‘Not something we’re going to share at this point; but I would like to ask you about Gabriel Denton.’
‘Our accountant?’ Celia asked as her eyebrows drew together.
‘An anonymous letter was placed into the belongings of Gabriel Denton.’
Celia’s face crumpled in confusion. ‘A letter? Saying what?’
‘That your treatment of people here is inhumane; that you beat, starve, torture and rape patients within the parameters of your conversion therapy.’
Celia’s mouth fell open in surprise. ‘That is completely and utterly preposterous. We’re not monsters here. Do you really think that if we treated people this way, you wouldn’t have heard of this before now?’ she asked, quickly regaining her composure.
‘Apparently your legal team makes sure that doesn’t happen,’ Kim countered.
Celia shook her head. Back in control despite the accusations that had just been levelled against her. ‘Our legal team is good, Inspector, but they’re not able to prevent atrocities on that level coming out. Surely you know that?’
Kim noted the way Celia always brought the question back to her rather than directly answering it.
‘But any sniff of bad press would be bad for business, wouldn’t it?’
‘Of course, and we’re very lucky to have the type of success rate that prevents that from happening. That’s the reason for the lack of bad press, not the actions of our legal team.’
‘You’re saying nothing like that goes on here under the guise of treatment?’
‘I think I’ve already answered that question.’
Not really, Kim thought. She hadn’t yet heard any outright denial.
‘So you had no idea about the letter?’ Kim asked.
Celia shook her head. ‘Of course not.’
Kim suspected that she’d be pulling out all the stops to find out who wrote it. If she didn’t know it was Jerry, Kim wasn’t going to point her in that direction. ‘Because, coincidentally, Gabriel Denton hasn’t been seen since Monday morning.’
The deep frown was back again. ‘What does that have to do with anyone here? You’re going to have to spell this one out for me, Inspector.’
Kim was happy to oblige. ‘There’s no chance that you got wind of this incriminating letter and silenced Gabriel Denton so that he couldn’t pass on the information?’
‘Yes, we definitely did that. And we’re also responsible for the Jack the Ripper deaths and the Zodiac murders. Is there anything else you’d like to try and pin on us, or do you realise how ridiculous these accusations sound?’ Celia asked, her eyes blazing.
‘Where is Gabriel Denton?’ Kim pushed.
‘I have absolutely no idea, but his disappearance has nothing to do with us. We are a treatment facility. We help people who are—’
‘Unhappy with their sexuality,’ Kim finished for her. ‘Yes, we know all that. Does the name Liam Sachs mean anything to you?’
Her face showed nothing. ‘I’m sorry but I’m not prepared to answer that. All of our patients are entitled to privacy, and unless your court states otherwise, I’m not saying any more.’
‘But we know that both Jamie Mills and Sarah Laing spent time—’
‘The deaths of these young people is indeed a tragedy but not one you can link with the service we provide here.’
Kim seriously hoped something was going to turn up on the search because she was getting nothing incriminating from this woman.
‘It’s not your first brush with tragedy, is it, Celia?’ Kim asked.
Celia maintained eye contact but offered nothing as she waited for whatever was coming next.
‘I would imagine you were pretty traumatised by the murder of your mother.’