by Ford, P. F.
It probably didn’t help that he was spending so much time in her house. He had offered to keep an eye on it while she was away, but he found he was spending more and more time there, as if being there somehow made him nearer to her. He was there now, flicking through her TV channels.
He was aware that this was rather sad and pathetic behaviour, but such was his apathy, he just didn’t care about that. He wondered if perhaps he should take some leave and go and find her. But then, suppose she didn’t want him to find her. He’d never felt like this about anyone before, and he was struggling to cope with the possibility of losing her for good. How did other people cope? How did you stop thinking about her?
Then his mobile phone began to ring. He tossed the remote control onto the settee and reached for the phone. He squinted at the incoming number but it wasn’t one he recognised, not that it mattered, he had to answer it just in case it was something important.
‘It’s Millie Gibson. From Rochester and Dorset. You said I could call.’
‘That’s right, I did,’ said Slater, sitting up much straighter. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘It’s more what I might be able to do for you,’ she said mysteriously. ‘Only I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day. About if anyone had any information?’
‘Oh, right. And does someone have some information?’
‘We all know what’s been going on between Diana and old Porky Rossiter. Diana thought no one knew what they were up to, but we’d all have to be blind and stupid. The thing is, I don’t think anyone’s brave enough to come forward and risk their job.’
‘Oh, that’s a pity.’
‘Oh it’s alright,’ said Millie. ‘I heard today I’ve got another job. So I don’t care. They can’t sack me now, can they?’
‘So what do you want to tell me?’
‘It might be better if you were to come to my house. This could take quite a while. There’s a lot to tell.’
‘Okay. Whatever suits you. When do you want us to come?’
‘You can come now, if you want to.’
‘I’ll pick up my colleague DS Norman, on the way,’ said Slater. ‘Now what’s your address?’
‘This had better be good,’ said Norman, five minutes later, as he climbed into Slater’s car. ‘I’d just got settled with a couple of cans of lager.’
‘Oh, it’s good,’ said Slater. ‘Millie Gibson wants to spill the beans about Diana and Rossiter.’
‘In that case, the lager can wait. Let’s go!’
After a moment, he spoke again.
‘You were at Cindy’s again, weren’t you?’ he asked.
Slater couldn’t think what to say. He was embarrassed that his pining was so obvious.
‘I know you were, so don’t deny it,’ said Norman. ‘You couldn’t have got from your own house to my flat that quickly.’
‘Okay,’ said Slater, with a heavy sigh. ‘It’s a fair cop. I was just checking the post and making sure everything’s okay.’
‘Are you sure you don’t keep going round there just to feel a little closer to her?’
‘What? No, of course not.’
‘I know it’s hard,’ said Norman. ‘But you’ve got to be patient. You have to give her as much time as she needs. In the meantime, you have to stay positive about the outcome.’
‘I am,’ said Slater.
‘Yeah, right. Anyone can say the words, but if you don’t believe them...’
‘I just didn’t realise it was going to be so bloody hard,’ said Slater.
‘I know. I’ve been there. At least you still have hope.’
‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to-.’
‘Hey. I asked the question, didn’t I?’ interrupted Norman.
‘Well, yeah, but even so.’ Slater felt guilty; he knew how much Norman missed his wife, and she had assured him she was never coming back.
‘It’s because I know how hard it is, that I worry about you,’ said Norman. ‘But I can promise you, sitting there allowing yourself to get depressed doesn’t help. Trust me, it’s easy to get down, but it’s damned hard to get back up again. You can’t just flick a switch and turn your happiness back on.’
‘That’s easy to say,’ said Slater.
‘It’s the truth. If Cindy came back tomorrow, and found you like that, she’d think she was making a big mistake. How’s that going to help?’
Slater thought about what Norman had said. When you thought about it, it made a lot of sense.
‘You know,’ he said, with a wry smile, ‘for an old “has been”, you talk a lot of sense.’
