Questions of Trust A Medical Romance - By Sam Archer Page 0,52

able to spend time with his daughter, before and after he told her. For her sake, but also for his.

Before that, he needed to speak to Rebecca. His finger had hovered over the key on his phone that would put him through to her on speed-dial, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to press it yet. But he’d have to do it sooner or later.

***

The first call Chloe made after she got home from her visit to Sabrina Jones was to the Pemberham Gazette’s solicitor, the one she’d consulted before her interview with the town councillor and who’d given her advice on custody matters. He was in his office when she phoned, and she could picture him, dapper in his bow tie.

‘Yes, Ms Edwards. What can I do for you?’

‘First, I’m not phoning on behalf of the Gazette in any capacity. I’m doing this off my own bat. So please invoice me for your time, not the paper.’

‘Very well.’ He sounded curious.

‘How might a private individual gain access to somebody else’s bank records?’

‘It can’t be done,’ he said immediately. ‘Only the police can do that. And even then, they have to have good cause. For example, if they were investigating fraud and believed that the bank records might provide legitimate evidence of the crime.’

‘What if the police suspected funds may have been transferred into an account to pay for the commission of a crime.’

‘Those would be grounds too, yes.’

‘And in the case of a civil action? If somebody was suspected to have paid somebody else to perform an act which, while not criminal, harmed a third party? Slander or libel, for instance?’

The lawyer was silent for a moment, considering. Then he said, ‘The plaintiff, the one bringing the libel or slander action, could legitimately ask that the defendant reveal their bank records to the court, if there was a strong suspicion that such a transaction had occurred. It would then be up to the court to decide whether or not the defendant should be compelled to do so.’

Chloe thanked him. ‘You’ve been really helpful. How much do I owe you?’

‘For a brief chat like this… nothing, my dear lady.’

The next call Chloe made was to an old friend and fellow journalist in London. He was delighted to hear from her and wanted to catch up, but Chloe had to cut him short.

‘Dave, I need a big favour. I’m looking for evidence of a criminal record. Are you still cosy with that police detective contact of yours in the Met?’

He was indeed, he said. Chloe sent him a text with the photo she’d taken of Sabrina Jones attached, and included the name and current address.

‘Though she might be using an alias,’ Chloe added.

‘I’ll see what I can do,’ Dave promised. ‘It’ll cost you, though.’

‘Cost me what?’

‘Dinner some time soon. On you.’

‘Deal.’

Chloe sat back in her chair, feeling the first tugs of the thrill of the chase. She was by now convinced that Sabrina Jones had been paid to invent the story about Tom. Further, she’d been instructed to approach the press but not the police. This suggested that whoever was paying Jones knew the case against Tom was too weak to stand up to a police investigation, and so the purpose of it was primarily to generate adverse publicity, even if the allegations were never proven. The whole affair reeked of a combination of spitefulness and calculation.

Chloe had never met Rebecca, Tom’s ex-wife, but spitefulness and calculation seemed to be two of the characteristics she possessed.

Was that why Tom was planning to move away? Had Rebecca moved permanently to Pemberham to be nearer Kelly, and now Tom felt he had to escape and whisk his daughter away? But that would hardly be a long-term solution. Rebecca could easily up sticks and follow Tom and Kelly wherever they went.

Still… if Chloe could prove Rebecca had paid Sabrina Jones to bring a false accusation against Tom, perhaps that would be enough to drive his ex-wife away, or at least scare her into backing off from this crusade of hers. That would mean Tom and Kelly could stay put.

Beyond that, Chloe didn’t dare to hope.

But proving Rebecca’s involvement was going to be difficult, as opposed to making mere allegations of her own, thought Chloe. And she didn’t have much time left. Tom had sounded as if he was preparing to leave as soon as he possibly could.

She felt the urge, and it was almost overwhelming, to phone Tom again, or even simply