I told Josh that I would loan him the money through the Lynne Foundation, and it was agreed that he would repay the loan once the Trojan was back on its feet and in profit. He opened a bank account using his mother’s maiden name and address so that all correspondence would go there and Donna wouldn’t find out. I made two online transfers to this account from the CCS Medical Trust charity. Each one was for fifty thousand pounds. I also borrowed ninety-eight thousand pounds from CCS Medical to buy Josh a Ferrari as an early Christmas present.
I know CCS Medical is an account that Donna looked after, but it is our biggest charity and I thought that none of the money would be missed in between lending it to Josh, buying the Ferrari, and then repaying it all. I did not mean for Donna to get into trouble but when Josh committed suicide, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t say anything about our affair, I didn’t have enough of my own money to repay everything, and I couldn’t get the Ferrari from the garage to sell it. I decided to say nothing, and as time passed no one noticed, so I just left it as it was, sort of put it out of my mind. I am truly sorry for what I did but it was my intention that all the money would be repaid.
As Holmes turned a page of the statement, Anna glanced to see if there was any reaction from Aisa, but she remained with her head bowed. Holmes cleared his throat and continued reading:
On the night of 5 November 2012, I did leave the Savoy Hotel in my sister’s car to go and see Joshua Reynolds at his flat in Bayswater. In the afternoon I was busy organizing the Charity Ball and had switched my mobile to silent. I remember someone from reception coming to find me saying I had a call from a Mr Peters. I knew it was Josh but I told them to tell the caller that I was busy and I would ring him back. About fifteen minutes later Josh rang the reception again and I went and spoke with him. He sounded really upset about something and said he wanted to come and see me. I told him he couldn’t come to the Savoy as it was too risky but I would ring him later while I was getting ready for the ball. He called the hotel again about two hours later and this time he got put through to the room I was sharing with Donna, who was in the shower at the time. He still sounded upset and demanded to see me. I asked him why it was so urgent, but all he said was that it had to do with my mother, Donna and me. The way he sounded really freaked me out. I said I would say I felt ill and come to him later in the evening.
I didn’t have my car with me so I used Donna’s Mini. When I got to his block of flats I rang the buzzer, but got no answer so I tried ringing his mobile, but again there was no answer. A man came out of the flats through the residents’ security door and I took the opportunity to go in and knocked on Josh’s flat door but again I got no answer. I should say that the caller ID is blocked on my outgoing calls, and Josh was using a special application thing to hide my calls and texts on his mobile from Donna.
Anna sighed with impatience – it was infuriating to listen to Holme’s upper-class voice, and hear just how much detail Aisa had made in her statement. Holme glanced towards her and turned a page, and again cleared his throat. Langton opened a bottle of water and placed it in front of him. Holme sipped a few mouthfuls, and then he continued reading:
At the time, I was really annoyed with Josh as his earlier call had me frightened that we had been found out. My nerves really got to me and on my way back to the Charity Ball, I suddenly felt ill, stopped the car, got out and was sick on the side of the road and down my dress. I put the dress in a bath of cold water when I got back to the hotel. My mother came into the room while I was doing this and asked how I was feeling. I told her much better and she said to put on another dress and come back down to the ball so I did. I didn’t try to ring Josh again at the time, I was upset that I had gone to all the trouble of going to the flat to see him and he wasn’t even there. It was not until the next day when I heard about his death that I realized this was why he never answered the door or my calls.
I know that I should have told the police at the time but I couldn’t, Donna was already devastated and knowing of my and Josh’s affair would have totally destroyed her. When I heard that Josh’s death was a suicide I was surprised and I wondered if he had killed himself because of our affair. It even crossed my mind that he may not have been able to repay the money and he was worried about that. I also knew that he was very depressed about his business, and upset that his partner and best friend Marcus Williams had been making money by selling the girls to clients for sex.
This statement is true and what I have said is to the best of my memory accurate about what happened between Josh Reynolds and myself. I would like to apologize to my mother, my sister and the police for all the trouble I have caused.
Throughout the reading of the statement, Aisa continued to look at the floor and only during the last few sentences did she begin to cry. Anna had not realized the full extent of Gloria’s cunning until now. She had weaselled out of Walters and Ian Holme exactly what she needed to know, then conned her way into a ‘visit’ with Aisa. Anna knew that Gloria would have manipulated her daughter, terrifying her into submission to do exactly as she was told. The affair with Josh was a betrayal of Donna, but not a criminal act, and in fact Aisa’s only admission to a crime was taking money from the CCS Medical charity.
Holme now took longer sips from his water. Langton said nothing, picking at his thumbnail. Anna knew something didn’t seem right, and she asked Ian Holme if she could look at the prepared statement.
The room was silent as she read through the document. It took her a few moments to find it but then it hit her: not once had Aisa actually said she stole the money, but always referred to it as a loan. She was about to question Aisa about the inconsistency when Ian Holme pre-empted her.
‘In respect of the money given to Josh Reynolds, for the club and to purchase the Ferrari, my client had always considered this a loan that was to be repaid; there was no intention on her behalf to permanently deprive CCS Medical of the funds. Lady Lynne has also informed me that she does not wish to press charges against her daughter and this morning she repaid every penny out of her personal funds.’
Anna looked at Langton, who shrugged his shoulders. They both realized that to prove theft they had to show that Aisa’s intention was to appropriate the money with the intention to permanently deprive. Anna knew that Gloria must have discussed the charity money with Ian Holme, who would have advised her, and Aisa, that if it was a loan and repaid there was no case to answer. Holme now followed up his bombshell by stating that as there was no evidence to substantiate any charges against Aisa she should be released forthwith.
Anna was not prepared to give in so easily. ‘There is the question of Aisa perverting the course of justice.’
He smiled, as if he was about to address the court.
‘Perverting the course of justice is a very serious offence, DCI Travis, and as I’m sure you are aware it carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.’
‘I am aware of that, Mr Holme, but I don’t think Aisa is,’ Anna replied flippantly.
Holme placed his pen on the table. ‘The original investigation was treated as a suicide and the Coroner’s verdict was suicide. There was no suspicion of a criminal offence; if there had been I’m sure your murder squad would have been called in immediately. Aisa Lynne was never asked to provide a witness statement by DI Simms, or to give testimony during the Coroner’s inquest. Ergo, officer, my client Aisa Lynne did nothing to intentionally pervert the course of justice.’
Anna was not to be outdone. ‘Who said I was talking about the original investigation, Mr Holme? When DI Barolli and Special Agent Dewar went to see Aisa, at the Lynne Foundation, Josh’s death was being treated as a murder investigation.’ Anna flicked through the printed documents in front of her, found Barolli’s report of the meeting with Aisa, and slid it across the table for Ian Holme to read.