Web of Lies by Sally Rigby (best book club books of all time .txt) 📕

slightly. ‘You can tell us now why Witherspoon was blackmailing you and, if it was the motive for his murder, we want to know your part in it.’

Wood glanced up to the ceiling, her fists clenched tight as they rested on the table.

‘You have to believe me. I had no part in Donald Witherspoon’s murder. I didn’t even know it was murder until you just told me.’

‘Why was he blackmailing you?’

‘I can’t say.’

‘As it stands Ms Wood, we know that Donald Witherspoon was killed by your employee, Aaron Dunkley, who used to sort people out for you at school, because he discovered you were being blackmailed. As far as we’re concerned, you put him up to it. Without any additional information, we have no choice but to charge you as an accessory to murder. How do you think the paparazzi and your fans will like those headlines? Or would you prefer them to say you helped us solve a heinous crime and lock up a dangerous man instead?’ Weston snapped.

Wood shuddered. ‘Okay, but this is to go no further.’ She looked from Weston to Birdie. ‘I’ll be ruined if it gets out.’

Could there be a better motive for murder?

‘We can’t promise anything, but if it’s possible, we will keep it quiet,’ Weston said, his voice much gentler than before.

She cleared her throat. ‘Many years ago, when I was at university, money was tight. My parents weren’t rich, and they couldn’t help me financially. I had a part-time job at a local pub but got fired over some missing money. It wasn’t me who took it but they wouldn’t believe me, and I lost my job. I was desperate and when somebody approached me to do some modelling work, saying it would be easy money, I jumped at the chance. Who wouldn’t? Stupid me didn’t realise the sort of modelling they meant. It turned out to be an adult film. I should have walked away as soon as I found out, but they offered me five grand for doing it. Five grand. That was a huge amount of money all those years ago, especially to a student who could barely feed herself. I accepted the job, and it was the worst experience of my life. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live. But I forced myself to get through it and the money I earnt helped me through university and paid off a lot of my debts. Afterwards, I put it to the back of my mind and never thought about it again. Until …’

‘Witherspoon saw it?’ Birdie asked.

‘Yes. He came across the film and thought he recognised me from the TV. I had no idea it was still out there. I really thought it had just gone away. I’m still not sure how he made the connection as I don’t look anything like I did eighteen years ago. My hair was a different colour and much longer. I was also ten pounds heavier. But recognise me, he did, and he got in touch.’ She bit down on her bottom lip.

Donald was a conniving bastard. How could he have done something like that? Sarah might not agree, but the more Seb got to learn about the man the more convinced he was that she was well rid of him.

‘How did he contact you?’ Birdie asked.

‘He emailed, making a very clear reference to the film, and asking to meet. I went into a mad panic and had to agree. I had no choice. We met in a restaurant in London, and he suggested that I might like to invest some money with him. He told me outright that if I didn’t, he was going to make the film public, selling the information to the highest bidder, and ruin my career. I begged him not to, and said that I couldn’t afford it, but he didn’t believe me. He said he knew how much I was being paid at the TV station and that if I didn’t have the cash, I could borrow it. I had no choice but to say yes. I invested the hundred and fifty thousand pounds he asked for.’

‘Where did you get the money from?’ Birdie asked.

‘I cashed in a term deposit I had at the bank and used that.’ She slumped down in her chair; all the fight having gone out of her.

‘Did you tell Dunkley?’ Weston asked.

‘I didn’t tell a soul. It was too important to risk confiding in anyone.’

‘Well, clearly, Dunkley did know. How?’

‘I have no idea, unless he heard me on the phone to Witherspoon sometime and worked it out for himself. I was very upset at the time.’

‘Did he drive you to your meeting with Witherspoon?’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘Are you sure you didn’t confide in him after the meeting? You were upset, you’d known Dunkley for most of your life. He’d be an obvious choice to tell.’

‘No, I definitely didn’t.’

‘Why do you think he waited until April to deal with Witherspoon when the blackmail actually took place in January?’ Birdie asked.

That very same question had been on Seb’s lips.

‘Witherspoon tried to get more money out of me a couple of weeks before his death. But I said no. I didn’t have any access to any.’

‘Did he threaten you again?’

‘No, he seemed to accept that I couldn’t help.’

This wasn’t ringing true. Why would Donald back down so easily, after initially being so aggressive?

‘Can you give me the exact date of the phone conversation,’ Birdie asked.

‘I remember speaking to him on Friday 26 March at four in the afternoon. I was on my way back to Market Harborough for the weekend.’

‘And the time before that?’

‘January when we sorted out my investment. It was all done electronically.’

‘Please could you show me the call log on your phone so I can verify this.’

‘I left my phone at work, when your officers came. I forgot to pick it up.’

‘Yet you remember the date you spoke to Witherspoon.’

‘It was my wedding anniversary and I remember thinking it typical