‘I’ve been looking all over for you,’ Murphy seethed as rage burned in his eyes. ‘I’ve just seen Mark. How dare you accuse him of being a murderer? Mark did not kill Rachel and I know that for sure because he was with me and my wife when it’s supposed to have happened.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

‘You need to calm down, Mr Murphy,’ James said. ‘We most certainly have not accused Mr Slade of killing Miss Elliott. He’s simply been asked a number of questions about his movements during the reception, the same as everyone else.’

Murphy’s jaw tightened and bulged. ‘Well, that’s not what Mark just told me. He said you also accused him of threatening one of the other guests and then went and turned his room upside down.’

James held Murphy’s stare as he signalled for his colleagues to carry on walking out of the Garden Room. Once they were alone, he said, ‘You must appreciate, Mr Murphy, that we could not ignore the allegation made by the other guest. We have a duty to follow it up.’

‘But why the hell would you believe her word over Mark’s? Belinda Travers is a flirt and everyone knows it.’

James shook his head. ‘At this stage I don’t know who is telling the truth about the incident. Regardless, it has to be treated seriously given the fact that it took place in the garden and so close to the jetty.’

‘Then why not subject Belinda’s room to the same thorough search? I know you haven’t because I’ve been to see it for myself.’

James felt a surge of irritation. ‘Please don’t tell me you went there to confront her about what she told us.’

‘Of course I bloody well did. You made it clear to Mark that he had to steer clear of her, but I wanted to hear for myself what she had to say. And guess what? She couldn’t bring herself to repeat it. Instead, she started blubbering, which was enough to convince me that she was the one who came on to Mark and then got shitty when he rejected her.’

James managed to supress his anger, but a wave of unease swelled in his chest.

‘I’m not at all surprised that she got upset,’ he said, his voice raised an octave. ‘You should not have gone to her room or spoken to her about it.’

‘I don’t see why not,’ Murphy replied, defiant. ‘This is my hotel and she was a guest at my wedding. I’m not prepared to let her get away with making such an outrageous allegation while we’re all trying to deal with what has happened to Rachel. It’s the last thing we need.’

James was anxious not to allow the issue to get out of hand. He had to accept that Greg Murphy’s head was not in a good place. He was still reeling from the shock of what had happened to his new sister-in-law at his own wedding and perhaps leaping to his pal’s defence was helping him to cope with the brutal reality of a situation that was causing him so much anguish.