by M A Comley
“I wasn’t aware of that. Had I been aware, then I would have kept my opinion to myself. I take it your heavy workload is to do with the case you’re working on?”
“That’s right, ma’am. We’re now looking at three murders within the last seventy-two hours.”
DCI Davis’s demeanour faltered for the briefest of moments as she fidgeted in her chair. “That’s very unfortunate. Do you have any leads?”
“Not yet. The only things linking the first two crimes are the bike and the fact that both victims knew Lincoln James. We’re unsure if the latest victim is connected to Mr. James, but the bike was certainly involved. I intend ringing Mr. James in a few minutes to ask the question.”
“Are you saying that you believe he’s behind the murders?”
“No, that’s the problem—I don’t believe he is, although something isn’t sitting right with me. I can’t for the life of me uncover what it is that is bugging me. Background checks have brought up nothing. My thinking is that someone has some kind of vendetta against him and they’re intent on punishing those around him.”
“Have you suggested that theory to him?”
Kayli nodded. “Yes, he seemed genuine enough when he told me he couldn’t figure out who would do such a thing, and according to him, he hasn’t fallen out with anyone lately.”
“How strange. I suppose it’s early days with the latest victim?”
“It is. I’ve sent two of my team to inform the victim’s next of kin. Dave’s leading that side of things and will ask if the victim had a connection with Lincoln James. Until we receive the response, we’re none the wiser.”
“So what next? Do you need something from me, Inspector?”
Kayli inhaled a large breath then let it out slowly as she thought. “More resources. I know the likelihood of that happening is zilch, but we now have a dangerous serial killer on our patch, ma’am. Talking to the pathologist this morning, she thinks we should lock down the city.”
DCI Davis jolted upright in her chair, and a little tic began at the corner of her right eye. “Well, that’s not going to happen. The pathologist needs to concentrate on her job and let us proceed with ours.”
“While I don’t entirely agree with her, ma’am, we do need to come up with something that will work in our favour. I’ve already got the night patrols on the street keeping an eye on the B4054, the location where the first two crimes were committed.”
“Good idea. Are you telling me that the third crime took place elsewhere?”
“Yes. In the city at Temple Way. Whether the killer realised the B4054 was being watched, I have no idea.”
“It’s a pretty big area for our division to patrol. I can see what I can do about getting you extra help, but I’ll have to run that past the superintendent first. He’ll have to sign it off.”
“As long as he doesn’t come down heavily on me for not being capable of doing my job. You know I’ve never asked for help in solving a case before, ma’am.”
“Don’t worry. Leave him to me. I have confidence in you and your abilities as an inspector. That is not an issue with me. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Apart from to arrange for the Armed Response Teams in the area to be put on standby, no, nothing, ma’am.”
“Well, they’re always on alert. Nonetheless, I’ll definitely make them aware of the situation and mention your name as a contact.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it, ma’am.”
“Very well. Keep me abreast of the investigation from now on, Inspector.”
“I’ll do that, ma’am. Thank you.” She left her chair and walked towards the door.
“Oh, Inspector, one last thing.”
“Yes, ma’am?” Kayli asked, looking over her shoulder.
“Take care of yourself. If things begin to feel like they’re overwhelming you, then let me know.”
“I will, ma’am. The only thing this case is doing so far is frustrating the hell out of me.” Kayli closed the door behind her and sighed heavily.
“That bad, eh?” Fiona asked.
“Not really. I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Thanks for squeezing me in.”
“No problem. Good luck with the case, Inspector.”
When Kayli returned to the incident room, Donna was waiting for her, eyes wide with excitement.
“Tell me they’ve found the bastard?”
Donna shook her head. “Not quite as good as that, boss.”
“Come on, Donna, you know I hate being kept in suspense.”
“They think they’ve found the bike.”
“What? Who? Where?”