‘The thing about an old “has been” like me,’ said Norman, smiling, ‘is my experience. You name it, I’ve probably been there, done it, and got the tee shirt. Therefore, I know what works and what doesn’t, and I can offer sound advice.’
They were parked outside Millie Gibson’s house now.
‘You’re right,’ said Slater. ‘I need to stay positive.’
‘It’s difficult to get down when you’re positive about things,’ said Norman. ‘It works for me, and it’ll work for you, just as long as you believe it.’
‘Getting this new job is such a relief,’ said Millie Gibson, once they were all settled in her lounge. ‘I enjoyed working for Rochester’s for the first month, then it all started to go sour.’
‘How come?’ asked Norman. ‘You seemed pretty happy to us?’
‘I put on a brave face. Most of the girls in that place are the same. The problem is the money’s so good no one can afford to leave.’
‘But why would they want to?’ asked Slater.
‘Sexual harassment,’ she said, bluntly. ‘Celia Rowntree knows it goes on – in fact he’s probably tried it on with her – but she won’t do anything about it, because that revolting man brings in all the money. Without him the company would sink like a stone.’
‘You mean Rossiter, right?’ asked Norman.
‘Porky the Pig, the girls call him. He thinks we’re some sort of harem and he can have anyone he chooses. He’s propositioned every girl who works there.’
‘All of them?’ asked Slater, appalled.
‘Oh yes. Married, single, old or young. He doesn’t care. He seems to think he’s God’s gift to women and we’d all want to. Of course most of the girls think he’s disgusting. But then there was Diana. I suppose in a way she did all of us a favour. At least once she said yes he stopped hassling the rest of us.’
‘So he’s a sex pest,’ said Norman.
‘He just wants no strings sex,’ Millie said. ‘Or, at least that’s what he’s told us all. The problem is he also wants to be able to cop a feel anytime he’s passing. How she put up with it I just don’t know. Just thinking about those fat, podgy fingers groping through your underwear, well, it’s just horrible.’
She shivered.
‘So he’s actually been groping her in the office?’ asked Slater.
‘Oh yes. They think no one can see what they’re up to, but it’s a hand up her skirt here, a grope of her boobs there. Honestly it’s like watching two teenagers who’ve just discovered sex for the first time. But he’s in his fifties, and she was well into her forties.’
‘So why hasn’t anyone ever complained about him?’ asked Norman.
‘Apparently someone did, once.’ She sighed. ‘They were escorted off the premises and told never to come back. No one can criticise the company’s top asset, you see. And, of course, for the last three years he’s also had Diana by his side, telling everyone what a paragon of virtue he is.’
‘Now let me get this straight. You’re saying he’s made the same offer to everyone?’ asked Slater.
‘Oh yes,’ Millie said. ‘He worked his way through every woman in the company, having his revolting offer turned down, and then he found Diana. She was the only one who was willing. Apparently he approached her when a group of them were on some sort of business trip up in London. They stayed in some fancy hotel. He made his offer to Diana in the
bar on the first night. They were there for three nights in all. Rumour has it Rossiter didn’t sleep in his own room once. I’m told you could hear him grunting from his efforts all night long.’
‘So what’s the attraction?’ asked Norman.
‘Well, it’s obviously not physical, is it? Sex in exchange for presents, I believe. It’s been suggested he liked buying underwear for her, as long as he could put his hand up her skirt and see what it felt like. Every time he goes abroad he makes sure she gets a bottle of her favourite perfume, or a bottle of expensive gin, anything like that.’
‘He’s more or less buying it, then?’ Slater asked.
‘There’s no “more or less” about it.’ She sniffed, primly.
‘Aren’t you worried about any repercussions from talking to us?’ asked Norman.
‘Not now I’m leaving. Anyway, someone has to stick up for that poor husband of hers. Have you heard some of the stuff that’s been said about him since he left her? And all because she wants to portray herself as some sort of innocent victim. It’s disgusting.’
‘But all her family and friends and neighbours make her out to be some sort of saint,’ said Slater.
‘Oscar-winning actress, more like,’ Millie replied.
