Read Online Deadly Intent by Lynda La Plante - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynda La Plante
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details. My accountant arranged it—he does everything."
"Your accountant?"
"Yes, he looks after me, us—things like the house insurance. He's also my business adviser."
"Business adviser?" Cunningham echoed again. She kept her eyes down as she looked through the file.
"Yes."
"But you don't work?"
"No. I have money from my ex-partner for the children."
Anna remained silent. She didn't like the harsh way Cunningham was questioning Julia.
"Can you give me his name and address?" Cunningham persisted.
"Isn't it on the file you have?" Julia replied. Anna detected a little bit of anger rising.
"Ah, yes, good. I'll just copy this down."
At that moment, a tray of coffee was brought in by Mai Ling and placed on the table. She passed the coffee around, then left the room. Cunningham opened a notebook and made some notes.
"Were you able to get any sleep last night?" Anna asked Julia, gently.
"No."
"This must be very distressing for you. I'm sorry we have to be here under these circumstances, but we are trying to ascertain exactly what happened to your husband. Any help you can give us will be really appreciated, and obviously the sooner we have more details, the better."
Julia gave Anna a wan smile, as if thanking her for her quiet comforting voice. "How did it happen?" she asked nervously.
Anna glanced toward Cunningham, who didn't look up from the file, so she continued. "He was found dead."
"I know he's dead, but how did it happen? I don't know what is going on! If you told me last night, I was too shocked to remember anything that you said!" Julia's voice rose; she was losing control.
Anna was unsure whether or not Cunningham wanted to take over, but she was paying no attention, still busy reading letters in the folder. "Your husband died in a flat in Chalk Farm."
"A flat? Whose flat?"
Cunningham looked up. "It was a drug dealers' squat, Mrs. Brandon. There is no easy way to give you details without it being very distressing."
"Tell me what happened to my husband!"
"He died from gunshot wounds to his head, face, and heart."
"Oh my God." Julia leaned forward, almost resting her head on her knees.
"So you see why we need to know who he was working for. Your husband was not using drugs?"
Julia looked up, her eyes like saucers. "I've no idea."
"Didn't he ever mention what work he was doing, or for whom?"
"No! All I know is, about two or three months ago, he got a job that he was very pleased about, as the pay was so good. He said it was driving and security, and that his past career had made a good impression at the interviews."
"Do you have any idea where he went?"
"No, it was all happening with the house and moving in. I didn'teven ask him. All he said was that it might involve long hours and late nights."
Cunningham sighed. "Thank you, Mrs. Brandon. Now, I really would appreciate it if you got dressed and accompanied us."
"No. I am not leaving the house."
"Mrs. Brandon, we do need you to make a formal identification, unless there is someone else that you could ask to do this?"
Julia bent her head low again.
"What about his parents? Other relatives?"
"There's no one." She suddenly tossed her head back and took a deep breath." I'll do it."
Cunningham finished her coffee while they waited for Julia to dress. She picked up the file and, when she went to the drawer to replace it, Anna saw her checking through the drawer's contents.
"She's worth a lot of money," the woman commented. "Frank landed on his feet with her."
Anna tensed. Considering what had happened to him, this remark sounded crass in the extreme.
"I'm surprised you are getting so uptight, Travis. 1 would have thought after working with Jimmy Langton, you'd be used—"
Anna interrupted her. "I'm sorry. It's just, considering she has only just been told her husband is dead, it feels as if we are being very unsympathetic."
"Really .. .Well, how about Mrs. Brandon coming into a half-million-pound life insurance policy?"
Anna was taken aback.
"You think that she wouldn't know
"Your accountant?"
"Yes, he looks after me, us—things like the house insurance. He's also my business adviser."
"Business adviser?" Cunningham echoed again. She kept her eyes down as she looked through the file.
"Yes."
"But you don't work?"
"No. I have money from my ex-partner for the children."
Anna remained silent. She didn't like the harsh way Cunningham was questioning Julia.
"Can you give me his name and address?" Cunningham persisted.
"Isn't it on the file you have?" Julia replied. Anna detected a little bit of anger rising.
"Ah, yes, good. I'll just copy this down."
At that moment, a tray of coffee was brought in by Mai Ling and placed on the table. She passed the coffee around, then left the room. Cunningham opened a notebook and made some notes.
"Were you able to get any sleep last night?" Anna asked Julia, gently.
"No."
"This must be very distressing for you. I'm sorry we have to be here under these circumstances, but we are trying to ascertain exactly what happened to your husband. Any help you can give us will be really appreciated, and obviously the sooner we have more details, the better."
Julia gave Anna a wan smile, as if thanking her for her quiet comforting voice. "How did it happen?" she asked nervously.
Anna glanced toward Cunningham, who didn't look up from the file, so she continued. "He was found dead."
"I know he's dead, but how did it happen? I don't know what is going on! If you told me last night, I was too shocked to remember anything that you said!" Julia's voice rose; she was losing control.
Anna was unsure whether or not Cunningham wanted to take over, but she was paying no attention, still busy reading letters in the folder. "Your husband died in a flat in Chalk Farm."
"A flat? Whose flat?"
Cunningham looked up. "It was a drug dealers' squat, Mrs. Brandon. There is no easy way to give you details without it being very distressing."
"Tell me what happened to my husband!"
"He died from gunshot wounds to his head, face, and heart."
"Oh my God." Julia leaned forward, almost resting her head on her knees.
"So you see why we need to know who he was working for. Your husband was not using drugs?"
Julia looked up, her eyes like saucers. "I've no idea."
"Didn't he ever mention what work he was doing, or for whom?"
"No! All I know is, about two or three months ago, he got a job that he was very pleased about, as the pay was so good. He said it was driving and security, and that his past career had made a good impression at the interviews."
"Do you have any idea where he went?"
"No, it was all happening with the house and moving in. I didn'teven ask him. All he said was that it might involve long hours and late nights."
Cunningham sighed. "Thank you, Mrs. Brandon. Now, I really would appreciate it if you got dressed and accompanied us."
"No. I am not leaving the house."
"Mrs. Brandon, we do need you to make a formal identification, unless there is someone else that you could ask to do this?"
Julia bent her head low again.
"What about his parents? Other relatives?"
"There's no one." She suddenly tossed her head back and took a deep breath." I'll do it."
Cunningham finished her coffee while they waited for Julia to dress. She picked up the file and, when she went to the drawer to replace it, Anna saw her checking through the drawer's contents.
"She's worth a lot of money," the woman commented. "Frank landed on his feet with her."
Anna tensed. Considering what had happened to him, this remark sounded crass in the extreme.
"I'm surprised you are getting so uptight, Travis. 1 would have thought after working with Jimmy Langton, you'd be used—"
Anna interrupted her. "I'm sorry. It's just, considering she has only just been told her husband is dead, it feels as if we are being very unsympathetic."
"Really .. .Well, how about Mrs. Brandon coming into a half-million-pound life insurance policy?"
Anna was taken aback.
"You think that she wouldn't know
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