Neil White 3 Book Bundle. Neil White

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       Chapter Thirty-Three

      As Charlie looked at the contents of the Billy Privett file spread across the table, Donia asked, ‘So what is the story? The real story?’

      ‘You’ve heard of Billy Privett?’

      She nodded. ‘Everyone’s heard of Billy Privett. That’s why I came to Oulton.’

      Charlie was surprised. ‘What, because of Billy?’

      ‘Not exactly,’ she said, smiling, knowing how it sounded. ‘I knew which firm represented him, and so I guessed that you were important.’

      ‘And now, you’re disappointed?’

      ‘I didn’t expect you to be how you are,’ she said.

      ‘What, some small practice above a takeaway?’

      ‘Something like that,’ she said, embarrassed.

      ‘You don’t need fancy offices if you do criminal work,’ Charlie said. ‘Just somewhere convenient for the clients and not too far from the court.’

      ‘So about Billy?’

      Charlie sighed. ‘He was just a loser who got lucky once in his life,’ he said, waving his hand dismissively. ‘Six numbers, that’s what changed him. He was a pain in the arse before he won it. Afterwards, he was a pain in the arse who suddenly thought he was a big deal.’

      ‘But was he a murderer?’ Donia said. ‘Did he kill Alice Kenyon?’

      Charlie shrugged. ‘He said not. Perhaps there’ll be something in here,’ and he patted the papers on the desk. ‘I know that Amelia fought hard to keep him away from the inquest.’

      ‘Could he do that? Stay away, I mean.’

      ‘Inquests are just to find out how someone died. They’re not there to find the murderer. It’s the how and the why, not the who. Billy provided a written statement that said he didn’t remember anything, even who else was there. The coroner decided that there was no point in making him give evidence at the inquest if that was all he was going to say. Ted made a real stink in the papers about that, but he just wanted the inquest to be something different to what it was.’

      ‘I feel sorry for him,’ Donia said. ‘I’ve seen him on the news. He seems like a nice man.’

      ‘He is, much nicer than me, but he’ll go to the grave waiting to find out what happened, now that Billy is dead.’

      Charlie reached for the correspondence clip and went to the back, to the first time Amelia had spoken to Billy, when the police had dragged him in after Alice had been found. Most of the information was just personal, just what they would need to conduct the case. There was a sheet at the back where she had written out Billy’s version of events. When he looked, Charlie was surprised. He had expected to read Billy’s story, all set out in Amelia’s neat script, but there was just one sentence. I do not wish to disclose to anyone what happened at my house on 14th May 2011, with his signature underneath.

      He tapped his lip. That was unusual. Billy Privett didn’t even want Amelia to know what had happened. That isn’t how clients work. They try to get their lawyer to believe the lies, as if it somehow makes it true when it becomes the official version. They never realise that the lawyer never truly believes, or even cares. It is only ever about two things; what can be proven, and how will they get paid.

      ‘What did Billy say?’ Donia asked, leaning forward.

      ‘Not much,’ Charlie said, and showed her the piece of paper.

      She frowned and sat back. ‘So the file isn’t important.’

      He started to flick through the other sheets of paper, with letters sent to Billy demanding that her bills be paid. Once the police station work had finished, Amelia billed Billy privately for her work. As he got to the end, to the letter sent most recently, he opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t think of what to say.

      ‘What is it?’ Donia said, trying to get closer.

      Charlie looked up. ‘Amelia sent out letters yesterday, when she found out Billy had died, enclosing a DVD.’

      ‘Show me,’ Donia said.

      Charlie tilted the folder towards her. The letters were short, just I enclose a video shot by Billy Privett recently, and which I have been authorised to disclose in the event of his death. It was the recipients that interested Charlie. There were ten letters, all identical. There was one sent to the police, one to Ted Kenyon, three to television companies and five to newspapers.

      ‘Does it say what was on the discs?’

      Charlie shook his head. ‘I don’t know, but it is certainly unusual. It makes it sound like a final statement, a message beyond the grave or something.’

      ‘The story of what really happened to Alice?’ Donia said.

      ‘What СКАЧАТЬ