‘Now that rings a bell,’ said Norman.
‘Some people see things as they really are and some people see things how they want to see them. Diana knew that and she played people accordingly.’
‘But how could she be conducting an affair without anyone noticing?’ asked Slater. ‘The neighbours claim she never had men calling on her, and she hardly ever went out without her husband.’
‘How many of her neighbours are home at lunchtime? And twice a week Porky has an empty house at lunchtime. And they’re not secretive about it. They jump in his car together and off they go. They quite often come back late as well. Everyone despised Diana for it, but no one had the guts to say anything out in the open.’
‘You really didn’t like Diana, did you?’ asked Slater.
‘I despised her for behaving like some cheap tart,’ said Millie. ‘We all did, men as well as women.’
‘What about Rossiter’s wife?’ asked Norman. ‘Does she know what he’s like?’
‘Who, Angela? I’m not sure if she really doesn’t know, or if she’s one of those women who keeps pretending it’s not happening as long as the money keeps pouring in.’
‘What do you think will happen now Diana’s gone?’ he asked.
‘I suppose he’ll try to find someone else who’s willing, or failing that he’ll employ someone who’s willing.’
‘What if his wife had walked in, one lunchtime, like Woody did?’
‘I think she would take him to the cleaners,’ said Millie. ‘She might be prepared to trade her lifestyle for his philandering, but trust me, if she was to catch him doing it right under her nose I think she’d ruin him.’
‘What do you think would happen if we showed up at his house asking questions about his relationship with Diana?’ asked Slater.
‘I just told you,’ she said, with an evil grin. ‘She would take him apart, bit by bit.’
‘I’m really tempted to go round Rossiter’s house right now,’ said Norman, as they drove away from Millie Gibson’s house. ‘Just to suggest he might have had a relationship with Diana in front of his wife, and then watch what happens.’
‘Yeah, I know what you mean,’ said Slater. ‘I thought the guy was a creep when we met him, but he’s something else, isn’t he?’
‘Yeah, he certainly is. But does that make him a murder suspect? I mean they were consenting adults. Why would he want to do away with his sex partner?
‘Who knows. Maybe she wanted to become more than just a bit on the side. Perhaps she thought she could become Mrs Porky but he had other ideas.’
‘It might be worth slipping that into the conversation when we talk to him tomorrow,’ Norman said. ‘Sort of shake the tree and see what falls out.’
Chapter 12
When Bruce Rossiter arrived at Tinton police station next morning, he had the appearance of a man who hadn’t slept the previous night. By contrast, Brian Humphreys looked as bright as a button.
The first indignity for Rossiter was having his fingerprints taken. Humphreys seemed to be positively enjoying Rossiter’s discomfort, though. Slater and Norman were watching through the observation window of the interview room.
‘I got the feeling this isn’t the first time he’s had to represent Bruce Rossiter,’ said Slater, as Humphreys stood back with his arms folded, a grin playing around his lips. ‘Maybe getting dragged into a murder inquiry is a step too far for him and he’s had enough.’
They watched as Ian Becks took Rossiter through the procedure.
‘Rossiter doesn’t seem to be as bothered about having his prints taken as I’d expected,’ said Slater.
‘That’s probably because he knows he’s wiped that phone clean. Wait until you tell him we found prints on the inside. That should get a reaction.’
They waited until Ian Becks had finished before they entered the interview room.
‘Did you get your fingerprints taken?’ asked Norman.
‘You know damned well I did,’ snorted Rossiter.
‘Well, you’ll be pleased to know it hasn’t been a waste of time,’ said Slater, smiling. ‘Because we found some fingerprints inside the phone on the battery. That should tell us who put the phone together in the first place.’
He was watching Rossiter’s face as he spoke, convinced he was going to get a good reaction, but Rossiter didn’t bat an eyelid.
‘Well, I’ve already told you it wasn’t me,’ said Rossiter. ‘And my fingerprints will prove it.’
‘You’re very confident about that,’ said Norman, and Slater could tell he was surprised. He was too.
