicions alerted?’

  ‘Conversations I overhead. The way he immediately went into his office when there was a certain ringtone. I think he had two phones, but I’m not one hundred per cent sure.’

  ‘What was it that made you believe that?’

  ‘There was one time when he took a call and put his phone into one pocket of his jacket, then a while later he received another call, and he took his phone out from the other one. I remember thinking it was odd, but then decided that I might have got it wrong. But thinking back, I don’t think I did.’

  ‘Can you remember any of the conversations you overheard that alerted you to David’s double life?’

  ‘Yes. One day when he was in his office and his door was slightly open, I overheard him on the phone telling someone he’d see them later. I knew it wasn’t his wife, because he’d only just told me that she’d taken the children away on holiday as it was half-term.’

  ‘Could it have been a friend?’

  ‘No. He told this person that he loved them. It was definitely said in a way you would to a partner.’

  ‘Do you have any idea who it was?’

  ‘It could be Natalie McKay who works here in the accounts department. Either her or Leigh Dempster who used to work here as a junior consultant.’

  Now she was discovering why Robin Tavistock wanted to distance himself. If this woman was to be believed, and George had no reason to doubt her, David Barker was a serial womaniser.

  ‘There was more than one person he was seeing?’ Whitney asked, scribbling in her notebook.

  ‘I don’t want you to think I’m gossiping, but according to the rumours going around here, he did see both of them. I’m not sure if it was at the same time but I can tell you that before Leigh left, she was quite open about her dislike of David and the way he operated.’

  ‘How do you know that she had a relationship with him?’

  ‘It was common knowledge among the admin staff.’

  ‘What did she say about him?’

  ‘That he was difficult to work for, and that he only liked you if you’d pandered to his whims.’

  ‘Do you agree with her assessment?’

  ‘David had his ways, but we always worked well together. He knew to leave me to my own devices.’

  That spoke volumes.

  ‘When did Leigh leave?’

  ‘A couple of months ago.’

  ‘You mentioned that Natalie works in the accounts department. Would you be able to fetch her for us?’

  ‘Sorry, she hasn’t been in this week. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s so upset or if there’s a different reason.’

  ‘Okay, thank you. Before we leave, what were you doing on Saturday between the hours of ten and midnight?’

  ‘I was at home with my husband.’

  ‘And he can vouch for that?’

  ‘Yes, of course he can. Would you like his mobile number?’

  Whitney passed over her notebook and Lauren wrote down the number and then left the room, closing the door behind her.

  Whitney turned to George. ‘We need to speak to Leigh Dempster and Natalie McKay. They could hold the key to this whole thing.’

  Chapter 21

  ‘Stop what you’re doing. I have stuff to tell you,’ Whitney said to the team when she’d returned to the incident room, pleased to see
they were all there. ‘It turns out that not only did David Barker lead a double life with a girlfriend and child, but he was also having other affairs,’

  ‘Bloody hell, how did he have the energy?’ Frank said, letting out a long sigh.

  ‘Don’t compare everyone with you. We don’t all have one foot in the grave,’ Doug said, smirking.

  ‘You can talk,’

  ‘Yeah, I can—’

  ‘Boys … focus. One of the women, Natalie McKay works at Hutt Consulting in the accounts department, but hasn’t been seen since the murders. Another woman, Leigh Dempster, used to work there and before she left was extremely vocal about her dislike for him. Ellie, I need contact details for both women.’

  ‘Yes, guv.’

  ‘Before you start, where are we on Barker’s phones?’

  ‘We’re still waiting for forensics to get back to us on whether they found his second phone,’ Meena said.

  ‘What’s the hold-up?’

  ‘They’re short-staffed and everyone’s out on a job.’

  ‘Well, keep on top of it. Ellie, have you had his main phone back from Mac, yet?’

  ‘No, guv. He’s been in a meeting for most of the day.’

  ‘What? This is ridiculous. We’re working a murder investigation. Doesn’t that count for anything around here?’

  ‘Sorry, guv.’

  ‘I’m not getting at you. Just keep on top of it. Brian, where are we on the wills?’ She forced her tense muscles to relax. It wasn’t the team’s fault. She’d be speaking to the super about resourcing in forensics. They couldn’t work like this.

  ‘They both had them, and in the event of death, everything passed to the other partner, and then following their death it went to the children. No other provisions were made.’

  ‘Verity would have a claim on the whole estate, in that case. Providing Tracy could prove David Barker was the father. It could be done through a DNA test,’ George said.

  ‘Yeah. And that could be one hell of a motive. Frank, did you see Tracy Osman’s car on any of the CCTV footage?’

  ‘I’ve checked all the roads coming into the city and heading in the direction of Beech Avenue and didn’t see it around the time of the murders, and—’

  ‘Guv?’ Brian interrupted.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘There’s a woman at the front desk who claims to have information regarding Corey Hudson.’

  ‘Do we know what it is?’

  She glanced at her watch. They still had over twelve hours to charge or let him go. This might speed up the process.

  ‘No. They asked to speak to whoever’s in charge of the case. She’s been put into interview room one.’

  ‘Okay. Come on, Brian, we’ll speak to her.’

  ‘Shall I come with you to observe?’ George asked.

  ‘No, not this time.’

  ‘In that case, if you don’t mind, I’ll leave. I’ve got items requiring my attention.’

  Only George could put it like that. It was most likely the property search.

  ‘Sure, you go. Thanks for today. Are you available tomorrow?’

  ‘If I’m required.’

  ‘You probably will be. I’ll call and let you know.’

  Whitney and Brian took the lift to the ground floor and turned into the corridor to the suite of interview rooms.

  They went into the first one and seated behind the table was a woman in her sixties. She was smartly dressed in a button-through, short-sleeved navy dress, with a splattering of colour on the print.

