by M A Comley
You’re worrying unnecessarily, Lorne.
Katy and AJ came out of the office, neither of them looking as if their time alone had helped.
“Are you sure you’re going to be able to drive all that way by yourself, Katy?” Lorne asked, rubbing her partner’s arm again.
“Unless the Met wants to let me highjack one of their choppers, I have limited options open to me. It’s only a couple of hours, Lorne. I can remain focused for that long I’m sure.”
Lorne nodded. “Keep us informed on how your dad is, all right?”
“I will. It’ll be via AJ, if that’s all right. I want to devote as much time to being with Dad as I can while I’m there. Crap, the guilt is rife right now. Does that ever ease?”
“With time. You have nothing to feel guilty about, Katy. Just go. You should get there before it gets dark.”
“I’m going.” She turned to AJ and pecked him on the cheek. “I’ll call you when I get there, and yes, I’ll drive carefully.”
The team wished their boss well then returned to work once Katy had left the room. Lorne was aware that she would need to keep AJ busy so his mind wouldn’t wander too much. “AJ, I want you to contact both men’s places of work to get their itinerary for the last few days. Let’s see if we can see any similarities there first before we go down any other lines of enquiries. They might have met up on a previous job or something.”
Sean held his hands up in front of him. “Right, I see you have this under control for now, Lorne. I have a few tasks awaiting my attention on my desk. I should be finished within an hour or two.”
“You can leave the investigation in our capable hands for now, Chief. I’ll call you if I need any assistance.”
Sean raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and walked out of the room.
During the rest of the afternoon, the team embarked on their duties in a subdued atmosphere. Lorne found herself distracted when her mind drifted to what Katy was going through. Losing her own father suddenly had been a devastating ordeal for Lorne, one that she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. She hoped that Katy’s father had a strong heart and that he overcame his plight quickly. The statistics of people suffering a heart attack the second they gave up work to enjoy their retirement had never sat comfortably with Lorne. The body was an undiscovered law unto itself at times. She made a note to say an extra prayer for Katy’s dad that night.
Mentally exhausted, Lorne instructed the team to call it a day at six. Wearily, she drove home, running through how she should broach the subject to Tony about her forced temporary promotion.
Charlie was in the paddock, training Sheba on the obstacle course, when Lorne pulled into the drive. “Hey, you two, you’re looking good. Can you give me five minutes to have a private chat with Tony, sweetheart?”
Charlie waved her hand in front of her. “Of course. We’ll be in for dinner in about half an hour, Mum.”
“Crikey, give me a chance.”
“The dinner is done. No need for you to get your hands dirty. Tony and I threw a few ingredients into a dish and made a chicken casserole.”
Lorne blew her daughter a kiss. “You two are brilliant. What would I ever do without you?”
“Mainly? You’d starve. Did you have a good day?”
“I’ll fill you in over dinner, sweetie. Quite eventful really,” Lorne called over her shoulder as she crossed the driveway and walked towards the house.
Tony was chopping the accompanying vegetables and putting them in a pot when she walked through the back door. “Hello, you. Good day?” He kissed her on the cheek.
“Kind of. Can we sit down and have a chat?”
Tony’s nose wrinkled. “Oops… that sounds ominous. Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all. I think I might have, though. Be gentle with me, okay?”
Lorne grabbed Tony’s hand and led him over to the table. Once seated, she gripped both of his hands in her own and looked down at the way his fingers entwined effortlessly around hers. She loved this man so much.
“You’re starting to worry me, love. Should I be worried?”
“Not really. Okay, I’m just going to come straight out with it. Katy has had to return to Manchester. Her dad’s suffered a massive heart attack.”
“Oh, Lorne, that’s dreadful. What are the odds on him making it?”
“They’re not sure yet. She’s driven up there alone. It’s a tough call for her. She’ll ring when she has any news either way.”
“I wish her dad the best. Now what are you fretting about? I have a rough idea what you’re going to say next anyway.”
“You do?”
Tony smiled. “I’m not daft, Lorne. I know how these things work. I take it you’re in charge of the team, temporarily, am I right?”
“Yes, you are. Sorry, darling, I tried to get out of it, but…”
“Why are you apologising?”
“Because it means that I will be reneging on a deal we made. That doesn’t sit comfortably with me. You’d feel the same if the tables were turned, yes?”
“It’s not the same in the slightest, Lorne. This is an emergency. Neither of us could have anticipated such dire circumstances falling upon us. Anyway, I’m not that much of an ogre that I would expect you to keep to your word all the time. ‘Shit happens,’ as a wise man once said.” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.
“I was so lucky the day you walked into my life.”
Tony tilted his head back and laughed. “I seem to recall at the time you were cursing that particular event. We hardly hit it off the second we met, did we?”
