Chapter Seven

       I was back in the police stations interrogation room. It was humid and stuffy; the Summer storm hadn’t done much to clear the air. I was relieved that Officer Clark wasn’t there, but once I met the inspector they’d called in from Inverness, I would have done anything to have him back. Inspector David Macdonald was a bulky, cold looking man with harsh features. A lingering smell of alcohol from the night before wavered on his breath and the frown lines across his forehead mapped out a life of misery and frustration.

       His voice was raspy, suggesting a decades old smoking habit. “So, you were good friends with the victim?”

The term “victim” sent a shiver down my spine.

       I nodded. “Best friends since primary school. We used to play together in the school holidays when she came to stay. Once she moved up here we became inseparable.”

       His blank expression remained unchanged. “And I believe you’ve been withholding information that could be vital to your “best friends” disappearance.”

       I glanced at Andrews’ who met me with a look of guilt. “I didn’t think it was relevant until I found out the Lairds’ had been ruled out.”

       He raised an eyebrow. “And you think you’re more qualified than the police to ascertain what is and is not relevant in a murder investigation.”

        Yes.

       “N… No sir.”

       “So what was it you came here to tell us?”

       “About a year ago… I found out Dayna was using certain websites to make money. From men.”

       He tilted his head back and peered down at me. “What kind of websites?”

      “Cam sites. And one called fanpics.”

       Andrews’ face went pale. “You mean people paid her to get naked on camera?”

My stomach churned at the thought. Before I knew how she made her money, I would scroll through her various social media accounts; after she had moved to Inverness, it was often the only way I could keep up with what she was doing. Exotic holidays, shopping, cocktail parties; it was a wonder to me how she kept up with her lavish lifestyle, considering the modelling jobs were few and far between. I had quizzed her one night over FaceTime and she made a comment about how there were “people on the internet who were willing to fund her lifestyle, for little in return.” Curiosity got the better of me, and I had signed in to her emails (we shared everything – even passwords. Hers happened to be my date of birth) and was shocked at what I had found. It didn’t take me long to work out all the websites she was working on and find her “Fan Pics” account. I registered to her under a fake alias, I just had to know for sure, and became privy to a whole timeline of suggestive pictures containing either a scantily clad or naked Dayna. There were other subscriptions too, a live cam site, a website for finding “Sugar Daddy’s” and even an escort site – however she didn’t appear to have used that one other than registering for an account.

 I sent screenshots of everything to her, asking what the hell she was doing.

       Her text reply was blunt. “Making money. You stalking me or something?”

       I wasn’t sure if I was angry, upset or jealous of her confidence. “You are worth so much more than getting naked for creeps on the internet.”

       “It’s not just on the internet. LOL.”

        “You don’t mean? Dayna!?!?”

       “Relax. Don’t be such a priss. Just until I find my feet. Luv you, girl.”

       “I love you too. Just please be careful.”

I relayed all of this to the police, giving them the names of her accounts and websites, but Inspector Macdonald did not seem surprised by any of it.

       He ran his tongue over his chapped lips. “Did she ever tell you about any of the men she met up with in person?”

       I hesitated. I hated even thinking about what had happened. “Not often. About four months ago she called me in a right state. She’d met up with a guy from the Sugar Daddy website. They went for dinner and he seemed nice, but then they went back to his flat and he got a bit creepy. She didn’t feel safe so she tried to leave and he hit her. Luckily he was pissed as a fart and she managed to fight him off and get out.”

       “Jesus Christ…” I heard Andrews’ mutter.

       “Why didn’t she call the police?” Macdonald eyed me up and down, arms folded, as if examining a crime scene.

       “I begged her too, but I’m not sure everything she was doing was completely legal and she didn’t want to get in to trouble. It spooked her though, and she said she wouldn’t meet up with anyone anymore. That it was all just going to be online.”

       Andrews’ eyes lit up. “That adds up with the bank account. Those payments stopped for a while and then-“

       “Andrews!” Macdonald barked and the two of us jumped. “Why are you announcing details from the case to a civilian?”

       She dropped her head like a child scolded for talking in class. “I was just thinking aloud and confirming…”

       Macdonald stood up and towered over her like the enraged headmaster. “This is a murder investigation, Sergeant. I was summoned here for a reason – to help with your investigation. You can help yourself by not blurting out details to potential suspects.”

Summoned. It made him sound like some kind of demon or demi-god, but he was more like a shite genie that answered your worst nightmares instead of your prayers.

       I frowned. “Potential suspect?”

       “We can’t rule anything out at this stage. And you claim to be the last person to see her alive, don’t you?”
       “Well yeah, but that was before she was found wearing a fucking swimming costume and stinking of chlorine. She clearly went to meet someone at her dad’s lodge. So I’m pretty sure whoever she met there was the last person to see her.”   

       A smirk slowly spread across Macdonalds’ face. “Interesting that you know she was at the lodge that night. That information hasn’t been released to the public yet. Did you perhaps follow her there Blair?”

My jaw fell open. I couldn’t believe what this fucking alchy breathed arsehole was implying. It didn’t take a genius to deduce she had been there, and it had become hot town gossip overnight.

 I noticed Andrews’ eye twitch. She stood up from her seat and slammed her fist on the table. “That’s enough Macdonald! You might have been sent here to help, but this is still my station and we don’t go making baseless accusations towards witnesses here. Now, Blair came here to tell us what she knew. Yes, she should have told me days ago and it was damn stupid of her to keep it from me, but she’s here now. I won’t have you using your scare tactics on her.”

       I shot Macdonald a smug smile as I stood up to leave. “That’s everything I know, so if you’ll excuse me I’ll be leaving now. Unless you want to charge me with murder or whatever?”

       He glared at me with his eyes of stone. “There is just one more thing.”

       “Oh! Right! Blair… do you recognise the username “RejectedVex”.”

       My body turned stiff. “N… No I.. I don’t think so.”

       Macdonald arched his brow. “You don’t seem so sure about that.”

       “Why? Who are they?”

       “That’s what we’d like to know, “said Andrews’. “That’s who we believe Dayna went to meet at the lodge.”

       I bit my lip. “No idea. Sorry.”

I felt Macdonald watching me as I made my way to the door. He did not believe me, and he had good reason not to.