‘Yeah, with the storm and overcast weather, it was pretty dark, and that area is poorly lit, so maybe they just thought Tim was passed out drunk and didn’t notice the hammer? I know people who trip over things and don’t even remember what they saw. The security guard was the one who found him and even he thought he was drunk.’
Maggie nodded and bit her lip. ‘What if Hastings – and for the sake of argument let’s assume it was Hastings – knelt over Tim to give him the final blow, then when he heard people coming, he dropped the hammer and pretended he was helping a drunk friend, obscuring his face so he couldn’t be identified. The security guard didn’t come across Tim until much later; by then the killer was long gone. He would have had to have had a vehicle, right? CCTV didn’t pick up his car in this car park. The camera didn’t show as far as the crime scene, but there is another way out of the woods through there.’ Maggie pointed to her right and started walking. ‘Keep your eyes open – I’m sure this area was searched but you never know.’
Maggie and Kat walked for nearly fifteen minutes before the woods ended and a small side street was visible.
‘There.’ Kat motioned to the left. ‘That camera may have picked up something. We can ask Bethany to check it, if it’s not already on her radar.’
‘This road leads out to Kirkland Drive. So not much help really.’ Maggie took out her phone and opened Google Maps. ‘If I put in Hastings’s address …’ She entered the details. ‘It’s about half an hour away by car in that direction.’ She pointed. ‘But something about this whole scenario doesn’t sit well with me.’
‘I know what you mean. He’s a cop. Why would he leave evidence he knows we would link to him and then abduct his family and disappear? Unless …’
Maggie felt a shiver down her spine. She didn’t want to say the words, but she knew it was what Kat was thinking. ‘Unless he wasn’t planning to ever come back.’
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Neither Kat nor Maggie spoke as they made their way back through the woods and over to the pool car. Maggie knew that everyone was trying to come up with different scenarios to explain evidence that normally would have them nailing their perpetrator. ‘Let’s go over Mrs Hastings’s crime scene. I’m not sure forensics have completed their work on site, but I can talk you through what I saw, even if it’s from a distance.’
‘I can see how revisiting the scenes can add value to the investigation when you’re stumped. It’s not too far from here if I remember correctly.’ When they got in the car, Kat punched the address into the GPS and reversed out of the car park.
‘Any regrets about going for detective now?’ Maggie looked over at Kat, noting the grin on her face.
‘Fuck no. I didn’t think I’d be working on such a big case so early on. I actually thought I’d be desk bound for a bit; but this will be great experience.’ She shifted the car into gear.
‘Just make sure you don’t burn yourself out. It’s so easy to forget to shut off in our downtime. I’m guilty of that. But if I can offer any advice, I’d say that when you’re clocked off, at home … forget about the case or you will find yourself exhausted and wondering why you have no friends other than your work colleagues.’ Maggie laughed at the irony; she needed to follow her own advice.
‘I hear ya. I’ve seen it happen and been guilty of it myself from time to time too. Think we all have.’
Kat indicated right and found a parking spot directly across from the allotment. The pair got out of the car and Kat followed as Maggie led the way to the second crime scene.
As they reached the shed, Maggie stopped. ‘I want you to look at the scene as if it was your first time seeing it. Forget all you know so far, forget the crime scene photos. We’ve been working on the premise that Sophia Hastings was taken here forcibly. Probably not long after the Hastings’s home was ransacked. See the drag marks on the floor? There has been some mention of two people carrying out this attack.’ Maggie waited to hear what Kat would conclude.
‘Hastings’s family home wasn’t the primary murder scene.’ Kat was in the zone, and Maggie smiled.
‘It is where it all started, but it isn’t where any of the murders occurred. No doubt about that. Sophia was definitely in the family house, as the neighbours had said they had seen her the night before and no one could remember seeing her leave the following day. Some blood droplets also suggest a scuffle took place, but my feeling is that the scene at the house looked staged.’
