Guns in the Gallery

‘Yes.’ Jude had a sudden thought. ‘Was that why you wanted to talk to me?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Is that why you asked me to stay behind after the launch?’

Sam Torino looked puzzled. ‘Hell, no. I asked you to stay behind because you’re a healer. Because you’re doing wonders for the pain in my hip.’

‘Oh, good.’

‘Why would I want to talk to you about Fennel?’

‘I don’t know. Sorry, I wasn’t thinking straight.’

‘Ned’s in a terrible state about it.’

‘I know.’

‘He always was besotted with that girl. Fathers and first daughters, you know . . .’

‘Whereas Sheena . . .?’

‘Hell, who knows what goes on in a mind like hers?’ Sam Torino clearly had less time for Fennel’s mother than she had for her father.

‘Did you know Fennel?’

‘I met her a couple of times. Ned brought her along to a few charity things. I think the idea was to promote her career as an artist . . . you know, get her some wealthy contacts who might commission stuff from her. I don’t think it paid off. Ned can sometimes be a bit naive in the workings of the celebrity circus.’

‘How did Fennel strike you when you met her?’

Sam Torino shrugged. ‘Pretty. Nice kid. If I hadn’t heard from Ned about her mental problems I’d never have guessed there was anything wrong.’

‘Has he talked to you much about her illness?’

‘Not a lot. He told me when she made the first attempt.’

‘You already knew him then?’

‘Sure.’

‘Did he give you much detail about what happened?’

‘No, he just told me that she’d done it. Up until then, like I said, I wouldn’t have known there was anything wrong with her. But from that time on I could see how much it got to him. Worrying about Fennel was a constant anxiety to him, and a constant drain on his energy.’

‘Did Ned tell you about her death before today?’

‘Sure. He called me the weekend it happened. He was in a hell of a state.’

‘Yes. I saw him soon after.’

A new shrewdness came into Sam Torino’s eyes. ‘He was also worried about local gossip.’

‘Oh?’

‘Even the suggestion that some people thought it wasn’t suicide at all. That Fennel was murdered.’

‘When something like that happens in an area like this,’ Jude responded breezily, ‘you’re bound get a lot of crackpot theories doing the rounds.’

‘Ned said there were a couple of things you thought were odd when you found Fennel’s body.’

‘Well, really only the fact that there was no sign of her mobile.’

‘Hm.’ The famous eyes were turned searchingly on to Jude. ‘So does that mean you’re one of the people who thinks it might have been murder?’

Jude was torn. Part of her wanted to admit the truth, in the hope perhaps of getting more information out of Sam Torino. But she knew the dangers of spreading suspicions and allegations. She also got the feeling that anything she said would get straight back to Ned Whittaker. And she didn’t want to do anything that might add to his misery.

So all she came up with by way of reply was: ‘I suppose I just didn’t want to think it was suicide, so I considered all of the other options.’

‘And are you still considering them?’

‘Maybe a bit.’

Sam Torino nodded slowly. ‘But the police took the suicide at face value?’

‘Oh yes. Sam, don’t you worry about what I’m thinking. I’ve allowed myself to get rather emotionally involved.’

Another slow, thoughtful nod.

‘No, really, I’m sure it was suicide,’ Jude lied. ‘When Ned talked to you, did he have any idea what might have tipped Fennel over the edge?’

‘No. But she’d been ill for a long time. And I can’t think getting involved with that little shit Denzil Willoughby can have helped.’

‘You know Denzil?’

‘Sure.’

‘Why, have you bought stuff from him?’

Sam Torino’s fine nose wrinkled with disgust at the suggestion. ‘Hell, no. If I buy art, I go for the real McCoy. If I want a Damien Hirst, I get a Damien Hirst. Not Denzil Willoughby’s kind of imitative rubbish.’

‘So how did you meet Denzil?’

Through his father.’

‘Oh?’

‘Addison Willoughby. You heard of him?’

‘I’ve heard the name.’

‘Founded one of the biggest advertising companies in the world. Another of the super-rich mafia.’

‘Whom you have met at charity events?’

‘Exactly. He brought Denzil along to a few, maybe trying to do the same service as Ned was for Fennel.’

‘Was that when the two of them met?’

‘I don’t know about that. They may have known each other before. All I know is that when I heard from Ned they were an item, I thought: “Uh-oh, that’s going to mean trouble.”’

‘Why did you think that?’

‘Denzil Willoughby once had a thing with a girlfriend of mine. She didn’t enjoy the relationship one bit.’

‘Why? Because he’s so up himself?’

‘No, she could have coped with that. She’s a model, she’s used to dealing with egos. You wouldn’t believe how many dickheads hang around the catwalks. No, with Denzil Willoughby, it was the physical violence she couldn’t put up with.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, that boy’s got a sadistic – not to say murderous – streak in him.’

‘Has he ever been charged with anything?’

‘Girlfriends have tried, but they’ve all been bought off. By Addison.’ Sam Torino grinned cynically. ‘Amazing how flexible the law becomes for those who can afford it.’