15

Kate sat on the edge of the seat, grateful for the white suit they’d given her when they’d taken her blood-stained clothes. She hadn’t realised just how much drying blood stank. “I wasn’t anywhere near Erin when she fell,” she protested. “You know that.”

“I want to talk about your relationships with the other housemates,” DS Philips began.

“How is that relevant to Erin?” she demanded.

“It’s relevant to everything.”

She lifted a shoulder. “In what way?”

“I’ve been reviewing the tapes. You and Silas had a fight the night before he died. And almost came to blows over it.”

“I told you about that before.” She shifted, heat flooding her face. “Look, can I just go and shower, please.”

“Once we’re finished. Now, Silas.”

“I knew him in the past. Didn’t like the bloke, not sorry he’s dead. But I didn’t kill him if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“How did you know him? And don’t bother to lie or miss anything out this time.”

She sighed. “He was my best friend’s ex-husband. He hit her, but she wouldn’t go to the cops. She finally escaped and moved to a shelter. They got her a good divorce lawyer. Silas wanted to know if I knew where she was. Course I did, but I wouldn’t tell him. She’s afraid he’d kill her and take Richard.”

“Who’s Richard?”

“Their son. That’s why she left. I didn’t tell him anything and he didn’t like it.” She shoved up her short sleeve, exposing the bruise on her upper arm. The same one she’d shown Zed earlier. “The producer knew and did nothing. Same thing with Jay’s cut. I had to deal with that myself. Mel claims the gantry almost fell on her, but if it did, again nothing was done about it.”

“You don’t believe her?”

Kate shrugged. “No one heard it, and you would’ve thought so.” She pointed to the lights going across the ceiling. “You tell me if that fell the whole studio wouldn’t know. Plus health and safety would pull the plug faster than I can count to five. They aren’t small things and they’d do some damage if they fell.”

“Hmm. Go back to the fight with Silas.”

“Roj overheard him and intervened. But Silas was alive the last time I saw him. Give me a Bible, and I’ll swear on it.”

“There’s no need for that. OK. You can go for now. But no one is leaving the house.”

Kate rose and headed into the corridor. They seemed convinced Silas didn’t kill himself. Maybe they were right. She turned, seeing Zed, wearing a matching white overall, leave the other diary room. Then she glanced back at the officer she’d been speaking to. “You don’t think Silas’s death was an accident, sergeant?”

DS Philips looked at her. “What do you think?”

“I think there have been one too many accidents in this house for his death to be suicide. There’s Jay, Ginny, Silas, possibly Mel, and now Erin? That’s five of us in the space of a week. I’m no police officer, but I don’t believe in that much of a coincidence.”