The Hanging in the Hotel

Chapter Sixteen

It was early for the phone to ring on a Sunday morning. Barry Stilwell’s tone was once again conspiratorial. ‘Carole, I need to talk to you.’

She had no reciprocal need to talk to him, but, remembering Jude’s exhortations, put a nuance of coyness into her voice as she said, ‘Really, Barry?’

‘Listen. Pomme’s in the bath . . .’ This is more information than I need to have, thought Carole. ‘So I took the opportunity to call you to see if we could meet again?’

‘Sure we could. At some point,’ she replied lightly.

‘This week. Lunch on Monday.’

‘You’re talking about tomorrow?’

‘Mario’s. You know it. And Mario’s the soul of discretion.’

Objections rose within her. Not only did she find Barry Stilwell repulsive, she was also opposed on principle to extramarital affairs. (Though if Barry had any thought of actually starting an affair with her, he had another think coming.) ‘Are you sure that’d be a good idea?’ she asked, rather stiffly.

‘I think,’ he replied, deepening his voice in the manner of some film star he had once seen, ‘it’s the best idea I’ve had for a long time.’

‘Well . . .’

‘Go on, say yes, Carole.’

She was torn between her instinct, her principles, and what Jude had said to her. Loyalty to her friend won. ‘Very well.’

‘Oh, thank you. You don’t know how happy that’s made me feel.’

If you knew why I’d said yes, you wouldn’t feel happy, thought Carole. But she also felt a little frisson of excitement. Maybe she did have a bit of the Mata Hari in her, after all.

‘Mario’s, one o’clock, tomorrow.’ A sudden panic came into Barry Stilwell’s voice. ‘Pomme’s coming out of the bathroom! See you then.’

And the line went dead.

Later that morning, as she let Gulliver scamper around her on Fethering beach, Carole was once again struck by the incongruity of her situation. She, Carole Seddon, was apparently giving the nod to a married man who wanted to have an affair with her. Even more remarkable, to her way of thinking, there actually was a married man who wanted to have an affair with her. A repulsive one, true, but he did exist. That would have been a surprise to her former colleagues at the Home Office. And maybe to her former husband.

When they got back to High Tor, Gulliver was ecstatic to see their next-door neighbour, who had just rung the front door bell.

Jude wondered if it would be possible to have a lift to Brighton.

Brighton was looking its most beautiful that April Sunday morning. The white sea-facing frontages of hotels and apartment blocks reminded Jude of the previous night’s wedding cake. The usual greeny-beige of the sea had made an effort and was giving a fair approximation to Mediterranean blue. People wandered along the promenade, holding sheaves of Sunday papers, some even anticipating summer in shorts and T-shirts.

Brighton in any season never failed to give Jude’s spirits a lift. Carole was a little more old-fashioned about the place. Her thoughts of Brighton were dominated by newspaper headlines about gays and drugs and drunks and divorcees.

So early in the season and so early in the day, she had no problem parking the Renault on the front. Jude pointed up to a tall white monolith. ‘That’s Kerry’s block. Did your parents present you with a flat like that when you were in your teens?’

‘Certainly not.’ The only exotic thing her parents had given Carole was the ‘e’ at the end of her name.

‘I’d like to say come in with me, but I don’t think I’d better. She might clam up.’

‘No, of course not. I don’t want to come,’ Carole lied. ‘I’ll be fine with the paper.’

She had contemplated bringing Gulliver, but he’d already had a walk, and, besides, he sometimes got over-excited in a strange environment. The smells and sights of Brighton beach might well stir him into a frenzy of Labrador silliness. She’d decided she’d be better off with the Sunday Telegraph.

Jude got out of the car, and then looked back in disbelief at her friend, still sitting bolt-upright in the driving seat. ‘Are you going to read the paper there?’

‘Why not?’

‘It’s a lovely day. You’re on one of the most beautiful seafronts in the country. I thought you might sit outside.’

‘Yes. I might,’ Carole conceded stiffly.

