Bloody Valentine - James Patterson [16]
Ted’s voice was low, apologetic. ‘I’m sorry, Miss Leila. The police are searching the building. No one’s allowed into their apartments.’
Amy turned to see the porter talking to a well-groomed woman in her forties. She could have posed for a fashion magazine aimed at the middle-aged.
‘The police?’ Leila repeated. ‘What on earth are the police doing in the building?’
Amy went to the desk. ‘I’ll speak to Miss Barnes, Ted.’
Leila glared at Amy. ‘And you are?’
‘Inspector Amy Stuart. If you’ll join me in the conference suite, I’ll explain what’s happening.’
‘Join you?’ Leila repeated in disgust. ‘This is not your building, Inspector Stuart. You’ve no authority to issue invitations. I wish to go to my apartment. Now.’
‘I need to speak to you first, Miss Barnes.’ Amy opened the door of the conference suite. Ben was still trying to calm Michael. ‘Miss Barnes, if you’d sit down please.’
‘I don’t want to sit—’
‘For pity’s sake, Leila, don’t be your usual difficult self. Not with these people, or they’ll keep us here for ever.’ Michael snapped at his sister.
‘No one’s told me what’s going on …’
‘Please sit down, Miss Barnes.’ Amy glanced at Ben.
Leila sat three chairs away from her brother and his girlfriend.
Amy looked at Ben again to make sure he was watching the faces of Leila, Michael and Anni. ‘I regret to inform you that your sister-in-law, Zee Barnes, and the chef Bruno Gambrini have been murdered.’
‘There must be some mistake …’
‘I assure you there’s no mistake, Miss Barnes.’
Anni slumped back in her chair. ‘Zee – and Bruno …’ She began to cry: large, soft, silent tears.
‘Where’s Jack?’ Michael asked.
‘In his office.’
‘Is anyone with him?’ Leila asked. ‘He shouldn’t be alone …’
‘He’s not alone,’ Amy assured her.
‘I suppose that secretary of his—’
‘For heaven’s sake, Leila, shut up.’ Michael looked at Amy. ‘How was Zee killed? Did the same person kill her and Bruno …?’
‘I’m not at liberty to divulge any more information, Mr Barnes.’
‘Have you caught whoever’s responsible?’
‘We need to interview everyone who lives in the building. Miss Barnes, could I speak to you first?’ Amy opened an inner door, which led on to a corridor.
‘There are four offices and four en-suite bedrooms in there,’ Michael explained. ‘If you want somewhere private, there’s an office ahead of you.’
‘Thank you.’ Amy opened the door that Michael indicated. ‘Miss Barnes?’
Leila left her chair reluctantly.
A constable tapped Amy on the shoulder. ‘Liam Ansell has reviewed the CCTV images, ma’am. There’s something he thinks you should see right away.’
Chapter Fifteen
Amy and Ben left Michael, Leila and Anni with the constable and entered the conference room, which had been transformed into an incident room.
Half a dozen officers were talking on phones. Others were moving desks, fixing photographs to Perspex screens and inputting information on computers. Sergeant Reece and Liam Ansell were at a desk in a corner. A bank of screens had been installed above it. Liam smiled when he saw Amy. He and Amy had once been close. Although he hadn’t wanted their relationship to end, they’d managed to split amicably enough to remain friends.
‘I’ve collated the last images of Zee Barnes, ma’am. Before you see them, there’s something else you should look at.’ Liam hit a series of buttons. Images of the corridors of Barnes Building filled the screen.
Amy noted the time in the corner of the screens. ‘Twelve twenty-three. Today?’
‘Yes, ma’am. This is the corridor outside Bruno Gambrini’s apartment. There it is. It’s present for less than two seconds. I’ll freeze it.’
‘A figure in chefs’ whites and hat exiting Bruno Gambrini’s door.’ Ben said. ‘At twelve twenty-three, when Adrian Wills didn’t enter the building until twelve fifty.’
‘Has that time been verified?’ Amy asked.
‘By the restaurant Adrian works in, the taxi driver who drove him here,