‘If an honest answer is available, you shall have it,’ says Elizabeth.
‘Your friend Joyce …’ says Andrew Everton.
‘What about her?’ says Elizabeth.
‘Did she really say she was enjoying my book?’
58
Donna has very quickly come to understand that one of the key functions of a television make-up room is to be a central hub for all and any gossip.
Though, on this occasion, she is going to have to tread carefully.
Donna is back on South East Tonight to discuss online fraud. Dodgy emails or texts pretending to be from banks. Fake dating profiles. Basically, any of the number of ways someone can part you from your cash without ever having to actually meet you. She has been doing homework all afternoon.
‘A little bird tells me you live in Juniper Court,’ says Donna.
Pauline pauses for a moment. Donna has to keep this as light as possible. They had run all the car registration numbers. The white Peugeot with flames on the number plate belongs to Pauline.
Pauline continues teasing Donna’s hair into shape. ‘That little bird wouldn’t be Bogdan, would it?’
‘Maybe,’ says Donna. ‘We’ve been trying to keep it quiet.’
‘Can’t hide anything from a make-up artist,’ says Pauline. ‘You landed on your feet there, what a fella. I’d climb him like a tree.’
Donna smiles and keeps it chatty. ‘You been there long?’
‘Juniper Court? Donkey’s years,’ says Pauline. ‘You can walk to the studio, it’s perfect.’
So there it is, the information she was here to get. Pauline has lived at Juniper Court for years. Which means she will have been living there the night Bethany died. Which, in turn, potentially makes her the chief suspect in the murder of Bethany Waites. Things are moving uncomfortably fast for Donna.
Pauline taps Donna’s forehead. ‘Relax, you’re frowning. The make-up chair isn’t for thinking.’
‘Sorry,’ says Donna. She takes the briefest of glances at Pauline in the mirror. Pauline gives her a reassuring smile.
What reason would Pauline have for murdering Bethany Waites? What was buried in the past? What about the notes? Had Pauline written them? Chris and Donna are keeping this new line of enquiry secret from the Thursday Murder Club. For a number of obvious reasons. But if Bethany had been visiting Pauline that night, they wouldn’t be able to keep it secret for much longer. It was too much of a coincidence, Bethany visiting the building where Pauline lived. There had to be a connection.
‘That’s why I moved to Juniper Court in the first place,’ says Pauline, over the sound of her hairdryer now. ‘Loads of the crew live there. Cameras, sound, all sorts. The show even keeps a couple of flats there, you know, freelancers come down for a few months, that’s where they get put up. Mike had a place there years back. It’s like a hall of residence half the time.’
Donna nods. Well, that complicates things. If it’s true. All sorts of people Bethany might have known. All sorts of people she might have been visiting. Donna needs more information.
‘Bethany ever visit?’ Donna asks. Trying to be casual, but over the sound of the hairdryer.
‘How do you mean?’
‘Would Bethany have ever visited Juniper Court?’
‘I’d have thought so,’ says Pauline. ‘People were in and out. Fiona Clemence had a thing with one of the camera ops who lived there. It was open house.’
‘Did she ever visit you there?’ Donna asks.
‘Me? No,’ says Pauline. She switches off her hairdryer. ‘Don’t think she even knew I lived there.’