Donna smiled. “The control room just took a call from a fisherman who spotted the bike at the bottom of the river. Maybe the killer dumped it in the dark after last night’s attack, not realising how shallow the river was.”
“That’s excellent news. I need to get over there and see for myself. Shit! Dave’s out there already on another mission. I’ll just have to go by myself.”
“Want me to ring him? Tell him to meet you at the location once he’s finished?”
“Yes, that makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is why the killer would dump the bike.”
“Maybe he discovered he had a conscience after he’d killed the last victim.”
“You could be right, Donna. Give me the location, and I’ll make a move. So much for having the time to shove a coffee down my neck,” she grumbled, throwing a wishful look at the vending machine.
Donna handed her a Post-it with the address, and she set off straight away.
“Don’t forget to ring Dave!” Kayli shouted before she left the room.
CHAPTER TWELVE
When Kayli arrived at the scene, crime scene tape already surrounded the riverfront. A uniformed officer was chatting to a man wearing waterproofs: the fisherman who had made the call, Kayli suspected.
She approached the two men. “Hi, I’m DI Kayli Bright. Can you tell me what happened, sir?”
“I’m Ross Lynch. I was fishing in my usual spot. I usually get here about sixish, as I find I catch more fish at that time of the morning. Anyway, as the dawn broke, something caught my eye in the water. I saw the appeal go out yesterday about a Harley-Davidson and rung the police right away.”
“And you didn’t notice the bike on any other occasions?”
“No, it definitely wasn’t there yesterday. Look at it—it’s in too good a nick to have been in the water more than a few hours.”
“That’s good enough for me. I’ll leave you to take down Mr. Lynch’s statement, Constable.” She smiled at the two men then marched towards the bike that two Scenes of Crime Officers were examining. “Anything of use yet, guys?”
The eldest of the two men shook his head. “Looks like someone has tried their hardest to make life difficult for us.”
“In what way?” Kayli frowned then tapped the side of her head with her fist. “Never mind, I see the licence plates have been removed.”
“That’s just the start of it. The serial number has been scratched out.”
“Damn. Will you guys be able to still decipher it?”
The older technician smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. “We have ways of overcoming such vandalism. It’ll have to wait until we’re back at the lab, though.”
“Brilliant. Can you get the results back to me ASAP? The quicker we can get this shit in a cell, the better.”
“Agreed. Leave it with us. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to get a result for you by the end of the day—if all goes according to plan, that is.”
“Excellent news. I doubt there’s going to be DNA left on the bike, if it’s been in water,” Kayli said.
“No, that is very unlikely. However, we’ll do our best. There might be an odd fibre left on the bodywork here and there.”
“See what you can do. That’s all I can ask.” Kayli turned when she heard a car screech to a halt behind her. Dave and Graeme rushed across the grassy area to join her.
&n
bsp; “That’s it?” Dave pointed at the motorbike still dripping water onto the grass.
“Yep, but it’s been vandalised to prevent us from getting an ID on it. The guys are hopeful they’ll be able to come up with something useful by the end of the day. How did you two get on?”
His gaze still locked on the bike, Dave replied, “We spoke to the husband. Yes, he was distraught.”
“I can imagine. Did you manage to establish what she was doing out at that time of the morning?”
“She’d been babysitting at her daughter’s house while her daughter and her husband went out to celebrate their wedding anniversary. She was driving home when the incident occurred.”
“Damn. Hate it when that happens. Okay, did you ask the husband if his wife knew Lincoln James?”
Dave nodded, drawing his attention away from the bike to look at her. “I did. He really wasn’t sure. But said he was finding it exceedingly difficult to concentrate on my questions in light of what had happened.”
“Understandable. I think I’ll drop by the bar.” Kayli glanced at her watch; it was almost eleven thirty. “Lincoln should be there by now. Why don’t you two head back to the station, and I’ll return once I’ve questioned James.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to tag along?” Dave asked.
“If you want. Are you going to trust Graeme to drive your car?”