Lorne’s memory drifted back to the secretive meeting he’d called when he was a MI6 agent, regarding the Unicorn and the mole he’d helped uncover in her team at the time. Actually, Tony had done so much more than uncovering the mole. If it hadn’t been for his relentless digging, she would have been none the wiser about AJ coming from a well-to-do family with a father high up in the government. Not that it affected AJ in the least—he was such an unpretentious, compassionate guy. That’s why Katy had fallen for him after working alongside him for only a few months.
“Penny for them?”
Lorne shook herself out of her daze. “Just reflecting on our first meeting. That and other similar episodes that have occurred in the years since that eventful day. Like I’ve said already, I’m lucky to have found you. How’s your case going? I take it you’ve decided to proceed with it?”
“Yep, Joe and I are going to begin in earnest tomorrow. We carried out a few background checks today, just to verify the authenticity of the case, and everything appeared to be genuine enough. We’ll start going over the missing man’s movements on that day and go from there. I think, initially, it will be a case of pounding the pavement, armed with his photo and asking if anyone can remember seeing him just before he went missing. Let’s hope we find the guy anyway. His wedding is fast approaching. I can only imagine the expense that has entailed.”
“Good luck. If I can be of assistance, just shout.”
“Thanks. I’ll tell you what you can do to help right now—either lay the table or dish up dinner.”
“I don’t mind serving up. I think I’m a little better at portion control than you are. You can go and tell Charlie the coast is clear. I asked her to give us five minutes for a chat.”
Tony tutted and shook his head. “You mean you were dreading telling me that much, eh? When will you learn, Mrs. Warner?”
Lorne grinned. “I know. I’m totally dumb at times.”
Chapter Seven
Lorne arrived at work early the following morning to find AJ already tapping at his keyboard. “Did you sleep here last night?”
He glanced up and gave her a quick smile. “Not quite. I worked until ten, went home, and came back in at six this morning.”
“Why? Cold bed wit
hout Katy around?”
“You know me so well. I miss her.”
“I do, too, if it’s any consolation. Have you heard from her yet?”
He swivelled his chair in her direction and sat back. “Yeah, her dad isn’t so good. Worse than any of them feared, I think. He’s on all kinds of machines right now. Not sure he’s responding well to the treatment or not. It’s hard for them to tell just yet.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s try and remain positive about things, eh? What are you working on?”
“I don’t know. This and that. A lot of things all at the same time, really. I keep switching between the CCTV discs to the men’s background checks, hoping that something I’ve missed shows up. No good so far, though.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, AJ. You’re doing a great job. Whoever said a copper’s job was an easy one was a born bloody liar. Nothing is ever cut and dried. You know that, hon.”
“I know. I’m just used to spotting things that others fail to see. It’s just not working like that on this case. I might dump everything I have and start afresh. What do you think?”
“I still think you’re being too harsh on yourself. There is such a thing as trying too hard, AJ—”
The phone on Lorne’s desk interrupted her. She took three strides and answered it. “Hello. DS Warner. How may I help?”
“Sorry to disturb you, ma’am. It’s control here. I thought you might like to know that a body has been found on your patch.”
AJ had turned back to look at his computer screen. Lorne clicked her fingers to get his attention then put the phone on speaker. “I see. And where was the body found?”
“In a car park, close to the river in Wandsworth Park.”
“I see. Okay, we’ll get down there straight away. I take it the pathologist has been made aware of the discovery and the location?”
“Yes, ma’am. She’s on her way down there now.”
“Thanks. We’ll get over there ASAP, the second the rest of the team turn up for duty.”
Lorne hung up. “I suppose I better try and contact the chief, make him aware. I have a feeling I’m going to get lumbered with babysitting him. I’d much rather have you as a partner but… them’s the breaks!” She added the last part behind her hand conspiratorially.
“Makes sense to have me here, going through the relevant information, Lorne. Hopefully, something will spring into life soon. I’m still trying to track down one of the bosses of the deceased men to get their worksheet. I’ll focus on making that happen while you’re out and about today, if you like?”
“Good idea. There has to be something obvious linking these crimes. I’m just hoping this scene doesn’t end up being a third victim. The second the controller mentioned the body was found in a car park, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.”
“Never thought of that. I hope you’re wrong.”
The door swung open, and the rest of the team filtered in. Lorne filled them in and asked them all to revisit what they’d been working on the day before until any new information came to hand. Then she walked along the corridor to DCI Roberts’s office.
His personal assistant welcomed her with a warm smile. “He’s just on the phone, Sergeant. Or should that be ‘Acting Detective Inspector’?”
“It should be, yes, but you know me—I’m not really one for blowing my own trumpet.” She let out a large breath. “Looks like we have another body to contend with. I just hope it’s not connected.” She looked at her wrist, noting the time—almost nine o’clock. Come on Sean. Time’s marching on.