Kerry Hartson’s flat was certainly splendid. A penthouse with a sitting room that looked out over the sea. Very expensive – and ridiculous, really, to be the home of a girl not yet sixteen. Jude wondered whether Kerry had been given it as a present by her doting parents, or if she had to pay rent. From what she’d heard of Bob Hartson, the answer would depend on the tax position. His stepdaughter might be living in the flat, but it was primarily his investment. So if a nominal rent would avoid paying tax on a gift, Kerry would be paying a nominal rent.

Like the girl’s bedroom at Hopwicke House, the sitting room was very untidy, but not dirty. Jude could not imagine Kerry doing the cleaning herself, so no doubt some poor woman with dodgy immigration status was employed to dust round the detritus. CDs, DVDs and all the other essential acronyms of teenage life lay scattered over the floor, along with crumpled foil takeaway packs, dirty glasses and discarded garments.

Kerry herself was dressed in sloppy grey sweats that could have been nightwear or daywear. The room was stuffy and smelt of sleep. MTV pounded from the large screen in the corner, and the girl made no attempt to mute it as she shoved aside some clothes to make room for Jude on the sofa.

Nor did she offer any refreshment. Though on the surface she was her normal, laid-back, rather sulky self, there was a tension in Kerry that morning. Her invitation to Jude at the hotel may have sounded almost casual, but the girl knew something important was at stake.

First, though, she looked derisorily at the girl band sashaying away on the television. ‘They’re hopeless,’ she volunteered.

‘Are they?’ Jude knew she wasn’t qualified to pass judgement on that kind of music.

‘Yeah. Manufactured,’ Kerry continued knowledgably. ‘Came up through Pop Idol.’

‘Ah?’

‘Telly show,’ the girl elucidated. ‘They haven’t got any real talent.’

‘Unlike you?’

This wasn’t as rude as it sounded. In previous casual conversations Kerry had made no secret of her desire to make it in the pop world.

‘I got a better natural voice than any of them.’ She spoke as if this were an unarguable fact. ‘With all the right grooming – singing lessons, dance classes, designer clothes . . . yeah, I could make it.’

‘Good luck. I hope it happens for you.’

The girl smiled slyly. ‘Oh, I think it will.’

Was this just the confidence of a child whose parents had always told her she was wonderful? Or did she imagine that, like the flat, success in the music business was something her stepfather could buy for her?

Still, they hadn’t met to discuss Kerry’s career prospects. Since beating about the bush had never been Jude’s favourite mode of approach, she moved on to the main agenda. ‘You said you’d tell me what you were doing the night Nigel Ackford died.’

‘Yes. I didn’t see him – Nigel, the one who died – after I left the bar. He was drinking with all the others. That’s the last I saw of him.’

‘It wasn’t his movements I was asking about, Kerry. It was yours.’

The girl was silent for a moment, then said, ‘I went on drinking with my Dad. After the bar closed, he said he’d got a bottle of whisky in his room, so we went on up there.’

‘Just the two of you?’

‘No, there was another of Dad’s friends with us.’

‘Who?’

‘I can’t remember his name. He was one of those Pillars of Sussex.’

‘Of course he was. They all were.’

‘Yes. Anyway, that’s what I was doing.’

The girl seemed relieved, and her eyes strayed back to MTV. She had answered the question; so far as Kerry was concerned, the interview was over.

But Jude hadn’t got enough information. Or rather, she was intrigued by the small amount of information she had been given. If that was all Kerry had to say on the subject, then why hadn’t she answered back at the hotel? They had been alone in the kitchen. There was no one there to overhear or question Kerry’s version of events. So why the mystery? Why had the girl dragged Jude all the way to Brighton for so little?

The only possible explanation must be that consultation had been required. Kerry had wanted to talk to someone before she detailed her whereabouts on the night of Nigel Ackford’s death. And Jude had a pretty good idea of who had been consulted.

As if to confirm her conjecture, at that moment the door to the flat was opened with a key, and Bob Hartson walked in.