‘Like Hastings was trying to make it look like someone else was involved?’
‘Or someone else was trying to make it look like Hastings was involved.’ There was still some activity with the forensic officers happening in the shed. ‘Looks like they are still collecting evidence, so we’ll just stand out here. Can you see that couch clearly from where you are standing?’
Kat nodded. The dark blood stains were hard to miss.
‘Let’s visualise this as if it is real time. Crime scene photos only give us a snapshot. That’s where Mrs Hastings was discovered. She had numerous stab wounds to her body and a pair of garden shears protruding from her neck … here.’ Maggie indicated where the wound appeared on their victim.
‘Christ. A personal attack? Revenge maybe? Multiple wounds to the body are often done in a frenzy when the victim is known to the perpetrator.’ Kat studied the crime scene.
‘Yes. But why stage her body in the shed? It’s like the killer wanted her to be found.’ Maggie went on to explain that the shed door was wide open, with Mrs Hastings in full view of anyone who came into the allotment.
‘If we look at it from the perspective that someone is framing Hastings, maybe it was them mocking him – they took his wife, killed her, and then dumped her body somewhere they knew he would look or where they knew the police would look.’
‘Hmmm. And if it was Hastings, maybe once he calmed down and realized what he’d done, he didn’t want his wife to be left somewhere where she couldn’t be found?’
‘That works too. Fuck this is bad either way you look at it. Mind if I have a smoke?’ Kat fidgeted with her lighter.
‘Go ahead. Have a think about anything else we should be considering. Just stand back there so we don’t contaminate the scene.’
Kat raised her brow at Maggie and instantly Maggie realized she didn’t need to say that – although she may be a rookie detective, Kat was an experienced police officer. ‘Sorry. Force of habit.’
Maggie watched the forensics team as they worked. They were wrapping things up, ready to release the scene after all the evidence had been collected. That little niggle that had been poking her since they found Tim Griffiths was back again. She just couldn’t see any motive behind DCI Hastings abducting and murdering his family or the youth. DI Rutherford had told them of a few concerning happenings involving domestic abuse accusations, but even they seemed off – but Maggie couldn’t figure out what it was about them that bothered her.
She started walking through the allotment, keeping clear of the remaining forensics team as they worked. The lighting here was poor, so it would be easy to come at night and place the body. The area was fenced in and you needed a key to get on the actual allotment. She carried on along the outer perimeter when she spotted something. ‘What the fuck?’ Maggie immediately radioed Kat. ‘Finish that fag and come to the back of the allotment. Follow the path along the left side.’
‘Roger that.’
Maggie took out her mobile phone and took a few quick pictures.
‘What’s up?’ Kat looked where Maggie pointed. ‘Oh shit. Do you think that’s how the killer entered?’
There was a large hole in the fence. Enough for a body to fit through.
‘We’ll find out. I’m going to get forensics over here. Can you stay there and make sure no one contaminates the scene further?’
Maggie turned and headed back towards the area where the forensics team looked to be finishing up. She approached one of the officers and gestured for them to follow her. ‘W
ondered if you guys had the chance to look at the fence along the far back? Only I was just walking around and noticed a big hole there. Could be how the killer got in.’
‘We were just packing up – got everything we need from here, as far as I’m aware. You said at the back? I would’ve thought we’d have cordoned that off and collected what we needed.’ He pulled out a notebook and flipped through some pages. ‘Looks like nothing was processed there. The thick bushes were noted but no fence or hole. I’ll come have a look.’
Maggie turned on her heels and the forensic officer followed behind. She stopped by Kat. ‘Just there.’
The forensic officer walked through the grass to the fence and bent down. He had to force the bushes open, and this made Maggie wonder how one person and a dead weight would be able to do it.
‘I can’t say anything specific about the cut, but I’ll check it out.’ He rubbed his forehead. ‘Can you stay there, and I’ll get my equipment and collect some samples?’
