Chapter 51

51

Brenda Morgan had refused to set foot in the station. A compromise was reached to meet in the Joyce Hotel.

When Lottie entered the noisy bar, Brenda stood. Her face didn't match her company website photo, which had given Lottie a false sense of the woman. She was no more than five feet tall, bone-thin, dressed in a dark navy dress that swathed her body in folds, like a shroud. Her skin was corpse-white, hands like birds' claws, and platinum-grey hair to her shoulders, so straight she might have ironed it. Only fifty-five, but such was the sorrow on her face, she could pass for seventy.

‘I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs Morgan.' Lottie reached out her hand. Brenda's grip was sweaty and flaccid, and she sat as quickly as she'd stood.

‘It's Brenda.' A clipped tone. ‘I can't say it's a pleasure to meet you, given the circumstances. What are you doing to find out what happened to my son?'

Lottie pulled out the low-seated chair and sat. Her legs were too long and she wanted to stand again. ‘We have a full murder investigation under way.'

‘What has that yielded?'

‘It's early stages. John's body was only discovered Friday afternoon.'

‘And? Today is Sunday. I don't want excuses. I want facts.'

So be it, Lottie thought. She had to speak above the din of crockery and cutlery and chatter around them, without being overheard. ‘We've been unable to establish who might have killed your son, or why.'

‘The why could be because my son was a gambler. He may have owed someone money.'

‘If that was the case, why didn't he ask you for help?' From her hurried research, Lottie had established that Brenda was wealthy.

‘Inspector, my son had an addiction to gambling. I helped him in the past but then I realised that all I was doing was facilitating his habit. He agreed to rehab early last year. I thought he'd kicked his habit after that, but I've been proved fatally wrong, because now he's dead.' She produced a handkerchief from the small black bag on her lap and dabbed her eyes.

‘Had he asked you for money in the last few months?'

‘No.'

‘From our investigation so far, we haven't established any recent gambling. He had few friends, only work colleagues. He lived in a small bedsit that was immaculately clean.'

‘I raised him to respect other people's property. Maybe I should have spent more time teaching him to respect himself.'

There was pain behind Brenda's words and Lottie felt the mother's anguish. The hard persona was just that. A persona.

‘Had you visited John since he came to Ireland?'

‘No. My job takes up a lot of my time. I asked him to come to London at Christmas, but he said he'd rather stay here.'

‘Alone?'

‘I presumed he had friends.'

‘When did you last speak with him?'

Brenda closed her eyes, thinking. When she opened them, they were filled with unshed tears. ‘Christmas Day. A FaceTime call to wish each other a happy Christmas. He looked well. No sign of drug use.'

‘Drugs?' Lottie hadn't heard this angle yet.

‘He smoked a bit of weed now and then. I doubt he was into anything stronger. Did the autopsy show up anything?'

‘Samples have been sent to the lab for toxicology analysis.' Lottie paused and studied the sparrow-like woman before her. There was no sign of the formidable character Mr Collins had mentioned. ‘You asked Gordon Collins to give John a job. Why was that?'

‘John needed to be kept busy, especially after his stint in rehab. He's a good worker. His father,' she pursed her lips before continuing, ‘can testify to that from John's time in Australia.'

‘How did you come to know Gordon Collins?'

‘He was in London at a conference. He was trying to secure funding for a contract to build a new office block in Canary Wharf. Said he was expanding.'

‘Did he approach you?'

‘Yes, but his other capital seemed wobbly. My bank refused.'

‘Was he annoyed or upset over it?'

‘Not that I heard. I only met him while he was attending the conference. I hadn't any reason to sit in on the meetings.'

‘Did you know him before that encounter?'

‘No, but I'd read his portfolio. He was definitely on shaky ground financially.'

‘You still asked him to give John a job, though?'

‘I saw an opportunity and I took it.' Brenda sipped her coffee before continuing. ‘I knew John would be of benefit to Collins as a labourer.'

‘Seems Collins's company is in a lot of trouble. He's temporarily closing down the Pine Grove site next week.'

‘Where John's body was found? I've bought a house there.'

‘Is there anything else you can tell me about Mr Collins?'

The cup clattered onto the saucer. ‘Did Gordon Collins kill my son?'

‘We have no evidence to suggest it.'

‘But he could have, couldn't he? To get back at me for not making more of an effort with my bank when he asked for funds.'

‘That seems a bit extreme.'

‘You have to look into him.' Brenda's voice had reached a screech.

‘We're looking into everyone associated with John's job. When did you last speak with Collins?'

‘He phoned me about John's death. Before that it must have been a week ago. He requested an update on his latest application. I had no news to give him.'

‘How did he seem?'

‘Normal. Friendly, if anything. He told me John was an asset to his team. I meant to ring John that night to tell him, but I regret I never did.'

‘Is there anyone you can think of who would want to harm your son?'

‘As I said at the outset, it could be someone connected to his gambling habit, but it's far more likely to be Collins. You need to?—'

‘We will look at all angles. Thanks for your time, Brenda. I'll keep you informed of any developments.'

‘When is John's body being released?'

‘We need you to formally identify him. Once the pathologist has concluded her examination, it should only be a day or two, I imagine.'

‘I have to organise his funeral.'

‘Will his father be coming? I'd like to interview him.'

‘I don't talk much to Christy, but I told him about John.'

‘What happened to break up your marriage?'

‘Is that even relevant?'

‘Not sure,' Lottie admitted.

Brenda appeared subdued, almost dazed, when she eventually spoke. ‘Another woman. He fled to Oz with her and then dumped her. Or maybe she saw the light and dumped him.'

‘I'll have a word with him anyway.'

‘He'll sing John's praises. The boy could do no wrong in his father's eyes.'

‘And did he do wrong?'

‘His gambling would have been noticed earlier if my ex-husband hadn't been so blind. He could have gone into rehab sooner.'

‘I'll need the name of the facility.'

‘I'll send it to you.' Brenda stood and slipped her arms into her coat sleeves. ‘I'm staying here until I can have John's body cremated. I want to bring his ashes back to London. I need to keep him close to me.'

The unspoken words were clear. Brenda knew she should have kept her son close to her when he was alive. And that broke off a little bit of Lottie's heart.