Prime Justice
Page 2
“Shame there’s no CCTV out here in the country. Would’ve made my job a whole lot easier.”
“Perhaps that was intentional. Maybe she was targeted for that very reason,” Patti suggested.
Lorne bent down for a closer look at the woman. “So she was battered over the head with something.”
“My guess would be some form of iron bar; it usually is. Perhaps a crowbar or jack iron. She wasn’t just hit the once—she suffered more like ten to fifteen blows. Although if the first hit struck her skull, it probably knocked her out or maybe even killed her instantly. Of course, that’s just conjecture on my part until I open her up on my table.”
Lorne turned sideways to look at her old friend. “Are you seriously going to carry out the PM? Wouldn’t it be better for one of your colleagues to do the exam?”
“No. She was a friend. I’d do the same for you if ever you snuffed it, Lorne.”
Lorne snorted. “Gee thanks! I think.”
“I’m just saying that I would rather do the PM myself as I know she’ll be treated with respect. You know I always care for the victims.”
“Are you saying that other pathologists are lacking in that department?” Lorne asked incredulously.
“No. Stop twisting my words. Let’s end the subject here before either of us says something we’re likely to regret.”
“That might be a good idea, especially as you threw my bloody name in the hat.”
Patti smiled. “Anyone ever tell you that you can be rather sensitive at times?”
Lorne’s eyes widened. “Anyone ever tell you how insensitive you can be at times?”
“Touché, dear friend. Honestly, I didn’t mean any offence. Just stating facts.”
“I hear you. Right, where do we go from here?”
“Well, the team and I are almost finished now. We’ll be packing up soon and heading back to the lab. Not sure where your investigation should start.”
“I suppose I better call at the house. If I remember rightly, her daughter still lives at home.”
“Yes. Sadly, her mother won’t be around to see her get married next month.”
“Damn, I’d forgotten about that. I saw the announcement a few months ago in the paper. Might be an angle we should consider looking into. It’ll be a start anyway.”
“I understand. Maybe this was merely a case of robbery.”
“Well I think we can rule out this being a hit and run when you think she’s been battered to a pulp. Although I’d say it is highly probable that the perpetrator approached her by vehicle and then drove off when the deed was completed. Again, we have no proof of that. If it turns out not to be the case, then you have to point the finger at a local, yes?”
“That’s your side of things. Not sure I can add anything to help you there just yet.”
“Okay. I’m going to call at the house, see if the daughter is up. Saying that, if I was the one who’d discovered my mother lying in the hedgerow, I doubt I’d have gone to bed last night.”
“Good luck. Thanks for taking the case on, Lorne. I appreciate it. Sorry I dragged you down here at this time of the morning, too.”
“No problem. Will you be carrying out the PM today?”
“Yep, I want to get it done ASAP. If anything shows up, I should be back to you within a couple of days with the results.”
“Thanks, Patti.” Lorne patted her friend’s forearm. “I’ll do my best to find the culprit soon, I promise.”
“I have every confidence that you’ll do just that. Speak soon.”
Lorne stripped off her paper suit and shoes and threw them into the boot of her car. She drove through the open gates of the house and parked the car next to two stationary Mercedes vehicles—a sports car and an estate. Lorne rang AJ, her temporary partner, before she got out of the car. “AJ, I might be a little late in this morning.”
“Everything all right at home, boss?”
“Yes, Patti called me out to attend a crime scene close to home this morning. I’m just about to venture into the victim’s house to interview the daughter now. I shouldn’t be too long. I’m likely to hit the traffic on the way in, though, so just be aware of that.”
“Yes, boss. Anything I can be getting on with regarding the case?”
“Yep, look into the backgrounds of the residents at Green Gables on Morton Lane. Nadine Walker-Scott is the victim’s name. I’ll need to verify the daughter’s name with you later.”
“Yes, boss. See you soon.”
Lorne ended the call and hopped out of the car. She rang the ornate bell on the large emerald-green door and waited for it to be answered. Eventually, a young blonde woman, her eyes red from crying, opened the door. After Lorne showed her ID, the woman invited her inside.
The woman showed Lorne into a very grand living room with ten-foot-high ceilings, beautiful oak floorboards, and a large marble fireplace on one wall. Lorne had a keen eye for design—she’d had a brief career as an interior designer-cum-renovator when she’d taken a break from the force after losing her partner Pete Childs several years ago.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”
The woman sat on the edge of the Queen Anne chair close to the fire and invited Lorne to take a seat in the Chesterfield sofa opposite her. “Rebecca Walker-Scott, for the time being anyway.”
“First of all, I’d like to offer my sincere condolences on the loss of your mother. I had the pleasure of meeting her once or twice at a few charity functions I’ve attended in the area. Although I’m a policewoman, my family and I run a rescue centre for dogs just up the road. Your mother has given us some healthy contributions over the years.”
“That was Mum for you. Always keen on helping others. Her charity work meant the world to her. That’s why I’m struggling now. How could someone do this to her? She’s never hurt anyone in her life before, not enough for someone to want to ki…” Tears trickled down her face, and she reached for a tissue from the table beside her.