Carole was perhaps too protective of her independence. She had an inbuilt resistance to obeying another person’s agenda, even when she knew it made good sense. So, although she did follow Jude’s advice and read her Sunday Telegraph outside the car, perversely she sat in a shelter out of direct sunlight, and with her back to the sea. She therefore saw the Jaguar draw up outside the block opposite, and stay parked on the double yellow lines. She saw the large man get out, but since she’d never met Bob Hartson, had no means of identifying him.

As she allowed the Sunday Telegraph to confirm her right-of-centre views, she occasionally looked up to see the Jaguar still there, its driver playing on a Gameboy. He looked absorbed, content to sit waiting. Presumably that’s what being a chauffeur requires, thought Carole, infinities of patience, and always being at someone else’s beck and call.

She didn’t think it was a job that would suit her.

Bob Hartson’s presence filled the room. He was wearing white chinos and a green polo shirt, tight against his biceps. Though beginning to give way to fat, his body was still deeply muscled, and seemed tense with unspoken threat.

‘Hello, angel.’ He grinned across at his stepdaughter, who ran obediently to give him a big hug. Daddy’s little girl.

He took in Jude’s presence, but without surprise. She was convinced he knew she’d be there. Bob Hartson stretched a paddle of a hand towards her. ‘Hi. We met at the hotel last week.’

‘Hardly met. I was there waitressing.’

‘Well . . .’ The big man shrugged. He wasn’t going to be picky about details. He was friends to everyone. The image he wanted to present that morning was of bonhomie, the magnanimous family man coming to visit his daughter.

‘Just been playing golf,’ he volunteered, and laughed. ‘I didn’t think it was possible, but I swear I’m getting worse at that game. When I’m standing over it with a club, the bloody ball seems to have a mind of its own. You ever play golf, Jude?’

That proved his appearance was a set-up. Bob Hartson wouldn’t know her name, if he hadn’t discussed the morning’s rendezvous with his daughter.

‘I’m afraid I could never see the attraction,’ Jude replied.

‘Oh, it’s compulsive, you take my word for it. Like everything one can’t do, eh? And don’t let’s pretend, it’s also a very useful part of one’s business life. Wouldn’t believe the number of deals that get sewn up on golf courses, Jude.’

‘I think I probably would.’

He chuckled. ‘Well, if one can’t mix a bit of business and pleasure, then what’s life for?’

He really was going out of his way to be pleasant to her. But there was still an undertone of menace in his presence.

‘So just dropped by on my way from golf –’ he grinned at Kerry ‘– to pick this little lovely up. Geoff’ll drive us home. Geoff’s my driver,’ he added for Jude’s benefit.

‘Yes, I met him at the hotel.’ Since the name had come up, she wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. ‘Incidentally, on the relevant night at the hotel . . .’

‘Mm?’ The grin hardened on Bob Hartson’s face.

‘Geoff slept in the stable block, didn’t he, just like I did?’

‘Well—’ Kerry began to reply, but her father’s voice overrode her.

‘Yes, that’s right. Then he joined me for an early breakfast and drove me back to the office.’ He gave his daughter another grin. ‘Just as he’s about to drive us back to get some of your mum’s nice home cooking inside you. All very well, this independent living when you’re just a teenager, but you need your parents to fall back on. I don’t think you’re quite up to doing the full Sunday roast with all the trimmings, are you, angel?’

Jude doubted whether Kerry was up to any meal preparation that involved more than picking up the phone for a takeaway. If she was, she had shown no signs of it in her work at Hopwicke House.

‘Presumably, Mr Hartson,’ said Jude, ‘you know why I’m here this morning?’

He raised his eyebrows in what she knew to be false ignorance.

‘Because of Nigel Ackford’s death,’ she prompted. ‘Kerry asked me to come here, so she could tell me what her movements were on that particular night.’

‘Oh yes, that’s right.’ He spoke as if he were pulling the recollection from the deepest recesses of his memory.

‘Of course, it must have been very upsetting for you, Mr Hartson.’

‘How’s that?’

‘Well, you must have known Nigel Ackford well. He was your guest, after all, wasn’t he? At the dinner?’

‘That’s right. He was my guest, but he was more an acquaintance than a friend. I invited him along to the Pillars as a kind of favour to his boss who’s been a friend of mine for a long time.’

