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‘My mum got tickets for her and my dad to go to a show about three years ago. They both got the flu and couldn’t make it. I had nothing to do so thought I’d go along.’
From what Tiff had told her, it sounded as though he stuck pretty close to the truth while deceiving people.
He continued. ‘I was actually gonna ask the theatre if they had any part-time jobs available, but Victoria approached and asked if I’d help her out when she toured.’
‘You travelled the country with her?’ Bryant asked.
He shook his head. ‘Just when she was doing the Midlands. Anything over thirty miles or so and it wasn’t worth it.’
‘And what was the arrangement?’ Kim asked.
He looked mildly uncomfortable. ‘Just to talk to a member of the audience, get a few facts, pass them on.’
‘Just one?’ Kim asked doubtfully.
He nodded. ‘Oh yeah, never more than one. I think it was her backup in case the spirits were quiet.’
‘Hang on,’ Kim said. ‘Are you saying that you only deceived one victim each show and any other readings were completely genuine?’
She saw a bit of fire in his eyes at her choice of words, but he skated over it and answered the question.
‘Only ever one and I absolutely believe that she was genuine. If you’d seen her in action—’
‘I did,’ Kim said. ‘I was at the show on Tuesday night. Your victim was one of my officers.’
His mouth fell open. ‘No fucking way.’
She waited.
‘She was a police officer?’
Kim nodded.
‘Bloody hell, she should have been an actress. She got me good,’ he said, shaking his head.
‘I think you got her good too,’ Kim said, recalling Tiff’s sombre mood in the car. She heard the stiffness in her tone.
‘I don’t feel bad,’ he offered. ‘It’s not like I went out and hurt people. I passed along a few details and it was up to Victoria to do the rest.’
Engaging in another debate about the rights and wrongs of fraudulent readings was a waste of her time. It wasn’t going to help them find Victoria’s killer.
‘Was she acting strange at all?’
‘No.’
‘Did she mention anything about weird phone calls or perhaps being followed?’
‘Definitely not. I would have remembered something like that. Victoria wasn’t much of a sharer. Other than the Carry On films, I know nothing about what she liked or disliked. She’d text me when she wanted me to work. I’d turn up. We’d pass the time of day and then I’d get to work. As soon as she came offstage, she’d pay me and I’d leave. We didn’t have long conversations or anything like that.’
‘Did she ever talk about family?’
He shook his head.
‘Did you get the impression that there was any family?’
‘I honestly couldn’t say. I suppose I subconsciously thought there was a husband or partner somewhere that just chose not to be involved in her work.’
Kim was curious. ‘Why would you think that?’
