On the way, they rehearsed their tactics in dealing with Guy Roberts – Lizzy favoured a more confrontational approach, while Dan counselled against it. But he knew that when Lizzy was in the sort of mood she was in, there was little that could be said to change her mind.
They reached Guy Roberts’ home shortly before eleven. A brief rain-shower had cleared, and sunlight streamed through the trees that lined the secluded street. BMWs and Mercedes were parked alongside Ferraris and even a Lotus.
Lizzy now realised how Roberts could afford such a luxurious property in the most exclusive part of Notting Hill: he wasn’t only a casting director. He was also a director of a successful television production company. Firework Films had several big hits under their belt, and were courted by several of the major channels.
‘That’s the house, if I’m not mistaken,’ Lizzy said, indicating a white-painted Georgian residence to their left.
‘Yes, that’s the one.’
‘Beautiful, isn’t it?’
Dan gazed up at the top windows. ‘From what I remember, it’s even more amazing inside.’
‘Pity the person who lives there is such a low-life.’
It was just under two months since Dan and Lizzy had accompanied Emma to Guy Roberts’ house to ask him about the unidentified stalker pretending to be Stephen Myers, to whom David Sherborn had photographed him talking. The subsequent information provided by Guy Roberts had led to the solving of that mystery, but Lizzy didn’t feel any particular sense of gratitude towards him. He had completely manipulated and controlled them for all that time.
They entered through the gate and rang the doorbell. There was no answer, so Lizzy pressed the button again. She had just given up on Guy Roberts being at home when they heard a noise from within the house. Then they heard the sound of a latch being turned, and the door swung open.
Guy Roberts – his white hair now streaked with blond highlights, Lizzy noticed, and still trendily short and dishevelled – stared at them for a couple of seconds. He was dressed impeccably, in a designer, open-collar white shirt, and a pair of dark trousers. His single silver ear stud glinted in the morning sunlight. ‘Lizzy, Dan,’ he said, finally. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’
‘We’d like to speak to you,’ Lizzy said.
‘Well, I guessed as much,’ he replied. ‘What about, exactly?’
Lizzy decided to just come out with it. In fact, she couldn’t wait to see his reaction – she wanted to wipe away the smug look from his face. ‘About your role with Firework Films.’
Roberts’ face smoothed itself of all expression. Instead, he stood at the entrance, considering his next move. ‘You can come in,’ he said eventually, to Lizzy. ‘But just you. Not Dan.’
Dan and Lizzy looked at one another. ‘Why?’ Lizzy asked.
‘Because,’ he said, ‘my house, my rules.’ He flashed a cold smile at them. ‘If you want to come in, then you follow them.’
‘We could have the conversation out here,’ Lizzy said. ‘I’m sure the neighbours will be very interested to hear about what you get up to.’
‘Don’t threaten me, Lizzy.’ His voice was like ice.
‘It’s okay, Lizzy,’ Dan said. ‘I’ll wait right outside. If that’s what he wants.’ He didn’t look at Guy. ‘But if you need me, come straight out.’
Lizzy followed Roberts into the lounge. The framed movie posters still decorated the walls, the piano still stood in the corner. She noticed some arty, silver-framed photographs now stood on it – Guy Roberts meeting famous actors and actresses; Guy Roberts striking party-like poses with pouting girls.
Some of them young enough to be his daughters
, Lizzy noted with an eye-roll.
‘I’ve just been having brunch,’ he said expansively. ‘Can I get you anything to eat, or drink? I have some pastries left over.’
‘No thanks,’ Lizzy said. ‘I’m not here for the hospitality.’
‘You’ll at least take a seat?’ Guy said. ‘Do we really want to have this conversation standing up?’
‘Yes, I do,’ Lizzy replied. ‘I wasn’t intending on staying here long.’
Guy shrugged, his palms towards her. ‘Whatever makes you happy, Lizzy.’ His eyes travelled over her. ‘You know, I think you’d make a great leading lady. You’ve got a real fire inside, haven’t you? That’s just the kind of thing that works with the public. I’d love to cast you in one of our up-coming productions.’
