Close to Death

‘Ten o’clock.’ That was before Hawthorne had met Browne and interviewed him in this same room. The dentist had been a bundle of nerves, still in shock after the murder of his neighbour. ‘He called me at home. I don’t come in Wednesdays, but he wanted to tell me what had happened, that someone had killed Mr Kenworthy . . . with a crossbow! He told me that it was his crossbow that had been used. The one in the garage.’

‘Did you know it was there?’

‘Oh, yes. He never made any secret of it. Everyone knew.’ Damien paused. ‘I imagine that’s why he was so upset. He was in a real state, if you want the truth. I was quite worried about him and I offered to come over, but he said he’d be OK.’

‘Did he have any thoughts? Any suspicions as to who might have done it?’ Khan asked.

‘No. Not that he said.’

‘So you left him on his own,’ Khan said, accusingly.

‘That’s not fair. It wasn’t like that at all!’ Now Damien was indignant. ‘What was I meant to do? It wasn’t as if I was his carer! My job was to look after Felicity, and anyway, he had plenty of friends he could turn to. As a matter of fact, he mentioned he was going to talk to Adam Strauss. “Adam will help. Adam will know what to do.” That’s what he said to me. Those were his very words.’

‘Why Adam Strauss?’ Dudley asked.

‘The two of them were close. Adam gave Roderick a lot of support in the early days when Felicity got ill, and in fact it was Adam who gave him the name of the agency that I work for, so I’m grateful to him for that. But it wasn’t just him. The other neighbours were very kind too. Tom Beresford was always asking after Felicity, and the old ladies next door are sweethearts. But Adam knew Roderick even before they both ended up living in Riverview Close. Adam was a patient of his – did you know that? The others may have talked the talk, but he was the one who came round and offered proper advice and sympathy. I’m sure Roderick was grateful.’

There was a short silence.

‘So Roderick Browne told you that Giles Kenworthy had been killed,’ Hawthorne said. ‘How did you react to that news, Damien?’

‘How do you think? I was horrified! I know he wasn’t very popular, but I’d never even met Mr Kenworthy . . . not properly. I saw him quite a few times going in and out and he struck me as a bit high and mighty. I knew how much trouble he was causing everyone. Felicity was very upset that he was going to build this swimming pool and ruin her view. She even said they might have to move.’

‘What else did Roderick tell you?’

Damien thought back. He shrugged. ‘Nothing very much. He did say that he was taking Felicity to her sister in Woking. He didn’t want her here with all this police activity going on.’

Hawthorne knew this already. ‘So her sister was going to look after her.’

‘Yes. It worked very well. As I said, I don’t work Wednesdays. I only come in three times a week. So I said I’d see him today and we rang off—’

‘Mr Browne was expecting you today?’ Hawthorne cut in.

‘Yes. That’s why I’m here.’ Damien stopped. An awful thought had occurred to him. ‘Where is he?’

‘I’m afraid Mr Browne is dead,’ Khan said.

‘What?’ In an instant, all the colour had left Damien’s face. He looked as if he was about to faint. ‘How?’ he whispered. ‘What happened?’

‘Get him a glass of water,’ Hawthorne muttered. Dudley went over to the sink. ‘The police believe he may have taken his own life,’ he said.

‘But that’s impossible! There’s no way he’d do that.’

‘He’d been under a lot of strain.’ Khan was doing his best to keep the situation under control. ‘How long had you been looking after his wife?’ he asked.

‘Two years . . .’ Damien’s eyes were filled with tears. Dudley returned with a glass of water and Damien drank it all in one go. When he put the glass down, his hands were shaking. ‘I come in Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays . . .’ he went on. ‘Felicity’s a lovely lady. We get on together brilliantly. I had to take a week off just a short while ago and she hated it. She said she couldn’t manage without me.’ He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. ‘Does she know?’

‘She has been informed,’ Khan said.

‘I should go to her! She must be in shock. This is terrible. I can’t even think how she’ll manage without him.’

‘I think you should stay away for the time being,’ Khan warned him.

‘But Roderick was everything to her. He adored Felicity. He’d never leave her on her own.’

Khan didn’t look happy with Damien’s assessment and moved on quickly. ‘I do have one more question for you, Mr Shaw,’ he said. ‘I don’t suppose you can tell me where Mr Browne kept his mobile phone?’

Damien nodded. ‘It’ll be on the chest of drawers in the hall. Roderick was always losing things, so he was quite religious about it. He always left it there.’

‘I didn’t see it.’ Khan glanced at Hawthorne. ‘We’d obviously like to look at any messages he may have sent prior to his death,’ he said defensively. ‘It’s standard procedure.’ He turned back to Damien. ‘Would you like one of my officers to drive you home?’

‘No. I live in Richmond. I can walk.’