Anna and Barolli were the first to arrive at Weybridge railway station followed by two POLSA teams, two local uniform units, a dog support unit van and scene of crime vans, and ten detectives from the office in four cars. Anna noticed Barbara driving one of them and sitting in the front passenger seat was Jessie Dewar. When Anna approached, Barbara handed her the warrant with a big smile, saying it was nice to have her back. Dewar frowned and nodded a curt hello.
‘You sure it’s a good idea to take Aisa along?’ she asked. ‘You’re just encouraging her mother to start getting all protective and kicking off at us again. Why’s she been arrested anyway?’
‘How nice to see you too, Agent Dewar. As it happens I’m very interested in seeing exactly how Lady Lynne reacts when she sees her daughter. The reason for her arrest is because she has lied through her teeth and was screwing Josh Reynolds. I can also prove the missing charity money is down to her,’ Anna said curtly.
Dewar was embarrassed and, realizing how little she knew of what had been uncovered, decided it was best to just listen to what she had to say.
Anna asked everyone to gather round, apologizing for not having time to go into every detail as to why Lynne House was being searched again, but this time it would be the whole premises, inside, outside, top to bottom. As expected, people asked if there was anything they were specifically looking for. Anna showed them a picture of Aisa at the Charity Ball in the dress she was wearing in the early part of the evening.
‘If it has not been destroyed then it could be on the premises and possibly bloodstained. Also of importance are any birth or marriage certificates, documents linking Aisa Lynne and Josh Reynolds or referring to the purchase of a blue Ferrari. Look for letters or notes that appear threatening or coded in any way, and old invoices for the purchase of spiced rum. Myself, Barolli, Barbara and Dan Ross will search Aisa and Lady Lynne’s bedrooms and the greenhouse. Any questions?’ Anna asked, before instructing everyone to follow her in a convoy.
Dewar huffed and didn’t look at all happy. ‘What am I supposed to be doing during all this searching?’
‘I’d like you to sit with Aisa,’ Anna said, loving it, but at the same time appearing very controlled and diplomatic.
‘Why can’t I take part in the search?’ Dewar demanded.
‘If you find anything that could be used as evidence it may be ruled inadmissible seizure,’ Anna said, pointing to the warrant where it specified the Magistrate was giving an officer from the Metropolitan Police power to enter and search the premises.
Dewar, far from pleased, knew she had no choice but to do as she was asked, but was determined to get the last word in.
‘Bit overkill, isn’t it, just over forty people and two police dogs for one middle-aged woman and her daughter?’ Dewar said, not realizing that it was an intentional move to push Gloria further towards boiling point.
Anna smiled. ‘Yes, it is, but look on the bright side – we’ll get the job done in no time and the police dogs will keep Gloria’s Doberman bitch away from you. Oh, and another thing, I don’t want Aisa interviewed or spoken to in the car.’
Dewar stomped off towards Barolli’s vehicle with a face like thunder.
When Katrina, the Polish housekeeper, answered the intercom, Anna told her to open the gates as she was here on official police business, having arrested Aisa Lynne. Anna could hear Katrina frantically shouting for Lady Lynne to come quickly.
Anna and Barolli led the convoy up the long driveway to the front of Lynne House where, as expected, Lady Lynne was standing waiting. She was speaking on a mobile phone, teeth gritted and face contorted with anger, yet she was still able to maintain a calm composure. Anna got out of the car, waited for Barbara and together they approached Gloria.
‘Just one second, Ian, I think DCI Travis has something to tell me,’ Gloria said.
Anna let the sergeant step forward and hand Gloria her copy of the search warrant. ‘I think you’ll find this one crosses the Ts and dots the Is for the whole house and outbuildings,’ Barbara said confidently, knowing that this time she had got it right.
‘Ian, darling, they have a warrant for the whole house and grounds. This is just scandalous. You need to come over here and sort it out right away.’
Anna thought it interesting that Gloria didn’t firstly ask about Aisa.
‘My barrister, Mr Holme, would like to speak to you, DCI Travis,’ Gloria said haughtily.
‘Tell him I’m busy at the moment and I will see him at the Belgravia station when I interview Aisa,’ Anna said, realizing that Gloria had not even noticed her daughter sitting in the car sobbing her eyes out.
‘I insist you speak to him now,’ Gloria said, raising her voice slightly and holding the phone out to Anna, who took it from her and pressed the stop button ending the call.
‘As I just told you, I’m busy at the moment,’ Anna said with a disparaging smile.
‘Where is my daughter?’ Gloria asked sharply.
Anna said nothing but merely pointed to the car where Aisa was sitting in the back seat with Dewar. Anna watched Gloria’s reaction carefully: the woman said nothing but the look of anger directed at her daughter said it all. Aisa could only glance at her mother briefly before turning away and lowering her head.
‘How dare you arrest my daughter? This is nothing more than harassment and victimization of my family.’
Anna moved closer to her. ‘I do not have to justify my actions to you, Lady Lynne, but let me assure you I would not have arrested Aisa if I didn’t have reason to suspect that she was involved in the death of Arum Joshua Reynolds,’ she said deliberately but quietly, staring Gloria straight in the eye.
Again the woman said nothing, but from the expression on her face, Anna knew she had touched a nerve by mentioning the name Arum.
‘I want to talk to my daughter in private,’ Gloria said as she gently pushed Anna to one side and started to walk towards the car.
Anna raised her voice: ‘And should anyone other than a legal representative advise Aisa Lynne on what she should or should not say to police I will treat that as an attempt to pervert the course of justice.’
Gloria stopped in her tracks, turned abruptly, and walked back to stand with her face inches from Anna’s.
‘You do not want to play games with me, DCI Travis. I can assure you that you will not win,’ Gloria whispered so that only Anna heard.
‘We’ll see about that,’ Anna whispered back, then lightly brushed Gloria aside before instructing one of the POLSA units to search the outside grounds around the house. She then asked Barolli, Barbara and a Scene of Crime Officer to assist her in the greenhouse, where she wanted to photograph every plant and take a cutting from each one.
‘What on earth have the plants in my greenhouse got to do with this invasion of my property?’ Gloria snapped angrily.
‘I have reason to believe that Mr Reynolds may have been poisoned by a substance that was extracted from a plant, specifically deadly nightshade.’
‘From my greenhouse? That’s ridiculous, poisonous plants like nightshade grow in the wild as well,’ Gloria said and gave a mocking laugh.
‘Is it?’ Anna remarked, knowing that the fact Gloria grew poisonous plants was not in itself conclusive evidence that she was in any way guilty of murder. ‘You learned from your father, so who’s to say Aisa didn’t in turn learn from you?’
It was fascinating to watch the masks flit across Gloria’s face, as instantly she was able to swing from outrage to courteous icy coldness.
‘There is no need to damage them by taking cuttings. Every plant has a name and species card next to it, and I keep an inventory. Although poisonous to the unknowing, they are all used for medicinal purposes… TO SAVE LIFE,’ Gloria said, looking around her as if hoping for audience approval. Anna smiled, virtually copying the same tone of voice.