‘Do you mind if I ask Donna some questions about her job at the Lynne Foundation?’ Mike looked at Holme.
‘Is it relevant to your enquiries?’ Holme demanded.
Mike said that it was to do with her relationship with Josh and leaving the Trojan to work at the Foundation. Holme looked at Donna, who nodded.
‘You went to work for your mother after Esme Reynolds died?’ Mike asked.
‘About then, yes.’
‘Is CCS Medical Trust one of the charities you personally look after?’
‘Yes, amongst others, but that is the biggest,’ Donna said proudly, and yet again Anna was struck by how childish Donna appeared to be.
‘With I believe a turnover in the region of thirty million pounds,’ Mike said, smiling back at her and deliberately giving an encouraging nod of respect, at which Donna smiled again.
Mike opened a blue folder and placed a computer printout of the CCS Medical Trust account in front of Donna and took out a copy for himself.
‘Can I draw your attention to the highlighted section, September fourth, 2012? As you can see, one hundred thousand pounds transferred electronically from CCS Medical to an account in the name of Mr John Peters. Does that transaction ring any bells?’ Mike asked and Donna peered closely at the list.
‘No, it doesn’t, but it could be someone who was owed monies for doing work related to a charity,’ Donna said.
‘The John Peters account was opened at the end of August 2012 using, as you must be aware, Esme’s maiden name, her husband’s Christian name and their address of flat two, Brandon Walk,’ Mike said calmly.
Donna looked like a rabbit caught in headlights as she turned to Mr Holme and shook her head. She waited for his advice, but this time he didn’t lean over to whisper and Anna could see that he was taken aback by Mike Lewis’s revelation.
‘Do you know anything about this, Donna?’ Mr Holme asked, almost as if he doubted her honesty.
‘No, I swear I don’t. Other people have access to the account so-’
Mike interrupted Donna: ‘Yes, but they don’t all know Esme’s address and maiden name, do they?’
‘But I, honestly, I mean I didn’t know her maiden name or her husband’s name,’ Donna implored.
Anna was amazed that Mr Holme didn’t interject; she could only think that he was shocked at what Mike Lewis had uncovered and the fact that Donna might have been lying.
‘Can you assist me, Mrs Reynolds, regarding the J. Peters transfer that is clearly connected to your work at the Lynne Foundation?’ Mike asked and sat back in his chair, staring at the young woman.
As Donna continued to read through the document the tears started to roll down her cheeks. She pleaded and pleaded that she didn’t know anything about the debit from the CCS Medical account. Mr Holme told her that it would be in her best interest at the present time to make ‘no comment’ to any further questions that were put to her. A sobbing Donna said that she wanted to tell the truth. Mr Holme sighed irritably and said it was her choice as to whether or not she heeded his advice.
Mike Lewis had really upped his game and it was obvious that he knew he was now in the driving seat. Anna watched intently as Mike placed another highlighted document down on the table.
‘September fifth, an electronic transfer for ninety-eight and a half thousand pounds for the purchase of a Ferrari. Ring any bells?’ Mike asked and tapped his finger on the highlighted area of the piece of paper.
Donna said nothing, but merely shook her head and looked bewildered as Mike put a picture of the Ferrari on the desk.
‘This car was recovered from Esme Peters’ garage and registered in the name John Peters, flat two, Brandon Walk,’ Mike said.
‘That can’t be right. I never-’ Donna’s voice was high-pitched with nerves as Mr Holme interrupted her.
‘We can ask for a break to discuss the CCS money transfers.’
Donna nodded and said she’d like to do that. Mike Lewis made a wide-handed open gesture, saying he was happy for a break to take place but that there were two bits of further information he felt he should disclose first.
‘A man matching Josh Reynolds’ description collected the Ferrari from the garage a few days later.’ Mike looked at Donna, inviting her to give him some form of explanation. Mr Holme gave her a stern look and she said nothing.
‘Let me tell you what I think happened. When Josh’s business began to fail and he needed money to prop it up the two of you hatched a plan.’
Donna was shaking her head and clasping and unclasping her hands.
‘You knew that your mother would never give you money to support Josh’s business. But working for the Lynne Foundation, stealing thousands here and there out of a multi-million-pound account would be a drop in the ocean and never missed.’ Mike cocked his head to one side as if saying ‘I’m right,’ but then Holme patted the table with the flat of his hand.
‘So why should my client murder her husband?’ the lawyer said.
‘From the love nest we found at your client’s mother-in-law’s, it is clear that Josh was having an affair. I believe that Donna knew this and in a fit of jealousy decided to murder him and make it look like a suicide.’
Donna half rose out of her chair and then sat back down again. ‘No, I never knew about any affair. I loved him, I still do, I could never kill him, never.’ Donna burst into sobs, her whole body shaking, and quickly became an incoherent wreck.
Mike suggested she cut the act and confess to Josh’s coldblooded murder.
Mr Holme stood up, demanding an end to the interview. Mike Lewis then announced he would be contacting the Crown Prosecution Service to ask for permission to charge Donna with the murder of Joshua Reynolds.
Anna sat back in her seat, quite stunned by what she had just seen. She couldn’t believe that Donna had managed to fool everyone, both at the time of the murder, and over the near seven months since. Was she really such an accomplished actress, or the victim of circumstances beyond her control? For Anna, it still didn’t add up, because at times Donna’s actions didn’t make sense. Her gut feeling told her that Donna wasn’t lying, but the circumstantial evidence and the woman’s own naïvety had made it seem that she was. This Donna, like the distressed one in the 999 call, was in Anna’s eyes, telling the truth.
Anna recognized that even if Donna stole the CCS charity money it didn’t mean she killed Josh. There was also now the clear possibility that someone other than Samuel decorated their flat and could be the real killer. Anna mulled it over: what if Samuel did decorate Josh’s flat? It meant Marisha was lying or mistaken about when her brother left the UK. If Samuel had been the decorator Josh would probably have given him keys for his own and his mother’s flats, especially as he was one of the family. What didn’t make any sense was why he would be involved in his nephew’s murder. Anna threw her pen down, irritated that she could not make sense of the interview and all that was going round and round in her mind. ‘Enough,’ she said to herself, realizing that she was spoiling what should be an enjoyable flight and that her doubts could wait until later. She packed away her laptop and settled down to enjoy her in-flight meal with a glass of wine, followed by a relaxing nap.
The next thing Anna knew, she was being roused by a flight attendant asking her to fasten her seatbelt as they were about to land. She looked out of the window at the ground below, wondering if the FBI Academy was in amongst the houses, buildings and woodland she could make out. Filled with optimism at the prospect of working alongside FBI agents at the prestigious Quantico headquarters, Anna could not recall a previous moment in her career when she had felt so excited.
Twenty-Three
Thanks to the assistance of an immigration officer, Anna and Langton quickly cleared Dulles passport control and collected their bags. Langton needed to nip to the gents and Anna agreed to keep an eye on his bags. As he left, she looked at her watch and calculated it was early evening in London, so she took the opportunity to phone Joan’s mobile.