Stop Dead (DI Geraldine Steel)

lot, I’m afraid. I didn’t get involved. She was one of our regulars. She was alright, nothing special. We only have room for solo artists, a singer with a guitar, or sometimes they use a backing track. We have a few regulars who are good value, and the customers appreciate it. Live music is very popular these days, and we like to – here at Mireille –’
    He broke off with a sigh.
    ‘We’ll need the singer’s contact details.’

     
    The manager went and rummaged around behind the bar, before returning to Geraldine with a shrug. He cleared his throat.
    ‘I’ve got her name here somewhere, but – we paid her in cash.’
    He fished through the till. They both knew he was going through the motions.
    ‘I tell you what,’ he said finally, his expression lightening with relief at having remembered something. ‘She told me she sings on Tuesdays in Westfield in Shepherds Bush.’
    He named a café.
    ‘I wish I could remember her name – Inga?’
    ‘Inga the singer,’ Geraldine said, smiling.
    ‘No, that wasn’t it. I’m sorry, I just can’t remember her name, but she told me she sings there regularly on Tuesdays.’
    ‘Can you describe her?’
    ‘Short, slight, dark hair, quite pretty.’
    It wasn’t much to go on.

     
    The questioning took most of the day. As they left the restaurant, Geraldine was troubled by a feeling that they were going nowhere with the investigation. She and Sam compared notes, adding to what they already knew about Henshaw as an urbane womaniser with an acute business brain. Geraldine had the advantage that she had spoken to Corless before he was killed. He seemed less sophisticated than his partner, blunt in his views but not unkind towards his employees and his young girlfriend. It was a testament to his cordiality that, despite falling out with his wife, he had remained on good terms with his children. But while everyone at the restaurant seemed genuinely concerned about the double murder, nothing that was said shed any light on the identity of the killer.

CHAPTER 36
     
    W ith George out of the running, his ownership of the restaurant went to his children, both of whom had alibis for the evenings when the murders took place. Meanwhile, Amy and Guy were still suspects. It was curious that the nature of the injuries in the two murders was almost identical, although the damage the victims had sustained suggested the murders had been prompted by personal enmity. The fatal blow against Corless appeared to have been quite powerful, making Guy the most likely out of all the suspects. In addition, Amy had accused him of killing her husband, a claim Geraldine suspected was no more than the ranting of a disappointed woman. Even so, she had to follow it up so she decided to start her day by talking to Guy again.

     
    Her expectation that the young man would resent being recalled for further questioning was confirmed as soon as she entered the interview room. He leapt to his feet, dark eyes blazing with anger.
    ‘What the hell’s going on? I answered all your questions yesterday, I even signed a statement, what more do you want? You’ve got no right to bring me back here again.’
    Paying no attention to his outburst, Geraldine sat down and greeted him politely, thanking him for helping them with their enquiries. As she did so, the duty solicitor mumbled something to the suspect who sat down, grumbling quietly.
    ‘I only met Patrick Henshaw once, for Christ’s sake. Go on then, ask all your questions again if you must, but you won’t find out anything new.’
    He glanced sideways at the solicitor, who made no further attempt to communicate with him.

     
    Leaning back from the table in a deliberately casual pose, Geraldine kept her eyes fixed on the suspect as she asked if he had ever met George Corless. Guy shook his head without answering.
    ‘Mr Barrett, please answer the question.’
    ‘Who did you say?’
    ‘George Corless.’
    Geraldine showed him a head shot of the dead man taken a year or two before his death.
    ‘Do you know this man?’
    ‘No. Why? Should I?’
    ‘Look carefully, Mr Barrett.’
    He glanced at the photograph without registering any interest.
    ‘I don’t know him.’
    As previously, Geraldine believed he was telling the truth, but she persevered.
    ‘This is George Corless,’ she said. ‘He was Patrick Henshaw’s business partner.’
    ‘I know. He’s the one who gets the restaurant now. Where’s the justice in that? Amy was married to