‘When making all these important decisions on trust and faith and ability, did William know of the three years you spent in prison for fraud?’
All colour drained from his face. He was genuinely shocked.
‘Mr Hewitt, you had to know we’d uncover your criminal history?’
‘I didn’t even realise you would look,’ he admitted.
‘I’m guessing that the answer to my question is no, you didn’t share that information with him. Did you tell Rachel?’
‘It was an accident, I mean—’
‘What, you fell over and deposited over half a million pounds into your bank account over a period of two years?’
‘I was ill, Inspector,’ he said, loosening his collar further. ‘I’d been suffering from depression and—’
‘Did you buy the holiday cottage and the Porsche to cheer yourself up?’ she asked pointedly.
That last barb hit the mark and his face darkened.
‘I served my time,’ he said frostily.
‘I know that, but you don’t think you should have mentioned your past to William?’
‘I learned my lesson, Inspector, and I would never take anything from William.’
‘Our forensic accountants will support that, I’m sure, once you furnish them with the annual accounts of the last five years.’
‘Of course,’ he said, knowing he had no legal right to withhold them.
‘Did William also not know of your earlier, shorter stretch in prison for assault?’
‘Good grief. That was twenty years ago. I was seventeen and it was a drunken brawl.’
‘Mr Hewitt, you don’t get a nine-month sentence for a ruck on a night out. You get it for a prolonged and unprovoked attack on someone that jumped the queue in the chip shop and was left with permanent injuries.’
A muscle jumped in his cheek. ‘I don’t see how that has any bearing on current events, but no I chose not to share that with Rachel or her family.’
It may not mean much to him, but it showed her that the man had form for violence and theft and that he had no compunction in sharing only the truth that suited him.
She sat back in her chair.
‘Mr Hewitt, for whatever reason, you didn’t have the best start in life. You left school with no qualifications and a bad attitude. Whatever you thought the world owed you appears to have landed in your lap. You have a beautiful family, you had a ready-made, extended family and a thriving instant business to run that, although not your own, is not without its perks,’ she said, looking around.
He appeared affronted but she could have gone much harder and used the words that were flying around her brain: manipulative, opportunistic, advantageous, calculated.
‘I have worked very hard for this family of which I am a part, and I don’t appreciate—’
‘The other reason for our visit,’ Kim interrupted, unable to listen to his own opinion of himself any longer, ‘is to ask if you’d had any further thoughts on disgruntled staff members or—’
‘There aren’t any of those.’
There soon would be, Kim thought, looking at the pile of new shift patterns.
‘But there was one person who verbally threatened William.’
‘Go on,’ Kim said, sitting forward.
‘A supplier, Roy Burston, used to supply all the timber for the furniture. William realised a few months ago that he was paying more than he needed to and withdrew the contract.’