‘Well, yeah. I mean, I think I do.’
‘Have you ever been in love?’
He sees the flicker of surprise in Toby’s eyes. It’s not something a police officer would normally ask. Come to that, it’s not something most people would ask. But on Toby’s answer to this and the next few questions rests his fate. He can die quickly, or he can suffer a painful and slow death.
‘No,’ says Toby. ‘I’ve never been in love. Not really.’
‘Not really? What do you mean by that?’
‘There have been times when… in my head, you know? My imagination. Maybe with someone like that.’ He points to a poster on his wall. Supergirl.
Franklin doesn’t laugh. He too has tried to imagine himself in relationships with fictional women, especially when those in real life have turned out to be such a let-down. He appreciates Toby’s candour. Perhaps he deserves a quick death after all.
‘So… you’ve never been with a girl?’
‘No. I… look, I’m not sure what this has to do with Oliver killing Alexa.’
Franklin leans forward in his chair. ‘What I’m trying to do here, Toby, is to get you to appreciate the depth of emotion that has been involved in this case.’
‘I see.’
‘Do you? Because, frankly, it’s been negative.’
‘What? I don’t understand.’
‘I’m talking about the absence of positive emotions like love. It’s been practically non-existent. Even though they were married, Oliver didn’t love Alexa, and she didn’t love him. It’s been a sham marriage. Don’t you think that’s such a waste?’
Toby nods meekly.
‘I mean, you would never have acted like that with Alexa, would you?’
‘No.’
‘No. Of course not. She was a beautiful woman, right? You would have looked after her, wouldn’t you, Toby?’
‘I…’
‘So what we have to get down to here is why you did what you did.’
Toby is squirming in his chair now. ‘Me? What have I—’
‘I’m talking about the pictures. The photographs that Sam sent you. I mean, that’s why Oliver killed Alexa and Sam. You can see that now, can’t you?’
‘I guess so.’
‘Yes. It’s as clear as day, isn’t it? Oliver believed what he saw with his own eyes. Lurid pictures of his own wife, taken by another man. Who wouldn’t want them both dead after viewing something like that? Can you imagine what you would have done if Alexa had been your wife and you saw those pictures?’
‘But… but you said that I did something.’
‘Well, yes. Because unfortunately you had a big part to play in this, didn’t you?’
‘No… I… I didn’t do nothing. Why are you saying these things? Did Mr Cody tell you to be this way with me?’
‘DS Cody would say exactly the same if he were here. You see, Oliver’s defence lawyers will try to push the blame away from him and onto other people, such as yourself.’
‘But I didn’t—’
‘They will argue diminished responsibility. They will suggest that Oliver wasn’t in a reasonable state of mind because you and Sam pushed him over the edge.’
‘No. That’s not true.’
‘It was you who put the photographs online. It was you who made out to everyone that Alexa was a slut, a whore.’
‘No, that’s not—’
‘How is a marriage meant to survive an onslaught like that, Toby? Can you explain that to me?’
Toby has no answer. His face shows only fear.
‘Can I ask you something else, Toby?’
Toby nods, clearly expecting another barrage.
‘Do you have any biscuits?’
‘W-what?’
‘Biscuits. I like biscuits with my tea. I like to dunk them. Do you have any?’