“I thought he could drive your car back to the station,” Dave shot back promptly.
“Did you? That was a mistake on your part, partner. Hand your keys over.”
“I could always flag down a taxi,” Graeme volunteered.
Dave reluctantly handed over the keys to his vehicle. “Be gentle with her. She’s not as suped-up as yours for a reason, mate.”
Graeme chuckled and took the keys. “I’ll treat her as if she’s just come off the forecourt, mate.”
Kayli shook her head at their banter and headed towards her car. “When you two have quite finished, we have an important case to solve. See you in a little while, Graeme. Any scratches on Dave’s car, and you’ll have me to deal with, got that?”
“Message received, boss.” Graeme jumped behind the steering wheel and started up the engine. He revved the throttle a few times, just to get Dave’s back up.
“Bastard. He better treat her well,” Dave complained under his breath.
“He will. He’s winding you up. To my knowledge, he’s never had an accident whilst on duty.”
Dave turned and raised an eyebrow. “There’s always a first time.”
Laughing, Kayli tapped his arm. “Come on, we’re wasting time. Get in the car.”
They parked on double yellow lines outside the Watering Hole around ten minutes later. The bar was quieter than it’d been during their previous visit. They found Lincoln James at the end of the bar, having a discussion with a young woman who was terribly familiar. After wracking her brain for a few minutes, Kayli still couldn’t place her. When Lincoln saw Dave and Kayli, his smile dropped.
“Hello, Inspector. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he said, approaching them. He leaned forward and asked quietly, “Have you found the person responsible for killing Carmen and Adam yet?”
“Not yet. Our enquiries are ongoing, Lincoln. Mind if we have a quiet word in your office?”
“Sure, let me get someone to cover.” He summoned one of the bartenders from around the other side of the bar and joined Kayli and Dave at the entrance to his office.
Once inside, they all took a seat. Kayli watched the man’s expression carefully as she disclosed why they were there. “Do you know a Brenda Godfrey, Lincoln?”
“Let me think. The name isn’t ringing any bells. Should I know her?”
“The lady lost her life last night.”
His brow creased, and he scratched the side of his face. “What? And you think there’s a connection to Carmen and Adam’s deaths?”
“Yes, we’re connecting all three deaths because this lady was also killed by someone on a Harley-Davidson. Are you sure you don’t know the lady or anyone who rides a Harley?”
“No. I’ve never heard of the woman. Do you have a photo of her?”
“Not yet. The crime scene photo would have been too gruesome to have bandied around. I could ask the lady’s husband for a photo if you like?”
“Maybe she comes in the bar a lot. I definitely don’t recognise the name, sorry.”
“It was worth a shot.” Kayli cringed, realising she’d mentioned the word shot.
“So you think this person is guilty of three murders now. Why haven’t they been picked up by now, Inspector?”
“Because in spite of putting the appeal in the media, people have been slow in coming forward with a possible name for the culprit. We can only go on the evidence or clues presented to us, and at present, they’re disappointingly minimal.” She had no intention of telling him they had possibly discovered the offender’s bike.
“What is wrong with people? Someone must know the individual who has done this, or could it be possible that more than one person is involved? Have you thought about that, Inspector?”
“Yes, we’ve thought about that. However, with the witness statements we have to hand, we believe we’re only looking for the one offender. Right, we better get on with the investigation. Ring me if Brenda’s name comes to mind in the next day or so.”
Dave and Kayli followed Lincoln back to the bar area, where Kayli shook Lincoln’s hand.
After they’d left the bar, Dave asked, “Do you think he was genuine?”
Kayli opened the car door and slipped inside before she replied. “He seemed genuine enough. Maybe we should call back to Brenda’s husband to pick up a photo. I should have asked you to pick one up. Did you ask the husband where Brenda worked?”
