The Snowdonia Killings by Simon McCleave

Author:Simon McCleave [McCleave, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stamford Publishing
Published: 2020-01-12T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

Ruth was now in full flow now that the case had blown wide open in the last few hours. The High-Tech Crime Unit had downloaded texts from Arabella Dixon’s mobile server and found that the abusive, racist texts to her had come from Daniel Hughes’s phone number. There were also two similar texts to Neerav Banerjee referring to him as a ‘Paki Islamic bastard’.

Hughes had been arrested and brought in for questioning as the CPS agreed that there were now sufficient grounds for suspicion of his involvement in Arabella Dixon’s murder, and possibly Neerav Banerjee. They had handed his phone and laptop to the Hi-Tech Crime Unit and a swab was done for his DNA.

At last Ruth and Nick thought they were getting somewhere. As they walked down to Interview Room Three, they discussed how they thought they had their man. At least he was a frontrunner with motive, means and opportunity for Arabella Dixon’s murder. And given that Neerav Banerjee was an Indian Muslim, and that there was an identical MO, it was likely that these were racially motivated hate crimes.

As they entered the interview room, Ruth could see that Daniel Hughes was nervous. His eyes flicked around the room and he was fidgeting. Beside him was his legal aid solicitor, a skinny, grey-haired man in an ill-fitting suit.

Ruth clicked on the recording device, cautioned Hughes and told him why they were questioning him.

‘Is this about the car?’ Hughes asked frowning anxiously.

‘What car would that be, Mr Hughes?’ Nick asked.

‘Bella Dixon’s car. Is that why I’m here?’

‘Why do you think you’re here, Daniel?’ Ruth asked in her gentle, confiding tone.

‘I’m not sure.’

‘Is there something you want to tell us about Arabella Dixon’s car, Mr Hughes?’ Nick said.

Hughes paused for a moment. ‘No. I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

‘We have abusive, racist texts you sent to Arabella Dixon and Neerav Banerjee. We have your record of racist violence and membership of the British Movement stretching back twenty years,’ Nick said.

‘Being in the British Movement is not illegal. I know my rights. What’s this all about, like?’ Hughes face reflected his panicked tone.

‘Daniel, a Stanley knife was found under the hut where you are a Scout leader. You were seen rowing with Miss Dixon that night. You sent her threatening texts. We have witnesses that say you were out of the Scout hut for up to twenty-five minutes at the time of Arabella Dixon’s murder.’

‘I went for a smoke. I always go for a ciggie halfway through.’ Hughes shook his head as the severity of what was being said dawned on him. ‘This is crazy. Jesus Christ, I didn’t kill anyone.’

‘But you left the Scout hut to damage Arabella Dixon’s car?’ Nick said sternly.

Hughes was now wide-eyed with fear. ‘I wish I had. The bitch had it coming. But I didn’t kill her for God’s sake!’

‘Didn’t you?’ Nick barked. ‘You went to put acid on Miss Dixon’s car out of revenge after your row about the car park. But she caught you doing it.

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