NP: Of the whole family. If Antonia needed something, I was there. If the children wanted to go somewhere, or any other family member came home, like Alessandro or Caroline… Friends of the family, even. I have taken Antoine Benit to more places than I can remember. On all those occasions… I was there.
JA: What relationship did you have, or did you ever have, with Antonia Hawtrey-Moore?
NP: I have already told you.
JA: No, I mean… Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore has stated that she believed that you and your mother were having a secret relationship. Is that true?
(The defendant laughs.)
NP: No. I… would be lying if I said that I did not love Antonia. Her death devastated me. For a long time, I believed that the feelings were reciprocal. Now I realise that I was just another pawn in her game.
JA: Please explain.
NP: Everyone believed that Timotheo Larousse was cheating on Antonia with Ivet Britwistle. It was a lie. Everyone believed that Antonia had cheated on Dubois and Larousse with me. It was also a lie. Do you see the pattern?
JA: Are you saying that Antonia and Ivet created those rumours to keep their relationship a secret?
NP: That’s right.
JA: What role did this deception play in the events of which you are accused, Plaskitt?
NP: I thought that she and Larousse had argued over the rumours. The word among the family staff was that they would sign the divorce papers soon. It was not official yet. I thought that… Larousse had killed his wife. I thought it would be better to have a weapon of my own, to be able to defend myself, just in case.
JA: What led you to use it to attack Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore?
NP: You see, I had heard that the case was dead. That Larousse would surely get away with it. That it couldn’t have been him. I had also heard that someone had taken Antonia’s money. Then, suddenly, I see that Eloïse has the money. She wasn’t supposed to have a penny, you know?
JA: Did you think she had stolen her mother’s money?
NP: Yes. I… I don’t know what happened to me.
JA: You declared a few weeks ago that you had attacked Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore on the night of November 1st. You turned yourself in to the authorities. Do you still stand by your statement? Did you shoot Eloïse Hawtrey-Moore?
NP: Yes. It was me. I admit full blame.
(Officer Ambers pulls out a picture from the folder for case 11224 of the Police with the name Hawtrey-Moore. The picture is of an older woman, dark hair, arched eyebrows, thin build.)
JA: Okay. Let’s move on to another topic, Mr Plaskitt.
(The officer places thepicture on the table.)
JA: Do you recognise this woman?
NP: She looks familiar. I think… she might be one of Antonia’s friends. From her tennis group, or cricket group, I’m not sure.
JA: The clubs she has here or in France?
NP: I couldn’t say. They come and go, too.
JA: Can you confirm that this woman was ever in the house before Antonia disappeared?
(Norman Plaskitt studies the picture of the woman and purses his lips.)
NP: I think so. I’m not sure, sorry.
JA: Could you tell us her name?
NP: No.
