He was about to ignore this latest email when something niggled at the back of his mind. Like a whisper in a dark room. He clicked into his emails and saw it was from forensics. His excitement grew at reading the subject of the email.
Results were in on the lipstick seized from the dump site Julie Carver had been found at. There were no fingerprints on the casing. The killer had likely worn gloves of some description. He was forensically aware.
The make of lipstick was a common brand called Velvet Berry by House of Maven. You could buy this colour and make at any store that sold make-up. It was a popular country-wide brand. There was no way to identify where the killer had bought his lipstick from. They were sorry they didn’t have better news for him.
Dominic slammed his hand down on the top of his desk.
‘Sarge?’ Paul spoke from his desk opposite.
Dominic told him what the email said.
‘That’s shit. We’d hoped he’d left us some prints on the case. It was a nice shiny surface. Bloody wanker.’
‘It has to mean something to him though,’ said Dominic. ‘You don’t go to the trouble of buying women’s make-up if it doesn’t mean something. Not if you’re going to kill the woman you’re meeting up with and—’ he made air quotes with his fingers — ‘giving it to.’
‘That’s one way to put it.’ Paul grimaced. ‘But yeah. He’s sick in the head and only he knows what this lipstick means to him.’
‘And that has to change, Paul. We have to figure it out. We have to know what it means to him. It could help us get that step closer to him.’
Chapter 21
Claudia
Fifteen hours after Ruth’s attack
‘You ruled the dog walker out?’ Claudia sat back in her chair.
‘You’re going all the way back there?’ Dominic’s eyelid twitched.
‘You know the way interviews work, Dominic. Don’t play coy. We go through everything you’ve said; we don’t just pick out the interesting things or the parts you want us to focus on. Doing that might lead us in the wrong direction and that’s the whole reason they have me in here, to prevent this investigation going off on a tangent.’
‘They really think that having you arrest and interview me will get them what they want?’
Claudia bit at her lip a minute while she thought through what he had said. Kane allowed her the time. He kept his laid-back position in his chair, mug in his hand.
‘What is it you think they want?’ Her brows creased over her eyes.
‘To trip me up. To get me into a tangled mess and to admit to killing Ruth.’ A flush crept up Dominic’s face.
‘You mean they didn’t send me in here to find out the truth?’
Dominic leapt up from his chair. The force of his legs pushing him to his feet shot the chair out from under him and it toppled backwards, the metal frame clanging loudly as it hit the ground in the small room.
Claudia and Kane stayed where they were. Dominic pressed his palms on the table and leaned towards them.
‘Stop trying to trip me up. I’m here because I want to find my wife. I want Ruth and I want your help in finding her. You’re cops, do your jobs and help me find her.’
Claudia stared up at him, then stood, walked around the table and picked up the toppled chair, righting it behind Dominic. ‘Please sit back down. You’re here because you’re under arrest on suspicion of her murder. We’ve moved way past you being here asking for help.’ His temper had flared when he thought they were trying to trip him up. Why would he be worried about that if he had nothing to hide? Claudia had never seen him so volatile. It created more questions in her mind and she didn’t like it. What she needed to do now was get him back under control.
He stared down at her as she sat back in her own chair.
‘However, there is still an entire team working behind me on trying to locate Ruth and bring her home.’ She indicated the chair. ‘I won’t tell you again. Sit in the chair or I will end this interview and put you in a cell until you can calm down and that won’t get us anywhere, will it? You claim to want to find Ruth. Then get your arse down and do as you’re told.’
Dominic’s fingers closed into a fist on the tabletop. Kane shifted in his seat and put the mug down. Claudia gave a slight shake of her head. Dominic sank down into the chair she had placed behind him. His fingers relaxed.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m frustrated being locked up in here when I feel I could be doing more out there to find her.’
‘If you believe your investigation is the crux of the problem then don’t you think you’re in the best place? Talking through it and letting us find lines of enquiry from within your investigation, from things you tell us?’
Dominic put his head in his hands. ‘You’re right. And I shouldn’t worry about my current predicament because it’s only temporary. I didn’t do it and I trust in you guys to find out the truth so I’ll be out of here at some point, but you have to see how it feels to be tangled up in this.’
Claudia stared across the table at him. ‘If what you’re saying is the truth, then yes, you will be out of here in no time. You do have to trust the process. I’m here because I want to know what happened to Ruth and nothing else. I’m not here for any other reason. You can trust that I’m not trying to screw you over and tie you up for this.’
Dominic leaned back and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
‘Thanks for going through the start of the case with us. I’m going to leave you for now, give you a break — we’ve been going at it a few hours — while I go and see if the CSU have finished at your address. There’s a question I need answering.’
‘What is it?’ Dominic asked.
‘I’ll let you know when I have my answer. But don’t worry. I’ll keep you updated.’
And with that she ended the interview and walked Dominic to his cell. He shuffled through the door into the small square space and turned and looked at her. Kane stood behind her like a personal guard refusing to allow her pain of any description.
