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Zuri completes the pre-interview formalities, then hands over to Jennie once the tape is running. The set-up is more formal than for the previous conversations they’ve had with Elliott, and intentionally so. They have to get the truth this time.
Jennie looks at Elliott. She tries not to think about how he and the others were meeting up without her, excluding her and using her beloved Nikon SLR camera without her knowledge. She squashes down the emotion that’s threatening to bubble to the surface. Stays calm, professional. ‘Thanks for coming in again to talk to us.’
Elliott frowns. ‘Look, I know what this is about, Jennie. You’re fixated on the money I give to Simon each month, right? You seem to think there’s something sinister about it, but there really isn’t. It is just a mate helping out another mate.’
It’s interesting that he’s raised the money. She hasn’t mentioned it to him other than during their last interview, and that hardly qualifies as fixated. ‘We’ve only asked you on one occasion about the money you give to Mr Ackhurst each month, as far as I understand.’
‘But you asked Simon about it too, didn’t you? He told me last night when we got together with Lottie to raise a glass in memory of Hannah and Rob.’ Elliott’s eyes become watery. He clasps his hands together on the table. ‘I can’t believe they’re both gone, can you?’
Jennie wants to remind him that she’s the one asking the questions here, not him, but he looks so upset that she doesn’t have the heart. She can’t believe they’re gone either, but they are, and she needs to find out why. ‘So, you discussed it with Simon?’
Zuri glances at her. Jennie knows she’s deviating from the plan they’d agreed, but she’s following Elliott’s lead. They need to know more about the dynamic between the two men and the payments.
‘Yeah,’ says Elliott, nodding. ‘Like I said, the three of us met up last night. Simon said you’d been over to the boat asking him questions about Hannah and about the money. I just want to clear up any confusion.’
‘Well, good,’ says Jennie. She tries to stay focused on the interview, but the fact that the three of them met up without her is galling. She couldn’t have met them anyway: they’re suspects and she’s leading the investigation. But it still hurts. ‘Last time we met, you told us that the reason you make the payments to Simon Ackhurst is because you’re a generous guy and you’re helping out an old friend; do you stand by that statement?’
‘I do,’ says Elliott, glancing at his solicitor. He waits for her to give him a small nod before continuing. ‘There is more to it, though. When we last spoke, I told you that I’d attempted to take my own life.’ He pauses, looking at Jennie for confirmation.
‘You did,’ says Jennie.
‘Well, the reason my attempt failed is that Simon found me. He alerted my parents and the emergency services. If he hadn’t got me help, I’d have died. I owe him my life.’ Elliott’s voice cracks with emotion. ‘That’s why, once I was earning proper money after university, and when Simon came out of jail, I started giving him some money each month. His life hadn’t gone the way he’d wanted, but he’d faced his demons and was trying to make a real go of things. I wanted to help him, and I’ve carried on helping him ever since.’
His story tallies with what Simon had said. More facts that she never knew about her friends. More reasons to make her feel as if she was never really a proper member of the darkroom crew. It seems she was always an outsider, even though she never realised at the time.
‘Why continue the payments?’ asks Zuri.
‘Why not?’ Elliott asks, an air of exasperation in his voice. ‘I was grateful at the time, and I’m grateful now.’
Jennie’s not used to seeing Elliott getting riled up, but he’s not as calm as he’s been before. When she knew him back in school, he was always the steady one of the group, logical and considerate. She understands why he started making the payments to Simon; she just isn’t convinced he’s been honest about why he’s continued them for so long.
‘By our calculations, you’ve given Simon Ackhurst just over three hundred and twenty thousand pounds,’ says Zuri, undeterred. ‘That’s a lot of money.’
Elliott shrugs. ‘I’d say my life is worth it.’
Realising they’re not getting any further forward on the payments, Jennie decides to change tack. ‘Paul Jennings denies being at the school at any time of the day or night on the date Hannah disappeared.’
‘Well, he would, wouldn’t he?’ says Elliott. His tone is light, but there’s no mistaking the tension in his jaw.
‘Are you certain that you saw him on the day she went missing?’ asks Jennie.
‘Absolutely,’ says Elliott.
Zuri glances at Jennie, frowning.
Jennie knows why; she sees it too. There’s doubt in Elliott’s eyes, and fear. He’s lying. Her stomach lurches. She has to push him, she knows that, but if she does it’ll kill whatever is left of their childhood friendship.
Zuri’s gaze intensifies. The pause is becoming prolonged, awkward.
Jennie tries to harden her heart and use the hurt she’s feeling about him excluding her to fuel her courage. She feels sick, really sick, but she pushes it down. She has to. ‘Are you sure? Perhaps instead it was Simon who turned up at the basement that evening? We know he was angry about the rumours that Hannah was sleeping with Mr Edwards. Did he confront her? Did his jealousy get the better of him? Did he attack Hannah and kill her, then bury her body?’
‘No,’ says Elliott, loudly. ‘Simon would never—’
‘Did you help him cover up what he did?’ says Jennie.
Elliott shakes his head. ‘I wouldn’t—’
‘Or did all the resentment you’d been harbouring about her exposing you bubble to the surface?’ says Jennie, challenging him further. ‘Did you kill Hannah?’
