‘How do I know he ever had the gun? You could have brought it with you.’
‘Check the gun registrations. It will belong to Zack, or maybe Charles.’
‘And you could easily have stolen it.’
My confidence in justice was beginning to ebb away. I could see how all this could be argued in court. Everything that might be used in my defence could also be used against me. Zack had clearly planned this cleverly.
‘Susan, please.’
‘It’s Constable Williams to you.’
‘Constable. If you find the link between Samir and Zack, surely that will start to explain everything. There’s a chain here. A sequence of events.’
‘Why would Zack want to murder Samir?’
‘I don’t know. But they’ve got this face recognition app that they’ve created. Charles used it to find Jasmine. They’re planning to unveil it soon and they believe it’s going to make Gravitas a huge amount of money.’ An idea that had been hiding at the back of my mind since my conversation with Zack and Charles in the pub came to the fore. ‘What if Samir created this app?’
‘What, and that’s why they killed him? So they wouldn’t have to pay him?’ Her voice dripped with scepticism.
‘I don’t know. But you shouldn’t be talking to me. You should be interviewing Zack. He just murdered Morag.’
‘And what about Lewis? You think Zack killed him, too?’
‘Probably.’
She got up from her chair and said, ‘Wait here.’ She went to the other end of the room again to make a call. When she returned she said, ‘Okay. On your feet.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘To Plockton. We have a custody cell there, and more community support officers. They’re going to keep an eye on you while I secure the crime scene and look into what you’ve told me.’
Plockton was more than an hour away, along the coast road.
‘Is it safe to drive?’
‘Safe enough. Just.’
‘Am I under arrest?’
She came a step closer. ‘Patrick Tolhurst, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Morag Hamilton. You do not have to say anything…’ I zoned out for a second while sheread me my rights, still unable to believe this was happening. That Susan wouldn’t believe me.
‘Is this just for Morag?’ I asked, after she had told me to hand over my phone. ‘Or do you think I killed Lewis, too?’
‘You were at the scene of two deaths today. Either you’re the unluckiest man who ever came to Applecross, or you’re guilty of causing both.’
She led me from the room, down the short corridor and out to her car, opening the back door and telling me to get in.
‘Susan… Constable Williams, please, you’re making a mistake. I didn’t do this.’
She made no sign she could hear me. But I knew what was going to happen if she locked me up.
‘You should be arresting Zack. Jasmine is still out there and you’re leaving her to die. You’re letting a murderer get away with everything.’
Still no response.
I raised my voice, close to panic now. ‘You don’t know what you’re doing. Let me speak to your superior, explain it to—’
‘Shut up!’