‘Yes, because I know I’m right,’ said Rossiter, smiling calmly at them.
And at that moment, Slater began to think that maybe he wasn’t bluffing. But surely he must have been lying about the phone. There was no way it had been planted. It had to be his phone. Didn’t it?
‘We’ll have confirmation of that soon enough,’ said Norman. ‘Our little forensics team are very good. They’ll be working on it right now. In the meantime, we have some questions we’d like you to answer.’
‘Yes,’ said Rossiter, impatiently. ‘That’s why I’m here when I should be at work. Now, can we get on with it, please?’
‘When we spoke yesterday, we asked you if you had an intimate relationship with Diana Woods-’
‘Ah. Yes,’ said Rossiter. ‘I may not have been very honest when I gave my answer.’
‘You may not have been very honest,’ echoed Slater. ‘Does that mean you lied to us?’
‘I prefer to call it being economical with the truth. Now I’ve spoken to my solicitor I can see that was the wrong thing to do.’
‘So you did lie to us,’ said Norman. ‘So how about you tell us the truth now.’
‘The thing is my wife mustn’t get to hear about this. I’m sure you can see this would be very embarrassing for me if it did get out. You will make sure she doesn’t hear about it, won’t you?’
‘We can’t guarantee that, Mr Rossiter,’ said Norman. ‘It may be that we’ll need to speak to your wife during our enquiries.’
‘But why would you need to do that?’
‘Maybe we won’t need to,’ said Slater. ‘We can’t say for sure. We just follow the evidence where it leads and question people accordingly.’
‘But my wife isn’t involved in Diana’s death. That’s an absurd idea,’ said Rossiter.
‘It doesn’t sound so crazy if she knows about your affair,’ said Norman.
‘But she doesn’t. And it was hardly an affair. It was more of a flirtation that went a bit too far.’
Norman gave a huge, weary sigh.
‘I thought you were going to tell us the truth, Mr Rossiter. ‘From what we’ve discovered, your “flirtation”
has been going on for almost three years. It started in a hotel on a business trip, and it’s been going on ever since. Now, that’s a bit more than a flirtation, wouldn’t you agree?’
Rossiter paled slightly.
‘Every Tuesday and Friday lunchtime,’ said Slater. ‘At your house when your wife’s at work.’
‘There’s no law against two friends having lunch together.’ Rossiter’s eyes darted around the room.
‘That’s very true,’ said Norman. ‘There’s also no law against two consenting adults having sex every Tuesday and Friday lunchtime.’
Rossiter looked at Humphrey pleadingly, but the solicitor sat staring straight ahead, his lips curled slightly.
‘We’re not here to judge your morals, Mr Rossiter,’ said Norman. ‘We’re just here to try and get to the truth of what happened to Diana Woods. The fact you were conducting a long standing affair with her could be very significant. Your lies are preventing us from getting a clear picture of her life.’
‘You’re obstructing a police inquiry,’ added Slater. ‘I’m sure Mr Humphreys can explain the consequences.’
‘Alright! Yes we were having an affair. But we were discreet, and weren’t doing anyone any harm.’
‘Discreet?’ said Slater. ‘Every employee at Rochester & Dorset knew what you were up to. They used to watch you getting into your car together. They knew where you were going and what you were doing. How the hell is that discreet?’
‘That’s rubbish.’
‘Is it, Mr Humphreys?’ Norman asked the solicitor.
‘Everyone knew,’ was all he said.
‘Ian Woods knew as well,’ said Slater.
‘He’s just a waster,’ said Rossiter, bitterly. ‘How Diana ever got tied up with him I’ll never know. He’s been bringing her down for years.’
‘Or perhaps it was her behaviour with men like you that was bringing him down for years.’
‘She has supported him for years,’ said Rossiter. ‘What sort of man is that?’
‘Maybe it’s a broken one,’ said Slater. ‘But if he was such a bad person, why did she want him to come back to her after he left. It doesn’t quite add up, does it?’