Maggie nodded and turned to face Kat. ‘Dr Blake had recorded scratches on Sophia’s back and heels when Nathan and I attended the post-mortem. Could be where the body was dragged through this area – out of sight of the main entrance.’ She rubbed her hands together. ‘We’ll get Bethany to check the CCTV from over there. What street is that?’ Maggie took out her phone and opened Google Maps. ‘Long Street – can you note that down?’
The officer returned. ‘I’ve just spoken to a few of my colleagues and they confirmed that a thorough search was done when we first arrived, but with the thick brush, the hole could easily have been missed. You’ll have to speak to the officers on duty to see if they noticed anything overnight. Either way, someone will get an arse kicking for this.’
Maggie smiled. ‘Hmmm! Just glad it won’t be me for a change. Thanks again. Let’s hope it’s nothing but kids messing about.’
She turned to Kat. ‘Let’s head back. We can chat through what we found today and see if our theories match.’
Chapter Forty
Maggie tapped her foot and stood over Bethany as she waited for Kat to pass the details they collected to their colleague. She knew it was a longshot, but once Bethany interrogated the CCTV around the backstreets of the allotment, Maggie hoped even a glimmer of new information may assist in moving the investigation forward.
‘What did you find then?’ A tired voice called out.
They all turned to find a haggard-looking DI Rutherford in the doorway.
‘Are you okay?’ Maggie walked towards her and as she got closer, she thought she could smell alcohol on the DI’s breath. ‘How about we go back to your office and I’ll update you.’ Maggie expected her boss would follow and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her out of the corner of her eye.
In the DI’s office, Maggie sat down and crossed her legs. ‘Do you want to talk about what’s going on?’
‘No. Not really. Tell me about the case, instead.’ DI Rutherford shuffled some papers on her desk. Maggie’s concern grew.
‘Guv, you’re in no state to discuss the investigation. I could smell the alcohol on your breath and if you don’t mind me saying, you’re looking pretty rough. It’s late now anyway. Why don’t you go home?’ Even though Rutherford was her senior, she would never forgive herself if someone else came across the guv in this state.
The guv’s head hung low. ‘Shit. I’m never like this. I’ll be the talk of the station.’ She put her head in her hands.
‘No, you won’t. This is a difficult case and with everything going on, I’m sure the pressure from above is immense. What can I do to help?’ Maggie had never known Rutherford to be like this or have alcohol on her breath no matter how tough an investigation was. Something more than the case had to be on her mind.
‘I can’t burden you with my personal stuff, Maggie. It’s not professional. This investigation needs to be priority but …’ She burst into tears. Maggie rushed around the desk and draped her arms over DI Rutherford’s shoulders.
‘Abigail. It’s okay to share your problems. You don’t have to carry whatever it is on your own. It can be between us. But if you keep things bottled up, you’ll be no good to anyone.’ Maggie reached across and grabbed a tissue, handing it to her boss. She rarely called the guv by her first name, not because it wasn’t a done thing, but the team had always referred to her as DI Rutherford or guv; this time, though, she felt a more personal touch was needed.
‘My divorce is a mess, okay. My ex is making ridiculous claims and it looks like he’ll take me for everything I’ve got. Then I heard a rumour about the DCI coming in to cover for Hastings while all this is going on … and well, it’s just too much. This morning I woke up and just wanted to go back to bed, shut the world out and cry. Instead, I had a large drink for courage – just the one, I swear, jumped on the bus and hours later, made a fool out of myself in front of my team. What’s wrong with me?’
‘You’re human, we’ve all had days like that. Look, Nathan can hold the fort until tomorrow – go home. Get some rest and come back fresh and focused tomorrow. If there are any emergencies, we know how to get hold of you.’ Maggie started to walk out of the office when DI Rutherford called out.
