Damaged Goods. Helen Black

      They turned as one to see a formidable figure striding towards the desk. In one deft movement he collected up all the papers.

      ‘This case is mine, and I say Ms Brand is fit to answer some questions.’

      Lilly scowled at the man sitting opposite, pristine in an expensive suit and antique silver cufflinks. She hated these fast-track police officers with their public-school accents and degrees in philosophy. How old was he? Thirty at most, and in charge of a murder rap.

      He angled the camera towards Kelsey, who sat next to Lilly, her chin tucked into her chest, her arms crossed tightly around her stomach.

      ‘I assume you’ve advised your client that interviews for serious offences such as this are sometimes recorded visually as well as orally.’

      Lilly’s tone was polite. ‘Of course.’

      ‘And she understands the procedure?’ he asked.

      ‘I’ve no idea, Officer, I’m not a psychiatrist, nor am I a clairvoyant,’ Lilly replied.

      Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack biting his lip.

      The younger man took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair, releasing the smell of his freshly laundered shirt. Lilly wished that she could do the same but knew there were dark circles under each of her arms.

      ‘Kelsey, I’m going to begin recording, so please look up,’ he said.

      Kelsey buried her head even further into her collarbone. The camera picked up only the crown of her head.

      The policeman’s smile didn’t slip. ‘First, let me explain, for the sake of the tape, who everyone is. My name is DI Bradbury; the officer in the corner is Jack McNally. Also present is your solicitor.’ He smiled at Lilly. ‘Could you give your name please?’

      ‘I’m Lilly Valentine and should say, at this stage, for the sake of the tape, that this interview should not, in my view, take place.’

      Bradbury opened his mouth to speak but Lilly wasn’t finished, not by a long way. She put up her hand as if to shush a small child.

      ‘You stated in the custody suite, Detective, that you believe Kelsey is fit to be interviewed, and I’d be grateful if you could expand on that position, given you’ve never met her before today.’

      His smile remained intact. ‘This isn’t a forum for you to question me, Miss Valentine, this is simply the preliminary stage of the interview where we all introduce ourselves. If you’re unsure of the procedure I’m happy to help you as we go along.’

      Lilly could feel her colour rising but kept her face serene in case she was in shot.

      Bradbury, clearly pleased to have scored a point, pressed on. ‘Also present is Kelsey’s appropriate adult. Could you state your name please?’

      Miriam said nothing.

      ‘Could you …?’

      ‘Oh, you mean me. I thought you said the appropriate adult should state their name, and I wondered who you meant,’ said Miriam.

      DI Bradbury looked puzzled. Lilly knew she could rely on Miriam. The women had done this many times before and were a class double-act. Jack had been on the receiving end of their treatment enough times to know what was coming, and Lilly half-expected him to intervene. She risked a glance in his direction and saw him chewing his lip even harder. Bradbury was on his own.

      ‘Since this interview is entirely inappropriate I can’t really call myself an appropriate adult,’ said Miriam. Then she snapped her fingers as if something had just occurred to her.

      ‘How about this? My name is Miriam Zander and I’m the inappropriate adult.’

      Bradbury smoothed his tie. ‘This is ridiculous.’

      Miriam nodded. ‘Yes, it is. It’s my job, you see, to make sure a vulnerable person receives the extra protection afforded to them by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and in order to protect this particular vulnerable person I am asking that this interview doesn’t take place.’

      ‘If you’re unsure of the implications of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984,’ added Lilly, ‘I’m happy to help as we go along.’

      If Bradbury was ruffled he didn’t show it. He was good, very good.

      ‘You’ve had your say, ladies, and made your views abundantly clear, but on this occasion I’m going to overrule you and proceed with the interview.’

      ‘It’s open to you to ignore us,’ Lilly interrupted, ‘but it’s for a judge to adjudicate if we’re wrong and ultimately to overrule us. Still, I’m sure he’ll be glad to learn you decided for him in advance which pieces of evidence were admissible and which were not.’

      Bradbury ignored her. ‘Kelsey, as you know you have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Grace Brand. You do not have to say anything when questioned but it may harm your defence if you do not mention something now which you later wish to rely upon in court. Do you understand?’

      All four adults watched her, but she remained motionless except for the soft rise and fall of her shoulders as she breathed.

      The silence was broken by Bradbury. ‘I know how hard this must be for you, Kelsey,’ his voice was a study in calm and reason, ‘but you need to answer some questions.’

      ‘Not so, Detective. That thing we mentioned earlier, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, provides for a person’s right to remain silent. Kelsey is under no duty to answer your questions,’ said Lilly.

      ‘You’re quite right, Miss Valentine, but, as you also know, a person’s decision not to answer relevant questions can be the subject of comment at a later stage,’ he answered.

      Lilly smiled benignly as she handed Bradbury a spade. ‘You mean a jury may infer her guilt because she chooses not to speak now.’

      ‘Exactly,’ he said, and leaned towards his suspect. ‘You see, Kelsey, a jury might find it pretty strange that you don’t want to set the record straight.’

      ‘True enough, Detective, but I shall be more than happy to explain to any court why it was not the right time to speak today,’ said Lilly.

      ‘Me too,’ added Miriam.

      Lilly could sense the DI’s discomfort but it was still thickly masked.

      ‘Once again, ladies, your position is very clear, but once again I intend to continue. Kelsey, where were you on the night your mother was killed?’

      Kelsey was curled so tightly he was speaking to her shoulder blades.

      ‘When people see this video they’re going to think it very strange that you wouldn’t even answer that.’

      Lilly sighed as if exasperated. ‘No they’re not, Detective.’

      Bradbury, cut off at every avenue, snapped. He banged his fist on the table, making Lilly and Miriam jump.

      ‘Don’t tell me. You’ll explain to the jury how terrible the police were. How they shouldn’t have even dreamed of investigating the murder of a woman beaten to death with a hammer in her own home.’

      Lilly eyed him coolly. ‘On the contrary, I think you should be investigating who did this, rather than looking to my client. There are plenty of alternative suspects and I’ve already suggested one name to Officer McNally.’

      ‘And no doubt he’s looking into that. In the meantime, I want to ask Kelsey some questions and, frankly, if my mother had been murdered I’d want to set the record straight, wouldn’t you?’ Bradbury shouted.

      She had him on the run. ‘What I would or wouldn’t do is irrelevant. The point that I was trying to make to the custody sergeant before you burst in like Batman, and the point I’ve been trying to make since the start of this interview,