London, SE15: A DC Ruth Hunter Murder Case by Simon McCleave

Author:Simon McCleave [McCleave, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon McCleave
Published: 2021-11-28T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

Having tracked down Benita, via her tax returns, to a small carpet shop in Camberwell, Gaughran and Hassan pulled up outside. It had just turned 5pm and there was a light sleet in the darkening sky as they walked over to the shop. A bell rang as Gaughran opened the door and a pretty, young Asian woman in her early 30s looked up from behind the counter of the shop.

The woman pulled a face. ‘I’m really sorry. We’re just about to close. Is there any way you could come back tomorrow?’

Gaughran pulled out his warrant card. ‘I’m Detective Sergeant Tim Gaughran from Peckham CID. This is Detective Constable Syed Hassan. We’re looking for a Benita Jones.’

The woman’s eyes widened in fear. ‘Yes, that’s me.’

‘Is there anywhere we can go to talk?’ Gaughran suggested.

Benita seemed flustered. ‘Erm, yes. Let me just close up.’

‘Of course,’ Gaughran said with a kind smile.

He watched as she hurried to the shop door, pushed up the bolt and turned the sign to read Closed.

Walking back to them, she signalled to a scruffy door behind the counter. ‘There’s an office in there where we could go and talk,’ she explained nervously.

Gaughran nodded and gestured for her to go in first.

The office was larger than he had expected. There were two untidy desks, a worn sofa, and some wooden chairs. The far wall was covered with rugs and carpet samples and the room smelt of carpet fibres and chemicals.

Gaughran and Hassan sat on the sofa as Benita sat on a chair opposite.

‘Oh sorry,’ she apologised. ‘Would you like tea or anything?’

Gaughran looked at her delicate hands and the array of bangles and jewellery on her wrists.

Hassan shook his head. ‘We’re fine, thanks.’

‘We understand you knew Ashley Campbell?’ Gaughran asked.

‘Yes.’ Benita nodded with a sad expression. ‘I saw what happened to him on the news. I couldn’t believe it.’

‘Were you close?’ Hassan asked, looking down at his notebook.

‘Once, yes,’ she admitted. ‘But that was a very long time ago.’

‘You were Ashley’s girlfriend, is that right?’ Gaughran asked.

‘Yes,’ Benita replied with a troubled expression. ‘At school and then after that.’

‘What happened?’

‘Ash wanted to join the army,’ Benita explained. ‘He wanted us to get married. But I didn’t want that kind of life. You know, being moved all around the world.’

Gaughran looked over at her. He couldn’t stop looking at her beautiful, big brown eyes. They were mesmerising. ‘So, you broke up?’

She nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Can you tell us the last time you saw Ashley?’ Hassan asked.

Benita pulled a face. ‘Erm, it’s a long time ago. A few years. I can’t really remember.’

Gaughran rubbed his chin and then asked, ‘And you’ve got married since then, is that right?’

‘Yes,’ Benita replied cautiously. ‘That’s right.’

‘To a Neil Jones?’

‘Yes,’ Benita replied.

‘Is he here, by any chance?’ Hassan asked.

‘Erm, no. He’s popped out to make a delivery,’ Benita explained. ‘But he should be back soon.’

‘Okay, we might wait if he’s not going to be long,’ Gaughran said.

‘He shouldn’t be.’

Gaughran frowned at her. ‘To you knowledge, have your husband and Ashley Campbell ever met?’

She immediately pulled a face.

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