‘Thanks. I appreciate your discretion. Let Nathan know I’ll ring him when I get home and explain things. Just tell him that I wasn’t feeling well or something.’ DI Rutherford stood and ran her fingers through her hair. ‘Any emergencies or developments, let me know.’
‘Will do, guv.’ Maggie returned to the open-plan office and stopped in Nathan’s office. ‘Do you have a minute?’
‘Sure. What is it?’
Maggie closed the door and sat. ‘The guv’s not feeling well. She’ll call you when she gets home and wants to be informed if there are any new developments. Speaking of which, when Kat and I went to the allotment we noticed a large hole in the fence at the back. Easily missed the first time around because of the overgrowth, but a person could definitely fit through. Kat’s asked Bethany to look at the streets behind the allotment – the killer could have parked on any one of them and dragged the body to the Hastings’s shed.’
‘Could they have done that without being spotted? If my memory is correct, there are quite a few houses on those side streets.’
‘I guess it depends on timing. But Bethany has a good eye, so if anyone can find a car, a clue, anything – it will be her.’ On that note, Maggie returned to her desk. The day was getting on and there wasn’t much for her to do. She logged off her computer and picked up her bag.
Maggie’s phone bleeped and she smiled when she read the message.
‘That’s me done for today. I’ll see you both tomorrow.’ Maggie gathered her things, waved to her colleagues, and headed home.
Chapter Forty-One
With the pressure of the case, Maggie needed a break, so when she received a text from Julie Noble just before she left work, to go out for dinner and a film, she accepted. Her brother was always nagging her to put herself first and it would be a good thing to do something for herself for a change.
Maggie looked at herself in the mirror for the hundredth time. Was her hair right? Too much make-up? Too little make-up? She held up a frilly blouse, usually kept for special occasions, against the black V-neck sweater she had on.
Fuck sake. She threw the blouse on her bed. She had no idea why she was making such a big deal or why her stomach felt like a million pins were poking her. The nerves were kicking in and if she spent any more time overanalysing things, she feared she would cancel altogether. This was one of the reasons she enjoyed just staying home. Leggings, a T-shirt, and her hair in a bun – heaven. Julie’s text had been casual – no expectations – yet Maggie all of a sudden felt self-conscious and angsty. Like a bloody teenager getting ready for a first date.
Fuck it. Jeans, black sweater, and boots – her leather jacket to finish the outfit. That’s it. No fuss. She mussed her hair, deciding to leave it down but pocketing a pony band in case it started to annoy her. She look
ed on her dresser for her favourite perfume – Olympéa by Paco Rabanne – and spritzed a few times on her wrists, neck, and sweater before heading downstairs.
‘Well, what do we have here?’ Her brother whistled. She hadn’t seen him when she stopped at the bottom of the stairs to put on her boots.
She gave him the finger. ‘Just meeting a friend for dinner and a movie.’
‘Wait … did I hear right?’ He pretended to stumble backwards as if he had been punched in the stomach. ‘You’re actually going on a date?’ He clapped.
‘Bugger off. It’s just two friends meeting – not a date, okay? I feel enough pressure as is without thinking I have to impress someone.’ She bent down and put on her boots, hoping her brother would leave it at that.
‘Well, whatever it is, enjoy yourself. Nothing wrong with having a bit of fun. I guess I better find myself a girlfriend soon.’
‘Huh?’ She looked up.
‘You know … so we can double date.’ He winked.
Maggie picked up the soft cat toy from the foot of the stairs and threw it at Andy. When it hit him, he grabbed his chest as if he had been shot.
‘Ow. No need for violence. If I’d known that bagging yourself a girlfriend was going to make you so moody, I would have stayed on holiday a little longer.’ He turned and as he walked back towards the kitchen called out: ‘Don’t behave!’
Maggie smiled as she walked out the door. She’d decided to drive to the restaurant – with a murder inquiry hanging over them, she didn’t want to risk having a drink and then being called in to work if any new developments came her way.
Dead Secret Page 15