Stone Cold Dead by Stephen Puleston

Author:Stephen Puleston [puleston, stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Peel Foundation staff who were present in the conference room that afternoon wore suitably glum faces and expressed their shock and horror at Edward Murphy’s death. Their emotions all seemed authentic enough. Two rooms were made available, and Drake and Sara got to work, wasting no time. The questions would be simple and straightforward – did they know Edward Murphy? If so, did they know of anyone who might want to cause him harm? Did they know anything about his personal circumstances and whether there was anyone on the staff who had been to his home?

Drake stared at Phoebe Parkinson, willing himself not to mention Gareth Winder, her cousin, being part of his team. There was no hint of acknowledgement on her face that she knew he knew Gareth. She had an attractive face with clear, confident eyes. She kept to the party line when she answered the questions, but Drake sensed she was holding back as though she wanted to share something but couldn’t face doing so.

Drake handed her one of his cards and she studied it a fraction too long. ‘If there’s anything you want to share with us then please do not hesitate to contact me.’ She pocketed the card, nodded briskly, saying nothing.

Drake could see how Winder felt the loss of his cousin. Perhaps it was worse than a bereavement. At least she was still alive, but out of touch and unwilling to contemplate the barest family contact.

The next member of staff was Martin Swan.

‘I worked with Edward and his death is profoundly sad.’ Swan expressed all the right words but without any emotion, as though he had memorised the words from a script.

‘Yes, it is. Did you know him well?’

‘I can’t say I did.’

Like everyone else here, Drake thought, distancing themselves from Murphy.

The rest of Drake’s conversation with Swan was equally unhelpful. All the staff were closing ranks. Protecting their precious Foundation.

Sara was waiting in the room she had used to interview the members of staff allocated to her when Drake joined her. She was sipping on a glass of water.

‘None of the members of staff I spoke to had anything constructive to tell me,’ Drake said.

‘Likewise. A couple of the admin support personnel arrived to remove Edward Murphy’s computer whilst we were interviewing.’

Drake nodded. ‘I spoke to Pheobe – Gareth’s cousin. She stonewalled me although I did feel she wanted to tell me more.’

‘Peel has an iron grip on everyone.’ Sara got up and finished her drink. ‘Murphy didn’t seem to have any friends on the staff. Nobody described him as a mate. And their sadness at his death seemed to be an emotion they thought they should express.’

‘As though they were reading it from a book?’

‘That’s right, boss.’

‘Everything about this place is odd and cold and sterile. Let’s get back to headquarters.’

More snow had accumulated on the roof and bonnet of Drake’s BMW. It felt as if the temperature had fallen too. They drove back to headquarters, Drake mulling over how the

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