All his previous unanswered questions that he had put aside now began to haunt him again, and above all he knew he needed to prove that Amy was of perfectly sound mind and therefore not the real author of the journal. He started to work out a list of people he needed to re-interview and one name he ringed as being of prime interest was Miss Josephine Polka.
By now it was after eleven and pointless to try and arrange anything, so he went to bed, determined that the following day he would, with or without permission, begin his own investigation. His present case could easily be handled by DS Lane or DC Wey.
He knew with dreadful certainty that if he was correct, then the enemies still alive – Agnes Moors, her daughter Natalie, Serena Newman and Miss Polka – would be in the most terrible danger.
Chapter 38
It was ten p.m. when her mobile rang and she was unable to tell the caller’s identity as it was withheld. When she answered she did not at first recognize the voice, but then immediately became fully alert.
‘I think we really need to have a private meeting as I have something I want to discuss with you.’
‘Who is this?’
‘It’s Mrs Fulford, Agnes.’
‘I am so pleased you have called, Mrs Fulford, as I have been bereft since I left and feeling really ashamed about what happened,’ Agnes gushed. ‘Mr Fulford’s death must have been heartbreaking for you to have to deal with.’
‘Yes, but I’m keeping myself busy,’ Lena said briskly. ‘I will be in Weybridge tomorrow at a big antiques fair at Sandown; there is a coffee stall not far from the entrance so we can meet there at three. I was wrong in the way I treated you and I want to make it up to you financially.’
Agnes agreed to the meeting and after shutting off the call, shed a few tears of relief. She was certain that she could get her old position back and a large sum of cash – it would be more than she could have hoped for, and she was determined she would make up for her betrayal.
Reid was at his desk by eight, and started the day by calling the school to enquire if they had a forwarding address or contact number for Miss Polka. The headmistress Miss Harrington gave him a mobile number but did not know where Miss Polka had moved to, though she had said she might go travelling abroad. The mobile phone number was no longer active. He contacted his friend Agent Morgan from the National Crime Agency to see if he could give him a heads-up on the whereabouts of a Josephine Polka. Morgan said he needed some more information but Reid told him that all he had was her date of birth, her description and that she might have left the UK any time since the date she finished teaching at the school.
Reid knew that if his theory was correct he would need a search warrant for Lena Fulford’s house. To get one, along with enough officers to carry out the search, he would have to confront DCI Jackson and explain his reasons. This all meant he desperately needed evidence, as everything was still without foundation and his suspicions alone were not enough.
He had arranged to meet Gail Summers at her two-bedroom Putney flat. She was still unemployed and deeply upset by the revelations about and accusations against Marcus Fulford.
‘As far as I’m concerned, Marcus was a marvellous and caring father. He adored Amy and would never have abused her either sexually or violently.’
‘Do you not feel he used you to get what he wanted…?’
‘No, and I don’t deny I was underhand in providing him with Lena’s financial situation, but at the time he was living on benefits and was certain that Lena would attempt to hide her wealth.’
‘Did he say much about his wife to you?’
‘No. It was the other way round. At work Lena was always vitriolic and horrible about him, and would say he was a bad father and role model for Amy. I knew a totally different Marcus and when Lena found out about me it was hideous,’ she informed him. ‘She was very frightening and I was relieved to quit working for her.’
‘When you say she was frightening, describe how she behaved,’ Reid said, conscious that he had up to now excused this side of Lena.
‘Well, phoning me and being threatening and abusive. She said I would never find work and she would make sure I had no recommendation from her when I applied for a job.’
When Reid went to see Justine Hyde at her flat she was equally shocked by the accusations levelled at Marcus and was still coming to terms with the fact he had died. She was adamant that he had never abused his daughter. She had never met Lena, socially or otherwise, but obviously was very aware of her existence as she said that often when she and Marcus were together Lena would make persistent calls to his mobile about Amy and how he let her do what she wanted. He was also certain that Lena was often outside the flat in Green Street, as if she was stalking him. She had met Amy, and like Gail Summers claimed that she had only ever seen a loving and doting father who she believed put his daughter first. Justine also said she was aware that Marcus had a very strong friendship with Simon Boatly, but just how deep the relationship had gone in the past had not been discussed.
‘He was very confident about the divorce, and that he would benefit from it financially, and he wanted Amy to stay with him permanently and not just every other weekend. I was certain Amy wanted to live with him – she never said anything to me about her mother.’
Even though he was beginning to discover more and more about Lena Fulford’s behaviour, Reid was only too aware he as yet had no evidence that she was the author of the journal, or that she had administered poison to the victims. He had no choice but to continue his round of interviews.
He returned to the Harley Street clinic used by Professor Elliot Cornwall. This time he was met at the reception desk by a smiling young woman wearing a short white medical coat and rimless glasses. She stood up to shake his hand.
‘You must be Detective Reid. I am Professor Cornwall’s new assistant and I have to make his apology to you. He has inadvertently been called away on an urgent matter, and asked if you would be able to rearrange the appointment for next week as he is only here three days a week.’
Disappointed, Reid asked if she could contact him and explain that it was very important he see him as soon as possible. She hesitated and checked her watch but then after asking him to wait she went into a room off the reception area. After five minutes she returned and sat at her desk, drew a notepad towards her and wrote down an address and phone number.
‘This is Professor Cornwall’s private address in Chelsea. If it is urgent he could see you later this evening, at eight thirty.’
A meal in the station’s canteen killed some of the waiting time and with still an hour to go before going to Chelsea Reid was just heading into his office when the phone rang.
‘Hi Victor, it’s Andy Morgan from the National Crime Agency. I’ve got some info for you and believe me, it took a bit of digging so the beers are on you next time we meet up.’
‘What you got, Andy?’ Reid asked anxiously.
‘At first I hit a dead end with Miss Polka travelling to Europe, but then I spoke with the UK Border Force who in turn liaised with the FBI. They were able to track Miss Polka from the UK to Florida, and then onto an artists’ group expedition to Peru.’
‘Peru?’ Reid exclaimed.
‘Yeah, she returned and took an internal flight to Texas, and as yet I’ve no further details, but if you want to let me keep going I might get further results. There’s always the problem that she could have hired or bought a car.’
‘Do you know if she was travelling alone?’