“Oh, how awful. There’s no such thing as being safe nowadays, is there?” Sean’s assistant stated. “Ah, he’s finished his call.” She leapt out of her chair and knocked on his door. When beckoned, she opened the door and announced Lorne’s arrival.
Lorne thanked the woman and walked into Sean’s office. “Morning. How’s things?”
“Social call is this, Sergeant? And there was me thinking you were knee-deep in a murder investigation.”
Lorne pulled a face at him. “I’m just heading out to another scene and wondered if you intended tagging along?”
“I see. Another victim to do with the case you’re already working, do you think?”
“My list of attributes might be extensive, but being a mind reader isn’t one of them, Chief. I won’t know until I attend the scene and see for myself. Are you coming with me, or am I going it alone?”
“Like I told you yesterday, I’ll be partnering you on this investigation.”
“Then I hate to rush you, but I think we should get our arses over to the scene ASAP.”
Sean pushed back his chair and hitched on his jacket. “Then what are we waiting for? My car or yours?”
Lorne shrugged. “Couldn’t give a damn, sir.”
He winked at her. “I can tell this is going to be fun. Just like old times when we were first starting out on the job.”
Lorne turned on her heel, swept her mid-length brown hair over her shoulder, and mumbled, “Christ, I bloody hope not. You were even more insufferable back then.”
Patti and her team were already in attendance when Lorne and Sean pulled into the car park. Lorne flashed her ID at the uniformed officer behind the crime scene tape.
“Hi, Patti. I’m not sure if you’ve had the pleasure of meeting my boss before or not. This is DCI Sean Roberts.”
Patti showed her bloody gloves as if apologising for not shaking his hand. “Pleased to meet you. No Katy?”
“No, she’s been called away on a family emergency, hence me being lumb… I mean, hence me being partnered with DCI Roberts. Can you tell us if the cases are connected at all, Patti?”
“I’ve only been here a short time myself, Lorne. However, my initial findings are intimating that might be the case.”
“How can you tell, Patti?” Roberts asked as he bent down to study the body.
Lorne tutted and handed him a spare pair of plastic gloves from her jacket pocket. “You might want to put these on, sir, before you go any nearer to the body.”
Sean looked up and glared at Lorne. “I’m well aware that I shouldn’t touch the body without protection, Sergeant. I’ll thank you not to treat me like a novice.”
Patti and Lorne exchanged glances. Then Patti pointed out that the body had a head injury similar to the first two victims’. “The only thing different that I’ve picked up so far is the fact that there was no hosepipe used. That could be a case of the murderers becoming sloppy, or it might indicate the likelihood of them being disturbed around the time the murder was being committed.”
“Which is probable, given the location. Why is the murderer carrying out these crimes in such public locations?” Sean asked.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out, boss. Why indeed? Have you got an ID on the victim yet, Patti?”
Patti flipped over a wallet she’d already sealed in one of the evidence bags. The man’s name and photo stared back at them. “Jeff Whitmore. Here’s the thing, you’ll never guess what kind of work he does.”
“Let me think—judging by what we’ve found out about the other guys already, I’m going to guess he’s a tradesman of sorts. The question is which one?”
“Correct. Looks like he’s a plasterer.”
“How strange. That has to be the link, doesn’t it? Do we know how long he’s been dead?” Lorne asked.
Patti chewed the inside of her lip for a second or two. “I’d say no more than four to five hours.”
“How do you know he’s a plasterer, Patti?” Sean asked. He approached the man’s vehicle and looked in the back of the car.
“Well, although the car he’s in appears to be a personal vehicle, unlike the other victims, I can see remnants of plaster dust in the rear and a few tools of the trade. Apart from that, his ID states that he belo
ngs to the Master Federation of Plasterers.”
Sean rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I see. Is he around the same age as the other victims?”
Lorne stood over the victim and assessed his age. “I guess they’re similar in age. I’d probably put this guy at being a little older. Why?”
Sean shrugged. “I don’t know. Thought it would be a good question to ask.”
“Oh, that’s all right then. You just let us know if you determine the significance behind your question, boss. Until then, it’s always best if we stick to the facts.”
Sean glared at her. “Your sarcasm needs to be kept under control, Sergeant.”
Patti cleared her throat. “Is playtime finished now, children?”
Lorne chuckled. “Sorry, Patti. I forgot how easy it is to wind my boss up. I promise to behave from now on. So, again, we’ve established he’s a tradesman. We have to be looking at all the men working at the same location, and yet, our initial questioning didn’t come up with any likely place of interest.”
Sean studied the scene around him, looking thoughtful. “What if their employers didn’t know?” he offered.
Lorne rubbed at her chin. “If you’re suggesting that each of them were working on the side, we’re already looking into that angle.”