‘You didn’t approve?’
The red lips tightened further, and she reached for her gin and tonic. She sipped her drink, not answering until she had replaced the glass back onto the table.
‘Of course I didn’t approve. Young girls will always be difficult, especially Donna, she’s always been very strong-minded and, dare I say it, enjoyed the fact that it was shocking for me to find out.’
‘How do you mean, strong-minded?’ Dewar asked.
‘I’ve always been quite strict with both my daughters and kept them out of the tabloid limelight, for their own safety of course. Donna became the rebellious one, whereas Aisa, her sister, has always enjoyed being spoilt.’
Gloria went on to explain that before Donna met Josh they had had a furious row about Donna’s attitude. During the argument, Gloria had blurted out that Donna was incapable of looking after herself and behaving like an adult. As a result Donna packed her bags and stormed out of the house, saying she would prove her mother wrong and didn’t need her or her money. Gloria said she was not at first aware Donna had taken up exotic dancing for a living but had found out through Aisa. Gloria suspected that Donna had deliberately told Aisa, knowing it would get back to her.
‘I said nothing at first as I felt Donna was purposely trying to upset me. But when I discovered that Donna had married Josh Reynolds in Las Vegas after a whirlwind romance, well I couldn’t believe it. You know a mother always dreams of wedding plans for her daughters and making it the most special day of their lives, what with arranging the celebrations and bridesmaids and choosing the wedding gown together, but sadly that was not to be.’
‘Did you like your son-in-law?’ Dewar asked.
‘I only ever met him once and that was when I went round to their flat in Bayswater just after I heard about their marriage. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a social visit. He tried to keep the peace between myself and Donna, but it was quite horrible and she demanded I leave.’
‘So you and Donna patched things up after his death?’
‘No, shortly before – Donna said Josh told her life’s too short and persuaded her to see me and sort out our differences. I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead but I have to admit that I had hoped Donna could have perhaps made a better choice. I was not that impressed with Josh being a strip club owner; but it would seem that he was surprisingly very pleasant and well educated. I only wish I’d had the opportunity to get to know him better.’
‘How is Donna now?’ Anna asked.
‘She’s getting there, but still takes things day by day. Donna works for me, so that helps to occupy a lot of her time, looking after various charities and organizing fundraising events with Aisa.’
‘That’s very commendable,’ Dewar said dryly.
Gloria frowned. ‘I can empathize with my daughter, as I know what it’s like to lose someone you love dearly. My husband Xavier died when I was very young and both my girls were still babies really.’
‘I’m sorry for your loss. It can’t have been easy raising two young girls on your own,’ Anna said quietly, keen for Gloria to continue, even though she seemed to love the sound of her own voice and didn’t need much encouragement.
‘It wasn’t easy at first, but seven years later I fell in love with my beloved Henry and we married. He treated the girls as if they were his own – truth be known he spoilt them terribly.’
‘How did he feel about Donna’s behaviour?’ Anna asked.
Gloria grimaced. ‘Had he been alive I’ve no doubt he would have been as upset as I was. He passed away some years ago now. Blessing in disguise really, he’d been seriously ill for a long time.’
‘I’m sorry, I noticed you were wearing…’
‘My engagement and wedding ring – I’ve stopped grieving but I’ve no intention of remarrying and they remind me of everything Henry meant to me.’ Gloria held up her left hand and gently placed a kiss on the rings before taking another sip from her gin and tonic.
‘You arranged for Marcus Williams to purchase Josh’s share of the club, at a very reasonable price-’ Anna began.
Gloria looked annoyed and cut in: ‘In my daughter’s best interests – the share in the club became Donna’s after Josh died, as did the flat they lived in. I felt Donna needed to move on so I had my solicitors deal with Josh’s will and the sale of his assets. It’s not as if Donna needed the money. Both my daughters have been well provided for and have substantial trust funds for when they reach thirty.’
‘Hello, Mummy, it’s me, where are you?’ a voice called from the hallway.
‘In the library, darling,’ Gloria replied.
‘Wait till you see my hair. Pierre’s done a fantastic job with new extensions and highlights, you’ll love it,’ Donna said as she entered the library with a flourish. ‘Ta-dah!’ she said, striking a pose and shaking her head in a circular motion so her long blonde hair tumbled around her shoulders.
‘Absolutely gorgeous, my darling, don’t you agree, ladies?’
‘Oh, I’m sorry, how embarrassing, I totally forgot you were having guests over, Mummy,’ Donna said, red-faced.
The young woman looked very much like her mother. She was perfectly made-up, her large blue eyes enhanced with deep brown eye shadow and false eyelashes, but not in any way overdone. She had glossy lipstick, was very tanned and at about five foot ten was much taller than Gloria, with long legs, a small waist and large breasts. She was wearing Armani jeans, a white T-shirt and a purple blazer with rolled-up sleeves. She walked very upright in her high wedge shoes and her hips swayed like a model’s.
‘Don’t go, darling, these ladies are here to see you,’ Gloria said as she patted the space on the sofa next to her.
‘See me? Why?’ Donna asked as she sat down next to her mother.
‘About Josh’s death, they’re detectives. It appears someone has been saying he was murdered.’
‘What? I don’t understand,’ Donna gasped, shocked.
‘It’s Delon Taylor, Donna. At the moment there is no evidence to support what he says but we just need to ask you some questions,’ Anna quickly explained.
‘He worked at the Trojan. Josh sacked him for stealing money.’ Donna had fake nails with white square tips and now waved her hands in a flurry of gestures.
‘Did Josh say anything about Delon Taylor telling him that Marcus Williams was using the club as a front for prostitution?’ Anna asked.
‘No. Delon’s lying, he’s a hideous man, and Marcus wouldn’t do something like that to Josh and risk the club being closed down. They were friends, they respected each other.’
‘I didn’t get the impression Taylor was lying,’ Dewar interrupted.
‘You’re American. Why are you here?’ Donna wafted her hands towards Dewar.
‘I’m with the FBI and-’
‘FBI? Josh murdered? This is really crazy. Detective Simms and the Coroner said it was a suicide. Mummy, what’s happening? I don’t understand why they’re here.’ Donna was growing visibly distressed.
Gloria edged closer to her daughter and put her arm round her. ‘Don’t worry yourself, my darling. The officers have a job to do and with your help they can show that this horrible little man Taylor is an inveterate liar.’
‘I made a statement to Detective Simms. I told him everything.’ Donna’s voice was becoming very high-pitched.
‘Did you tell him anything about Delon Taylor?’ Dewar asked.
‘No. He never asked me anything about him.’
‘He never asked you if Josh had any problems at work? Anyone he didn’t get on with? Stuff like that?’
‘I can’t remember now. Should he have done?’
‘If he’d treated the death as suspicious at the outset, we wouldn’t be sitting here now,’ Dewar said frankly as she leaned slightly forward and looked directly at Donna.
Gloria wagged her finger at the agent. ‘My daughter is hardly responsible for how Detective Simms should have conducted his investigations. She spent a considerable amount of time making her statement under a great deal of stress. You seem to forget that she had just found her husband dead with a gun in his hand.’