The Fall Guy: Rock 'n' roll murder in 1960s London (Charles Holborne Legal Thrillers Book 10) by Simon Michael

Author:Simon Michael [Michael, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2025-06-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

‘Mrs Gonzales. A few minutes ago you said that on the occasions when you saw and smelt cannabis being smoked, you would mention it to Mr Gold.’

‘That’s right.’

‘Why did you do that?’

‘Because Mr Gold hates drugs on the premises. It’s impossible to control completely — the musicians are adults, right? So we can’t go searching them like policemen — and I understand he has to be … how would you say? Yes, diplomatic. He refers to them as “the talent” and he can’t afford to upset them. But he does everything possible to keep drugs out.’

‘Could you give us some examples of how he does that?’ asks Charles.

‘The security guys on the gates have strict instructions about it. I’ve seen them refuse entry where they’ve suspected the purpose of the visit was to supply drugs.’

‘Anything else? Other examples?’

Mrs Gonzales thinks for a moment. ‘Yes. I remember there was an incident a few months ago, with a different group, when Mr Gold caught a guy doing a deal with one of the group’s roadies. I don’t know how, but he’d got into the garden at the back of the house, by the greenhouses. Mr Gold saw him from the window. He raced downstairs and out the back door. There was a big argument. We were all watching from the house.’

‘What happened?’

‘Mr Gold confronted him. He snatched something out of his hand and there was a fight. I was amazed. Mr Gold isn’t very tall, but he more or less carried the guy to the gates and threw him out.’

Charles hesitates before moving to his next subject. He felt confident asking Mrs Gonzales questions about drugs on the premises because of her answers to Cartledge, but he only has Gold’s evidence of the manager’s attitude to groupies. It’s dangerous to launch into a series of questions blind, trusting only what your client has told you. All too often, and for all sorts of reasons, clients lie. Nonetheless, he decides to take the chance.

‘Did Mr Gold ever talk to you about groupies or young women entering the Grange?’

‘Yes. Several times. He said they were even more trouble than the drugs.’

‘So he tried to keep fans, especially young women, out of the property?’

‘Yes. Always. Whenever a new member of staff joined us, for example on the security team, or gardeners, even the handyman — and he was actually employed by the landlords — everyone got the same speech about it.’

Charles glances at the jury and notes with satisfaction that two of them are taking notes of the housekeeper’s evidence.

‘Thank you, Mrs Gonzales. I have one other issue I need to explore with you, please. You say you think that Mr Gold’s limousine was there when you ran to get your bus.’

‘Yes.’

‘Now, what time do you usually leave the property?’

‘On a night when the house is empty because they’re out at a concert, or perhaps in the West End at a club or restaurant, I usually leave by six p.m. There’s nothing left for me to do.

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