‘Middle of Manorclough,’ Janet said. ‘This gets better and better.’
Gill considered the situation. ‘OK, we discuss this with our guests. Don’t let on, at this stage, that we’re aware of Tandy’s reputation as the go-to man for firearms but tell them we will be speaking to Mr Tandy, to hear his side of things. Tandy is a known associate of Marcus Williams. Perhaps there is some link between Williams and the events of Wednesday night. Mitch, see what the current intel is on Tandy and Williams, will you?’
He nodded.
‘Anything I’ve missed?’ Gill said.
‘No, ma’am,’ they chorused and returned to work.
Rachel sat opposite Neil Perry. ‘Can you tell me where you were on Tuesday the eighth of May, that’s last Tuesday, at eight thirty in the evening?’
He hadn’t been expecting this question. He didn’t speak for long enough, some slow process churning away behind clouded eyes.
‘My nan’s, I think,’ he said. Default reply.
‘You think?’ Rachel made it a question.
‘Yes.’ There was a little sore at the corner of his mouth, deep red, and he kept licking and picking at it.
‘Do you recall going to Bobbins, a public house in Coldhurst, that evening?’
‘No,’ he said.
‘Less than a week ago.’
‘I never went there,’ he said.
‘Are you sure?’ Rachel said.
‘I only go to the King’s or the George or the Black Pig.’
‘But that Tuesday you went to Bobbins,’ she said, ‘you and your brother.’
‘We never.’ He gritted his teeth and rocked slightly and she could sense a growing aggression in him.
‘I am now showing Mr Perry a CCTV recording, exhibit JS18.’ She had lined up the footage so it began with the two men arriving outside the pub. She set it running and paused it before Neil Perry went inside.
‘That is you and Noel, am I correct?’
‘Yes,’ he said tightly.
‘And can you read the date and time at the bottom right-hand side of the screen?’
‘Yes,’ he said, sounding offended, as though she was casting doubt on his ability to read. Well – you never know.
‘Please would you read them out to me?’ Rachel said.
‘Why should I?’
‘For the recordings.’ She nodded at the machine recording the interview, the camera in the corner. ‘And so we can be sure that you understand my question and what I am suggesting.’
‘Eighth of the fifth,’ he read the date, then the time, ‘twenty twenty-five.’
‘Which was last Tuesday at twenty-five past eight, you agree?’
‘Yes.’
‘At this point you make a call on your mobile phone. Who were you calling?’
‘A mate.’
‘With no name in your contacts list on your phone?’ Rachel said.
A spike of something in his eyes, understanding perhaps that they had gone through his phone.