‘I’m sorry,’ Dominic said as Claudia gripped the handle and stared into the cell at him.
‘Promise me you didn’t do this.’
‘I promise, Claudia. But do as you are, follow the information. It’ll lead you to the truth.’
She inclined her head and pushed on the solid heavy metal door, feeling the click as the locking mechanism slotted into place securing Dominic in his cell.
Her eyes were damp. She steeled herself and pulled back her shoulders.
‘You need anything?’ asked Kane. His bald head shining under the strip lights.
Claudia placed a hand on his arm. ‘You being here is enough, Russ. Thank you.’ She turned her back on the cell door and walked away. She had some enquiries she needed to make before she could talk to Dominic again.
Chapter 22
Claudia
They were miles away from their home station here in the custody suite, but Claudia needed to access her emails and she also needed a conversation with Sharpe for what she had in mind. She didn’t dare do it without first discussing it with a supervising officer. Not considering the complexities of this case. She didn’t want to be accused of favouritism further down the line.
There was a report-writing room in the custody block with computer terminals for officers to complete their paperwork. Claudia logged on while Kane went for a bathroom break. What she was looking for wasn’t there so she made a phone call. The forensics team had finished at Dominic’s house. They’d cleared out about ten minutes ago.
‘What about the blood?’ she asked, her stomach twisting in on itself as she formed the question in her mind. ‘Can a person live with that amount of blood loss?’
The forensic tech on the other end of the line was quiet a moment. Claudia could hear paper shuffling. It sounded as though he was checking his notes. ‘There was approximately three pints on the floor. You’re on the borderline of whether they survived. A person can’t live if they
lose forty percent of their blood volume. You’re looking at over four pints. If this person is alive then they are in dire need of medical attention. I’d suggest you need to find them as soon as possible.’
Claudia’s stomach stopped twisting and it dropped. She felt sick. This was Ruth they were talking about. ‘You’re sure?’ she said. Yes, they’d arrested Dominic on suspicion of her murder, but she’d secretly held out hope that the forensic team would come back with news that the blood on the floor was not enough to cause serious harm. Even though it was obvious from looking at it. To have all her fears confirmed was like a gut punch.
He sighed down the phone.
Kane walked in behind her. She turned and gave him a weak smile. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said to the tech. ‘Of course you’re sure. You know many of us investigating this are close to her.’
‘Yeah. I’m sorry about that. Look, she could be alive. You just need to get to her. Don’t give up hope.’
‘But we need to find her quickly.’
‘The quicker the better. I hate to say this but she’s going to be running out of time if she isn’t getting medical help right now and I’d suggest whoever has done this to her doesn’t have medical help high on their list of priorities.’
‘You’re testing the blood against the DNA I submitted to make sure it’s Ruth Harrison’s, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, we should have it back with you in a couple of hours. It’s coming down from above that this is high priority and we’re to do it straight away.’
‘I’m interviewing a suspect, will you let me know as soon as you have the results, please?’ She gave him her mobile number as well as her email and the extension of the custody block she was in.
‘I got your half of that conversation.’ Kane sank into the chair beside her.
‘We have to find her quickly, she’s running out of time, Russ. The blood loss. It’s too much. She needs to get to a hospital.’
Kane tapped at the desk. ‘I’m sorry, Claudia.’
She shook her head. ‘No. Don’t go there. We haven’t lost her yet. I have an idea. I just need to run it past Sharpe. They seem to be in the mood for the unusual today, so I’m hoping it’s a streak that will continue.’
Claudia picked up the phone and dialled DCI Maddison Sharpe. She answered on the second ring. ‘Sharpe.’ It was a quiet bark into the handset.
‘Ma’am,’ Claudia spoke. ‘It’s Claudia Nunn. I have a bit of an update and want to run something past you.’
‘I’ve spoken to Forensics,’ Sharpe said. ‘I’m sorry the news isn’t better. How’s the interview going?’
Claudia let out a small breath of air. ‘It’s slow going. I’m starting at the beginning of his investigation. He’s claiming it’s connected and as Ruth’s also connected to the case I thought I may as well start there.’
‘Okay, and?’ Sharpe was to the point.
‘I don’t know what you’re going to make of this suggestion, but I want to take Dominic to the house.’
‘What house?’
‘His house. Forensics have finished. I want to go through the house with him. See if he can see anything out of place. He knows the house better than anyone. It’s not something we’d usually do, but . . .’
There was silence down the line.
‘Ma’am?’
‘You think it’ll help?’
‘We’re on the clock to find Ruth. I don’t think it can hurt, do you? Kane and I will take him. I’m not concerned that he won’t play ball. He’s sticking to his story that he didn’t do this and wants to find Ruth before anything worse happens. The news that she could still be alive goes in his favour as far as his arrest is concerned as well. You can’t have a murder charge if she’s still alive. If he’s on the up and up he’ll be no trouble. Plus he’s a cop when all is said and done.’
‘Exactly, he knows this isn’t supposed to happen.’