Dave grimaced. “Sorry, I forgot about that. I’m so used to you dealing with the victims’ families in instances like this that it completely slipped my mind when the husband got upset. He was sobbing. I hadn’t anticipated that.”
Kayli smiled. “No problem. I know you were out of your comfort zone. It’s a tough part of the job, right?”
“You’re not kidding. I’m sure he won’t mind if we drop back.”
“That’s what we’ll do then.”
~ ~ ~
Kayli halted the car outside the large semi-detached property in the quiet cul-de-sac and spotted a man tending to the late-blossoming roses in his front garden. “Is that Mr. Godfrey?”
“Yeah, that’s him. Strange that he’s out here, gardening, considering the news I delivered only a few hours ago.”
“People deal with their grief in different ways. You know that, Dave. Are you coming, or would you rather stay here?”
“Never been given the option before, boss. I’ll stay here and let you deal with him.”
Kayli left the keys in the ignition and exited the car. She walked up the path towards the man, her warrant card at the ready. “Hello, Mr. Godfrey. My name is DI Kayli Bright.”
The man peered at her ID and nodded. “One of your lot has already been here to tell me about my wife,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears. “I couldn’t sit inside the house a moment longer. The walls were closing in on me. Thought I’d do a spot of gardening instead. The roses were Brenda’s favourites.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Mr. Godfrey. My partner broke the news to you earlier whilst I attended another scene. Unfortunately, he forgot to ask where your wife was employed.”
He snipped at a dead rose head and watched it tumble to the ground. “She was a receptionist at the doctor’s down the road. Been there for almost thirty years, give or take. She had a few years off to bring up the children but returned once they went to school.”
“I see. Can you tell me the name of the surgery?”
“Yes, Churchwoods. May I ask why you need that information?”
“Just for our enquiries. Maybe your wife had been having problems at work with someone. Is that possible, sir?”
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He shook his head, and his mouth turned down at the sides. “No. Definitely not. She would have told me. My wife and I never kept secrets from each other, Inspector.” Tears dripped on to his cheeks. “Damn, I miss her already. Why did this have to happen to her?”
“Why don’t we go inside, and I’ll make you a nice cup of tea?” She hooked her arm through his and pushed open the front door. The man slipped off his tatty gardening shoes, placed them behind the door, and pointed the way to the kitchen. Kayli went ahead of him. The house was nicely decorated, and she could tell instantly that it was owned by an older generation by the little knickknacks on the hall table and the faded floral paintings on the walls in the hallway.
The kitchen units were also dated, but the room itself was very clean and tidy. Kayli filled the kettle and watched as the man sat down at the table and buried his head in his hands.
“I don’t know how I’m going to cope without Brenda. She was my world. We used to sit here every day and just laugh together. I can hear her laughter all around me now ... Do you think her spirit is here with me?”
Kayli smiled at the weary-looking gentleman. “I’ve heard of it happening. I’ve never experienced it myself, though, sir.” She looked over at a dresser along one wall and crossed the room to take a closer look at a picture of the husband and wife holding hands on a beach. “She looked a kindly soul.”
“Never said a bad word about anyone. Everyone loved her. I know you’ll think me silly, but I haven’t broken the news to our children yet. I’m too scared to. I don’t know how to tell them that they’ll never see her again. I know I should have told them by now ... I just can’t find the right words.”
“It is difficult, Mr. Godfrey. Would you rather I did it for you?”
His eyes widened. “Would you?” Then his head dropped onto his chest. “No, perhaps not. I should do it myself. It wouldn’t be right to hear it from a stranger ... no offence, dear.”
“None taken. Maybe you should ask them to call round here to see you. Do they visit much?”
“Yes, I’m lucky in that respect. Both children live close by, and we see each other weekly. That’s where Brenda was last night, in fact—at Sandra’s house, looking after the children while she and her husband celebrated their anniversary. If only she’d stayed the night there, she wouldn’t have been on the road at that ungodly hour, and she’d still be al ... here today.”