‘Why didn’t Donald Chew take Nigel Ackford along as his own guest?’

Bob Hartson showed the tiniest of reactions to the fact she knew the name, then shook his head indulgently. ‘There’s protocol involved in being a Pillar of Sussex. I could explain it to you, but . . . how long have you got? Just take it from me, it wouldn’t have done for Donald to take along one of his own staff as a guest.’

Before Jude could ask for further elucidation, he went on, ‘Tragic business, I agree, young Nigel. I read in the paper recently that more young men than ever are committing suicide. Most of them have probably got a better lifestyle than any previous generation, and yet they keep topping themselves. Never understand it . . .’

He moved across to the window, seeming to blot out a disproportionate amount of the view, and spoke more softly. ‘So many lovely things in the world, and yet some people just can’t see it. Look out there. Sea – beautiful spring day – who’d want to give up on all that, eh?’ He laughed lightly. ‘Do you know, Jude, this is one of the few views in West Sussex where you can’t see anything that belongs to me.’ Another little laugh. ‘Well, except for Geoff down there in the Jaguar. What I mean is that from here you can’t see one of my developments, and that’s because all this flat looks out on is the sea. Of course, if you were out there in a boat, you could definitely see one of my developments.’

‘This block?’

‘That’s right. Derelict when I bought the place. Bedsits. Totally run down. And look at it now. People say a lot of harsh things about developers. I like to think we do a lot to bring new life to old buildings.’

Since she hadn’t accused him of anything, Jude was finding this self-justification rather odd. He went on, ‘Like most successful ventures, the development business is all about timing and spotting potential. You have to be able to see what you can do with a site and be bold and imaginative. Look ahead. There are places that “informed opinion” says will never get planning permission. Don’t believe them. Governments change. Policies change. Priorities change. Everything becomes possible sooner or later.’

Having delivered himself of this property developer’s credo while looking out over the sea, he turned. Backlit against the window, his expression was invisible to Jude, but she could hear the new force in his voice. ‘Listen. I know you’re upset by what happened to that boy. We’re all upset – me, Kerry, the other Pillars – it’s the kind of thing nobody wants to happen. But it was suicide. In spite of any details that might suggest an alternative scenario. Even that threatening letter Kerry found, I’m sure there’s an innocent explanation for that.’ His voice became soothing, but did not lose its strength. ‘Jude, the police seem convinced it was suicide. I would imagine the coroner will think the same. So I don’t really think it’s a good idea to go around stirring things up. I’m sure we all love the thought of playing detectives, of proving wrong-doing – all dramatic stuff. But not in this case. Here, what you see is what you get. And what everyone sees, and I think you should see too, Jude, is the tragic case of a young man’s suicide.’

There was nothing equivocal about Bob Hartson’s manner. She was being warned off. And, for that very reason, she couldn’t let it rest there.

‘Mr Hartson, could you just confirm what Kerry told me about where she was that night?’

Even though she still couldn’t see his face, she observed the spasm of anger that passed through his body. But by the time he replied, he had regained control, and his voice was silky smooth. ‘I don’t know what Kerry’s just told you. I can only give you my version of what happened, and if my daughter told you different, then she’s lying.’ Jude felt a surge of excitement, which quickly dissipated as he went on, ‘After everyone left the bar, Kerry came up to my room with me and a friend. We all drank some whisky, then Kerry left us, my friend and I had a final noggin and he went off to his room about two o’clock, I suppose.’

‘Thank you very much, Mr Hartson.’

He stepped away from the window and sat down, before looking smugly at his stepdaughter. ‘So what did Kerry tell you? I’ve no idea.’

‘I told her the same, Dad.’

‘The truth. Good girl.’ He turned back to focus the patronizing beam of his smile on Jude. ‘Anything else I can help you with?’

‘Yes, please.’

There was a twitch of annoyance at the corner of the developer’s mouth. ‘What?’

‘Who was the friend, the other Pillar of Sussex, who came back to drink with you in your room?’

‘His name,’ Bob Hartson replied with suppressed annoyance, ‘was Barry Stilwell.’