‘I’ve already said no to being in one of your productions,’ Lizzy retorted. ‘As have the rest of my friends.’
‘Touché,’ he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. ‘Indeed you have. And, I must say, I was very disappointed that none of you wanted to take part in what I am sure will be a highly interesting and informative documentary.’
Lizzy struggled to control her anger. ‘And profitable. For you and your fellow directors.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I’m part of the entertainment business, as are you, and a business is about making money, and being profitable. Don’t pretend the money doesn’t matter to you, Lizzy.’ He smiled, a chess player who had just called checkmate.
‘The money is important, but it’s not the most important thing,’ she said. ‘And I have morals. Unlike you and your company.’
‘Steady, Lizzy.’
Lizzy was undeterred. In fact she felt emboldened, knowing that she had more weapons in her arsenal. ‘I know what kind of company Firework Films is.’
‘A television production company,’ he replied. ‘And a very successful one at that. In the few years since we established Firework, we’ve become major players. We’re highly respected in the field.’
Lizzy decided to hold back for the moment. ‘Why are you making the documentary?’
He seemed surprised that she felt the need to ask the question. ‘Because it’s an amazing story. Full of drama, suspense, mystery, emotion . . . the TV viewers are going to love it, Lizzy. You really should be part of it. It’s still not too late to change your mind. We’d really value your input.’
Lizzy was amazed by his brass neck. He seemed serious. She scoffed. ‘Not a hope in hell! And I take it your docudrama isn’t going to detail the role you had in contributing to Emma’s ordeal?’
There was a short pause. ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ he replied, in a way that made it clear he knew full well what Lizzy was getting at.
‘I mean the way you used David Sherborn to take advantage of the media attention that Dan’s kidnap offered you. The way you made Emma feel so scared, getting him to follow her around.’
‘Well, it’s a docudrama,’ he said lightly. ‘Not everything will be included.’
Lizzy smiled thinly. ‘I bet it won’t.’ She paused – it was time. ‘But maybe if you do go ahead with this programme, then the press might be interested in hearing about all the details.’
Guy Roberts gave her a level look for a moment. ‘I don’t care,’ he said, eventually. ‘I’d welcome the media coverage. And, anyway, I’d deny whatever you’re planning to say about me. My friends in the media can spin a story in many ways, Lizzy.’
‘They can’t all be your friends.’
‘No, but I have some powerful allies. If I were you, I’d be wary about going to them. You may find that you and your friends will make the headlines for all the wrong reasons.’
‘Threats,’ Lizzy said. ‘I’m disappointed that you didn’t start with the bribes.’
At this, Guy affected not to hear her, instead glancing at a clock on the mantelpiece. ‘I’ve got an important call coming through from New York in a few minutes.’
It was the moment Lizzy had been waiting for – now she knew she had him under pressure. ‘Feeling uncomfortable at the line of questioning?’
‘Not at all.’
But his expression told the true story. It was time to go for the jugular. ‘Why does Firework Films exploit the people who take part in its programmes?’
‘We don’t exploit anyone.’
‘So you don’t try to bribe people who complain about how you have treated them?’
‘I think you should get your facts straight before you start making such wild accusations.’
‘Oh, I have. How many people have you threatened to keep quiet?’
‘Who have you been talking to?’
‘That really doesn’t matter,’ she said. ‘Your company, it’s criminal in the way it works. I’m sure the police would be very interested in hearing about it all.’
‘Adrian Spencer,’ he said. ‘He’s been telling you all this, hasn’t he?’
Lizzy didn’t answer.
Guy smiled, seeming to have regained some of his bounce. ‘Your silence is your answer, Lizzy. Let me guess, Adrian Spencer made contact with you a few days ago. Am I right?’
Again Lizzy stayed quiet. She hadn’t wanted to bring Adrian Spencer into this, although it now seemed impossible to avoid.
