White Nights - Ann Cleeves [76]
‘Where did you get those?’
‘Martha Tyler, Booth’s assistant. She’s been into the house once. She was worried when he didn’t come back. He’d said he’d only be away a couple of days. She imagined some sort of accident.’
Inside, it had the feel of a bachelor household. Tidy enough but not very clean. His place was much the same. He walked quickly through, stopping at the door of each room and looking inside. A small kitchen, the microwave the most prominent piece of equipment, a living room with a sofa and a coffee table a convenient height for eating takeaway food in front of the TV.
‘Have you found the wife?’ he asked.
‘What wife?’
He felt a stab of satisfaction. He’d been here an hour and already he was showing the Yorkies how to do the job.
‘According to a neighbour he deserted a wife and child. A few years ago now. Didn’t Miss Tyler mention it? You must have asked her about next of kin.’
Jebson shrugged. ‘She said she didn’t have any contact details for relatives.’
Suddenly he hated being in the small house. It was too depressing, too close to home. If he died suddenly, would anyone know who to contact for him? ‘We should leave this for the search team,’ he said. ‘We’ll only get in the way. First priority is to check phone calls and emails. Work computer and home PC. He had some reason for going to Shetland. He knew people there, though no one’s admitting to it at the minute, and he must have been in touch to make the arrangements for the visit. And get into his bank account. He might have left his wife and child but he should have been supporting them financially. The CSA ought to have records.’
‘You’ll have to check with the boss,’ she said. ‘The way he sees it, it’s not even our case.’
‘Well, I’m hardly going to send a search team from Shetland . . .’
She shrugged again.
Out on the pavement again, he realized he should have handled things differently. But he’d used up all his sweetness and charm with Perez and his team. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have made assumptions. It’s a sod of a case. But you can see we need to know more about Booth, and you’re the people on the ground.’
‘Like I said, you’ll have to have a word with the boss.’ She looked at her watch. ‘Martha Tyler said she’d get into work early today. She should be there by now. I’m due in court at nine-thirty, but I’ll point you in the direction of the Mill.’
Martha Tyler was in the office drinking coffee. Her hair was tied into one plait, so long that it reached halfway down her back. It seemed old-fashioned and at odds with the jeans and the skimpy green vest top. She watched Taylor approaching across the rehearsal room and got up to meet him. She looked as if she’d had a heavy night.
‘I don’t know what to do with the company,’ she said. ‘The actors are supposed to start a school tour on Monday. Should we carry on?’
‘Did Mr Booth have an accountant? A lawyer? Perhaps it would be wise to check the legal position with them.’
‘I don’t know. I’m only here on a sort of work experience.’ She returned to the office, sat behind the desk, motioned for Taylor to take the other chair. ‘It even seems odd sitting here. This was Jeremy’s domain.’
‘Tell me about him.’ The sort of question Perez would have asked, which drove Taylor to distraction because it took so long to get relevant answers.
‘He was an actor,’ she said. ‘That’s the first thing to remember. I was never quite sure if he was performing, if I was getting the truth or a story. I’m sure he didn’t mean to lie. He just liked his version best. He was funny and kind, but there was always this mask. You never knew what was going on in his head.’
‘What did he do before he started the company?’
‘Bits and pieces of acting, I think. He was full of the people he’d worked with. Maybe some of it was true. But it’s such a tough business. Even if you’re good, it’s all about luck. It’s the good people who never make it that I’m most sorry for.’
‘And before that? Drama school?’
‘I’m not sure. I don’t think so. He was quite scathing about the kids who turned