‘I got the idea from him actually. Not that he took a suspect to a crime scene exactly. But he did enter a potential crime scene with family members, hoping they’d see something Forensics wouldn’t pick up because they didn’t know the victim. A more personal touch. It might just help. We have to try everything.’ She was rambling now but she was determined. Anything to find Ruth. ‘He’ll also know how much we’re trying to find Ruth.’
‘You can promise me this won’t leave me with egg on my face, Claudia?’
Claudia nearly laughed but let out a small cough instead. ‘As much as you can promise me that being the interviewer for this investigation won’t come back to haunt me, ma’am.’
Another sigh. ‘You have your permission, DI Nunn. Do not let him run from you.’
‘He’s not going to do that.’
‘I trust you, Claudia. I trust Kane. Be careful.’
‘You dragged me into this, I should hope you trust me.’
Chapter 23
Claudia
The drive over to the house was tense. Dominic’s hands were in front of him, encased in rigid metal cuffs fastened around his wrists.
‘You know we have to do this,’ Claudia had said as Kane secured them at the cell door after she’d explained what they were going to do.
‘You’ve really got permission for this?’ Dominic asked again from the rear seat.
‘Do you think we’d be on the way over if we hadn’t?’ Claudia turned around to face him from her position in the passenger seat.
‘What does this mean? They think I did it or they don’t?’ he asked.
‘There’s no they in this. It is entirely my suggestion and they’re letting me run with it. So please don’t let me regret it.’
‘So?’
‘What?’
‘You think I did it or you don’t?’ Dominic’s voice was quiet, like he was scared of the answer.
Claudia let out a sigh. ‘I want to find Ruth. I want to know where she is and I want to find her in time to save her. She’s lost a lot of blood if that blood in your garage was hers. She’s running out of time. If having you look around the house can bring us any closer to that aim, then that’s what we’re going to do. Other than that I’m trying not to think about it. It’s too difficult to get my head around. I’m going where the evidence takes me. It’s the only way for me to work this.’
Claudia turned back around to look out of the windscreen.
Five minutes later they were pulling up outside Dominic and Ruth’s address. There was a uniformed officer on the front door guarding it from any unwarranted access. Claudia flashed him her identification and he scribbled all their names in his pad. He flinched slightly when Dominic’s name was given. He had obviously been pre-warned about this little excursion.
Claudia unlocked the door and the three of them trooped in.
There were obvious signs of the CSU having been here. Dust from fingerprinting lay on the shiny surfaces, door handles and edges of doors. The narrow table in the entryway.
There wasn’t much in here. A pair of trainers and some letters on the table. A mirror over the table and a charger with its cord wrapped around it. ‘Notice anything out of place in here?’ Claudia asked.
Dominic shook his head. ‘I don’t understand what you think I’ll find that CSU didn’t.’
She turned and snapped at him, her patience wearing thin. ‘We’ve nothing to go on. Your neighbours haven’t seen anything, this is the only thing I can think of to try. If you can’t be bothered we can always take you back to your cell.’
Dominic grunted. ‘No, it’s fine. I get it. I’m here, aren’t I?’
Claudia pushed a hand through her hair. ‘Well damn well behave as though you have as much to lose as the rest of us then.’
His shoulders sunk under her glare. ‘You’re right. I’m sorry. Shall we go through the rest of the house?’
They moved upstairs and quietly walked through each and every room. Dominic paused as they stood at the threshold of their bedroom. Claudia waited,
not forcing him to step into the space. With a deep breath he crossed into it. He stared at the bed. A bed he had shared with his wife, the woman they were searching for with a fear in their hearts they could not express. He looked away and turned to the rest of the room.
‘Anything?’ asked Claudia.
He shook his head, opened up the wardrobe doors, peered into the drawers and rummaged through the contents. It was difficult with his handcuffs on. He didn’t say anything. Nothing was out of place and no item was there that shouldn’t have been.
They trailed downstairs, first Kane, then Dominic and bringing up the rear was Claudia.
The living room was warm and welcoming. Cushions thrown all over the sofa, a couple of thick woollen throws for cooler evenings when snuggles were called for rather than the oppressiveness of central heating. Photographs dotted the walls. Claudia looked at them and swallowed. The smiles. Bright, happy.
‘My mug is gone. I left it down at the side of the sofa.’ Dominic pointed with both hands as they were tethered to each other.
‘I presume CSU have probably taken it. We have to expect things will have been removed, but let me know if you can see any others and we will check with CSU when we get back. Make sure they all marry up with them and that nothing has gone walkabout by other means. When did you last see it?’
Dominic lifted his eyes to the ceiling. ‘This morning.’
‘Not likely it was taken by anyone else then, is it?’ she snapped at him again. This was getting harder than she had imagined it would be. She’d told Sharpe she could do this, but for all she tried to control them, she was a living breathing human and her emotions were leaking out.
Dominic didn’t respond.
‘Anything else in here?’ she asked.
BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book 1) Page 11