Jacob’s parents and grandmother listened in stunned silence as Anna told them about Roy Slater, including the fact that the man had himself been killed. The depth of their pain was evident in their stricken expressions. And in Mark Rossi’s eyes Anna saw the unmistakable glimmer of guilt.
‘The fact that Jacob’s phone and wallet were found in his house leaves us in no doubt that he was responsible for your son’s abduction and incarceration,’ she said. ‘At this stage there is no evidence to suggest that anyone else was involved, but we are continuing to explore that possibility.’
Clare Rossi was the first to react, saying, ‘Is this the same Roy Slater who used to work for Glory Entertainment?’
‘It is, Mrs Rossi,’ Anna said.
‘But that was a long time ago. And as I recall he and his wife left before the company went bankrupt … He wasn’t one of those who felt that Mark’s father had let them down. So why would he have done this to our boy?’
Anna didn’t want to ramp up the woman’s suffering by alluding to Mark’s affair with Slater’s wife, Ruth. So she said that the man’s motive was something they had yet to determine.
‘What we do know is that Slater had a serious gambling addiction and so he may have had a financial incentive for doing what he did,’ she said.
Clare was about to say something else, but her husband got in first with his own question, which Anna guessed was aimed at deflecting the conversation away from Slater.
‘What about the bastard who threw the petrol bomb into the building?’ he said. ‘Do you have any idea who it is?’
Anna shook her head. ‘Not at this time, I’m afraid. But we won’t stop looking.’
She then ran through the salient points of the inquiry and pointed out that the police were due to hold a press conference later in the day.
‘After that I expect you’ll be badgered by the media again,’ she said. ‘Officer Moore will stay with you as a point of contact and she’ll make sure the hounds keep their distance.’
By this time Clare Rossi was an emotional wreck and the FLO stepped in and offered to take her upstairs. Mark’s mother got up at the same time to go with them, but Anna asked her to stay for a few minutes.
Anna then showed Emily the old photo of the staff at The Falconer’s Arms pub.
‘It was taken twenty-five years ago and shows a group of people who were working there back then,’ she said. She then pointed at the blonde woman in the black trouser suit. ‘That lady is identified in the caption as Hilary Metcalfe. Do you happen to know if this is your late husband’s former partner?’
Emily squinted at the picture for several seconds and then nodded.
‘I never met the woman, but when Isaac died I found some old photos taken when they were together,’ she said. ‘And yes, I’m pretty sure that’s her. I had no idea she worked at that pub, though.’
‘Neither did we.’
‘But is it relevant now?’
‘Only if it enables us to shed some light on why Jacob was placed in that particular pub cellar,’ Anna said. ‘It’s probably just a coincidence but I’d like to be sure. And to that end we’re still trying to track down Hilary’s son, Joseph, who we believe to be in Australia.’
‘Well if you do would you be so kind as to tell him that I would like to get in touch with him?’ Emily said. ‘I’ve never spoken to him, but I’d like the opportunity now to tell him that his father wasn’t the bad man he thought he was. Isaac always regretted not staying in touch with his son, and as I’ve already explained to you I was part of the reason that he didn’t.’
Anna assured her that if they tracked Joseph Walsh down, she would pass on the message.
After Emily went upstairs, Anna again offered her condolences to Mark and said that if any other facts surrounding his son’s abduction came to light, she would be in touch.
She left it to DI Benning to mention the big fat elephant in the room.
‘It might be wise to come clean with your wife about your affair with Ruth Slater,’ Benning said. ‘There’s a very good chance that it will come out now, and it might be better if she heard it from you first.’
They left the man to make up his own mind, and he didn’t say a word as they walked out of the house.