‘Adrian Spencer was, we had thought, a hard-working and loyal member of the Firework Films team. That was until last week, when we discovered that he had been intimidating an old lady into taking part in an up-coming programme. Given how he had behaved with you, coupled with this new complaint, we had no choice but to let him go.’
‘You’re lying.’
‘Believe what you want to believe. We sacked him, and he’s obviously now aggrieved. So he takes his revenge by going to you and saying what he said. It’s all lies, Lizzy, the man can’t be trusted. He’s bitter and out for revenge.’
‘Are you sure you’re not talking about yourself?’
Guy frowned. ‘How so?’
‘Well, aren’t you still bitter about Emma rejecting the part in the movie? And isn’t the docudrama about you taking revenge?’
‘Absolutely not. I’ve already told you, it’s purely a commercial decision.’
His face was stony.
But
was that a twitch?
‘It’s going to cause us a lot of pain.’
He shrugged. ‘Don’t watch it if you feel it will negatively affect you.’
‘Thank you for your very helpful advice. I take it you’ve heard that Peter Myers has escaped from prison?’
‘I had heard that, yes.’ He still didn’t show any emotion.
‘I bet you’re happy. It’s more drama for your programme.’ Lizzy had decided not to tell him about Emma’s disappearance. She didn’t think she could cope with his feigned concern.
‘Maybe it’s time you left. My transatlantic call will be coming through any minute.’
On cue, the phone in the corner started to ring. He looked relieved to be able to end their conversation. ‘Lizzy, you don’t mind seeing yourself out, do you?’
‘Don’t worry. I’d be more than happy to.’
As Lizzy left the room she heard Guy Roberts pick up and say hello. He was gushing to someone called Brad, talking loudly enough that Lizzy believed it was for her benefit: ‘Oh, yes, glad to hear the film is going so well, Brad, my man. I have a strong feeling about the Oscars.’
Lizzy paused at the bottom of the staircase near the front door, now out of earshot, and shook her head in frustration. She felt as though she hadn’t played that very well. She had got off some shots, yes, done a little bit of damage – at one point he had definitely been struggling. But she hadn’t inflicted the significant blow that she had sought. Indeed, he seemed to have ended the conversation in the ascendancy. And for that, Lizzy felt that she had let herself, and, more upsettingly for her, Emma down.
She stood there for a moment, tempted to wait until his phone conversation was over before going back in for a second attempt. Then she heard a noise coming from upstairs. She listened carefully. There was another noise. It was definitely another person. Guy Roberts lived alone, she knew that.
It seemed ridiculous, but her first thought was:
Could it be Emma?
Chapter 35
‘Tell me what you think,’ Mark Gasnier said to DS Davies, as they sat in the stiflingly hot station office that Thursday morning. Davies pulled at his shirt collar, to relieve the pressure on his wide neck – there was a time when he had had no trouble fitting into a size seventeen.
Maybe he should try to lose some of that excess weight he’d put on a few years ago.
The heating was on full blast, and they were waiting impatiently and uncomfortably for the CCTV recording to be delivered. A couple of uniformed officers were currently en route from the private contractor who operated the cameras for the local council. ‘What’s your gut feeling about Emma Holden?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Davies replied.
Gasnier raised an eyebrow. ‘All those years of police training, thousands of hours of case experience, and that’s all you can come up with?’
Davies shrugged. ‘Something doesn’t make sense to me.’
Gasnier seemed more satisfied with that response. ‘Feel free to expand . . .’
‘Well, I know I didn’t see the flat but, from what you said, there were no signs of a struggle. If she’d been abducted, then you would expect there to be some signs of violence. Unless the person came to the front door, pulled out a gun or knife and led her outside without needing to use any force. What do you think?’
Gasnier picked up a pen from the desk and twirled it around his fingers. He wasn’t ready yet to reveal his own opinion. ‘Have you got any other theories about what’s happened to her?’
‘Well, the most obvious explanation is that she left of her own accord. Either on her own, or with someone she knows.’