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Holly sat at the table. ‘I had breakfast early. Then I logged some artwork in my studio.’
‘Why were you logging your artwork? For insurance purposes?’
Holly closed her eyes, took a deep breath then reopened them. ‘No, I recorded them for prospective competitions.’
‘Okay.’ Erin scribbled in her notebook. ‘So then what?’
‘I spent a couple of hours digging over my vegetable patch.’
‘Did you see anyone?’
‘We were busy. I saw quite a few customers from a distance. I couldn’t possibly identify everyone here that day.’
‘I assume you provide card facilities? Would your customers have paid by card?’
‘Well, yes, most people do use contactless these days.’The last thing Holly wanted was for the police to hassle her customers.
‘Do you have any CCTV? An alarm system?’
‘No. If I did it would have been burned in the fire.’
Erin stared at her, flared her nostrils then poised her pen over her notebook. ‘Okay. So you were digging. Were you doing this on your own?’
‘Yes. The staff were here, taking care of the business for me.’
‘I’ll need a list of everyone on your payroll. Did anyone visit you personally that day?’
A picture of Mitch flashed into her mind.
‘In particular, was there anyone you saw during the day that came to the scene when the fire was in progress? Arsonists like to watch the place burn. Or anyone who visited the site the following day? Viewing the burned buildings?’
Holly thought of Mitch, but remained silent.
‘Holly?’ Erin had a frown on her face.
‘Oh sorry, I was just thinking. My staff obviously turned up for work the next day. And my best friend.’
‘Name? Contact details?’
‘Jasmine Swift. She’s out of town at the moment with work in Liverpool.’
‘So.’ Erin scribbled in her book. ‘She’s left the area?’
‘It was an electrical fault.’How many more times do I have to say this?she thought.
‘And Jasmine’s contact number is?’ Erin asked, ignoring Holly’s comment.
Holly shook her head as she gave Jaz’s mobile number.
‘Please give me the names of the others present.’
‘Mitchell Booth, my neighbour.’
Erin smiled. ‘Oh yes, it might be helpful to go through events with him.’ She paused as she made a note in her book. ‘Anyone else, come to your house that day?’
Holly hesitated, she didn’t want to bring him into it, but felt she had no choice.‘Tom Stone, my ex.’
Erin raised her eyebrows. ‘Are you on good terms with Mr Stone?’
