No Refuge: A thrilling murder mystery with a big twist (The Welsh crime mysteries Book 1) by Nicola Clifford

Author:Nicola Clifford [Clifford, Nicola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Book Folks - bestselling Welsh crime fiction publisher
Published: 2021-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter seventeen

Ben and Mark sat on one side of the table, Jimmy Atkins and Dick Nyle faced them. The room appeared even smaller and being windowless, was hot and stuffy. The recording machine whirred quietly in the corner and Ben was about to begin the interview, but before he could say anything, Jimmy spoke up.

‘About last time, I’m sorry, all right? That big copper wound me up. I want to say that I really haven’t killed Amber. Why would I? And I’ve certainly not shot anyone else, crazy to suggest I have. I’m under a lot of stress at the moment – you must see that – wife dead, kids taken off me to God knows where? The council will never let me have them back after all this, will they? How can you possibly arrest me for murder? I don’t understand it.’

Dick Nyle placed a hand on his client’s arm to stop him speaking. ‘Mr Atkins, let the officers ask their questions and then we’ll be closer to getting this matter cleared up.’ The solicitor glanced at Ben. ‘DS James?’

‘Thank you, Mr Nyle. Right then, Jimmy, let me recap what you’ve already told us, OK?’

‘Get on with it,’ Jimmy growled.

‘You’ve been having an affair with Mary Saunders, from the industrial estate and have been doing so for some time. You told us you don’t believe Amber knew about it. That’s right, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, I’m sure she didn’t know.’

‘Do you ever walk by the river where Amber was shot?’

‘Hardly ever, once or twice maybe.’

‘When did you last go there, can you remember?’

‘No idea. Not for a while.’

‘Where were you on the evening your wife went missing?’

‘At home with the kids, you know I was. I rang from there to say she hadn’t come home.’

‘You didn’t call us until getting on for midnight. What were you doing before then?’

‘Told you, looking after the kids. Where else would I be? I couldn’t leave them on their own.’

‘Did anyone visit, someone who could confirm you were there? Anyone phone you?’

‘I didn’t go anywhere, no one came to see me and who remembers phone calls?’

‘OK, fair enough, we’ll check the phone records. We do have a problem though.’ Ben opened the folder in front of him and took out a sealed plastic bag. He held it high so Jimmy could see it. Three cigarette ends languished at the bottom.

‘What’s that?’ Atkins asked.

‘Dog-ends. We picked them up in the wood, overlooking the path where Amber was killed.’

‘Your point is?’

‘We found your DNA on them, Jimmy, proves you were up there and not that long ago either.’

‘They can’t have! How would you know anyway? You haven’t got my DNA.’

‘Yes, we have. Don’t you remember or were you too drunk? We took a swab when you were arrested the other week, just like we do to everyone who has been arrested. Your DNA is a perfect match to the samples we’ve taken from these.’

Ben waved the bag again. Jimmy said nothing.

‘We know you were there. You need to tell us when and what you were doing.

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