  ‘Good afternoon, I’m DCI Walker and this is DS Chapman. I understand you have information regarding the Barker family case,’ Whitney said, sitting directly opposite her.

  The woman cleared her throat. ‘Yes, I have. I’m Stephanie Court. Like I told the police officer who was on the reception desk, I have something to tell you about Corey, who you’ve arrested for the murders. I wanted to make sure that the person in charge knew. Is that you?’

  ‘I’m the senior investigating officer on the case. Corey isn’t under arrest. Currently he’s helping us with our enquiries.’

  ‘Oh. I didn’t know that. But he’s not allowed to go home, is he?’

  ‘That’s correct. What is this information?’ Whitney didn’t have time to pussyfoot around. There was a lot to do.

  ‘I live opposite the Hudsons and we’re family friends. I’ve watched the children grow up. It’s a lovely neighbourhood and we look out for each other. When Julian Hudson told me you thought his son had murdered that family, I came to see you straight away because I know he didn’t and can prove it.’

  Whitney held up her hand. ‘I’ll need to stop you for a moment. I’m going to record our conversation for the record.’ She leant over and pressed the button on the equipment and went through the formalities. ‘Please continue.’

  ‘Last Saturday, Corey was home by nine-seventeen. I saw him arrive through the window. When I told Julian, he was so relieved. I said that I’d come to the station and tell you everything I knew.’

  If this was true, then Corey would most definitely be out of the picture. He’d have been nowhere near the house during the time of death period.

  ‘You said you can prove it?’ Whitney leant forward slightly.

  ‘We have a security camera on the front of our house, which clearly shows him. I can let you see the footage. It’s here on my phone.’

  The woman took out her mobile and pressed some keys before sliding it over the table for Whitney to examine. She held it out so Brian could also see. The woman was right. Corey drove into the drive, got out of the car, and went to the front door at the exact time she’d said.

  ‘Please will you forward this to me?’ She pulled out a card and gave it to the woman, along with her phone.

  ‘Now?’

  ‘Yes. Did you continue watching when he went into the house?’

  ‘For a short while, maybe five minutes. Once Corey was inside, the front door closed and the lights came on.’

  ‘Which lights?’

  ‘First the ones in the hall, and then those in the lounge, which has a window overlooking the front.’

  ‘What about upstairs? Did you see any lights turn on up there?’

  ‘No, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t go there. All I can tell you for definite is I saw him go inside and the lights were turned on in the hall and lounge. Are you going to let him go now I’ve told you what I saw?’

  ‘We’re not at liberty to discuss that with you, but thank you for coming in. The information you’ve given us has been most useful.’

  ‘It was my duty. And even if I hadn’t seen Corey, I’d have bet my last pound that he hadn’t done it. He’s a lovely boy. He’s not a monster. If you knew him like I do, then you’d agree with me.’

  They escorted the woman out of the station and stood watching as she walked towards the car park.

  ‘That gives Corey Hudson a cast-iron alibi,’ Brian said, when they turned away from the front entrance.

  ‘It certainly does. He would have left not long after nine to be home by nine-seventeen, which means he couldn’t have been responsible. There’s no point in keeping him here any longer. It’s not a good place for a young man of his age.’

  They went to see the custody sergeant and Whitney asked him to draw up the paperwork for releasing Corey, and to inform his parents so they could collect him.

  They returned to the incident room, and she called the team to attention.

  ‘Okay everyone, we have a development. Corey Hudson has an alibi, and he’s going to be released, so we’re back to square one. Well, not quite square one. Where are we on these women David Barker was seeing, Ellie?’

  ‘They both live in Birmingham, guv. I’ve got their addresses.’

  ‘Thanks.’ She looked at her watch. It was too late for another trip over there. ‘I’ll take George and we’ll go first thing tomorrow morning. I’d better go see the super and update her on where we are.’

  Her bos
s’s office door was slightly open indicating she was in there. Whitney knocked and waited.

  ‘Come in.’

  ‘I’m here to give you a quick update, ma’am.’ She remained standing, not wanting to stay any longer than necessary.

  ‘Do I need to ask Chief Superintendent Douglas to join us?’

  ‘Not this time, ma’am. I’ll just tell you, because I’ve got to get back upstairs. I’m expecting a call,’ she lied. Out of necessity, she justified to herself. Or should that be sanity? ‘Corey Hudson has an alibi, which I’ve verified, and we’re in the process of releasing him.’

  ‘I’m not surprised. From what you’ve told us, it seemed unlikely that he would be our killer.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am. We do have another development. In addition to the woman with whom David Barker had a daughter and was living with part-time, we’ve also discovered two other women he was involved with. They both live in Birmingham. One works at the company, and one left recently. We’re not sure whether he was seeing them both at the same time. It’s something we’ll be investigating tomorrow when we interview them.’

  ‘Goodness, what a complex life he led. I’m due to give a press conference, but all I’ll tell the media is that we’re pursuing several lines of enquiry and that the person we had in custody is no longer a suspect. That will have to suffice.’

  ‘Am I required to attend?’

  She sincerely hoped not. Unlike her old boss, the super was perfectly capable of running them herself and fielding any questions thrown at her.

  ‘No, you’re not. I might actually wait until you get back on Thursday and then arrange one for Friday in case there’s more I can inform them. Either way, you don’t need to be involved. You have more pressing matters to deal with.’

  ‘Thanks, ma’am. Before I go, I’d like to mention issues we’re having with forensics.’

  The super frowned. ‘Issues?’

  ‘Not with the quality of their work,’ she added hastily. ‘We’re having to wait too long for feedback because they’re so understaffed. I was wondering what the situation is regarding expanding the department.’

  ‘Is it always like this, or just currently? We do have an unprecedented number of cases, which is stretching all of our resources.’