Lorne withdrew her notebook and pen from her pocket. “Take your time. I’m aware of how raw your emotions are right now; it’s understandable. The sooner we get the investigation underway, though, the more chance we have of tracking down the assailant.”
“I understand. Of course I do. But all I keep seeing is my mother’s battered and bloody body lying there after someone had discarded her like rubbish in the undergrowth, like some kind of roadkill.” Rebecca began to sob.
“Maybe a cup of tea would help. Shall I make you one?”
“No. The staff will be on duty soon. They’ll make us one then. I’m sorry for breaking down. I know it’s not helping matters, but it’s hard to contain my emotions.”
“Really there’s no need to apologise. What staff are you expecting?”
“The housekeeper and the gardener-cum-odd-job man. They usually live in but have spent the last few days visiting family. I rang them and asked them to come back early.”
“Their names are?”
“Ruth and John Davey. They’ve been with us for years. They were devastated on the phone when I told them about Mum last night. Said they were prepared to drop everything and come back early.”
“That was nice of them to offer you support like that. Does anybody else live here?”
“No, just Mum and me.”
“You’re getting married soon. Is that correct?”
Rebecca looked down at her entwined hands in her lap. “Yes, we’ve got everything planned, and now Mum isn’t going to be here to enjoy the day with us. I might call the wedding off, or at least postpone it.”
Lorne smiled sympathetically at the young woman. She missed her own mother each and every day, and totally understood what Rebecca was saying. “Surely your mum wouldn’t want you to abandon all the plans you’ve put in place. My advice would be not to do anything hasty that you’re likely to regret in a few weeks.”
“Thank you, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle preparations for my mother’s funeral plus my weddi
ng.”
“You’ve already said that most things have been arranged for your wedding anyway. Perhaps put your wedding aside at the moment, but you may live to regret calling it off altogether.”
“Thank you. I’ll have a word with my fiancé, Robert, see what he thinks we should do for the best.”
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, and a woman in her early sixties walked into the room. “Hello, Miss Rebecca. Sorry to interrupt. I wanted to let you know we’re back. Can I get you and your guest anything?”
Lorne studied the woman. Her pale skin was void of make-up, and her hands shook before she clasped them together.
“Hello, Ruth, it’s so good of you and John to return at such short notice. This is Detective Inspector Lorne Warner. She’ll be dealing with Mum’s case. Would you mind bringing us some tea?”
“Pleased to meet you, Inspector. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Lorne nodded at the woman and watched her leave the room. “She seemed genuinely upset.”
“Mum and Ruth were very close. She often accompanied Mum on her walks with Shadow. She’s shocked by what has happened.”
“I should imagine the whole village will be. I have to ask, did your mother have any enemies? Would someone deliberately set out to kill your mother?”
Rebecca gasped. “No. Everyone loved Mum. She’s never had any reason to fall out with anyone, not around here anyway.”
“Sorry, I had to ask. I’ll scrub that specific line of enquiries then. Did your mother have a routine that she tended to stick to?”
“She was retired, loved to potter around in the garden. She walked Shadow three times a day: first thing in the morning, just after lunch around one thirty, and around dusk time. I think she delayed it a little while last night because she wanted to see a documentary on TV.”
“I see. What about her charity work for the village? Has she ever had a bad word with anyone regarding that side of her life?”
“No, nothing that I can think of. But then she didn’t really involve me in such matters, especially with the wedding plans on my plate lately. I’m sure she would have mentioned if anybody had been standing in the way of her charity work. It means… meant the world to her to give back to the community.” Rebecca fell quiet for a few seconds then said, “If it wasn’t for Mum’s wonderful efforts, the church where we’re going to get married would still have a leaking roof. She raised fifty thousand to have a new roof fitted last year by arranging a lot of bazaars and car boot sales. Plus, she even thought up the idea of a charitable dog walk.”
“I know about that. I brought my own dog, Sheba, along for the charity walk. Your mother was a remarkable, thoughtful lady.”
“She was. That’s why I’m so devastated. No one deserves to go like that; she definitely didn’t deserve to have her life ended in such a brutal way.” Tears cascaded down Rebecca’s cheeks, and she pulled another tissue from the box beside her.
Lorne waited until Rebecca’s wave of grief had subsided then said, “If there’s nothing else you think I should know, would you mind if I interviewed your staff next?”
Ruth reappeared in the doorway, carrying a tray with a china teapot and matching cups and saucers. The woman placed the tray on the coffee table and turned to leave.
“Just a minute, Ruth,” Rebecca called out.
The woman faced them, her red eyes blinking against the glare of the overhead light in the dimly lit room. “Yes, ma’am?”
Rebecca sniffled. “Inspector Warner would like a word with you and John now, if that’s convenient with you?”
“Of course, ma’am. In the kitchen or in here?”
“I’ll come through to the kitchen. It won’t take long, I promise.” Lorne smiled to reassure the woman. “Can I take my tea with me?” she asked Rebecca.
“Of course. Ruth, take the inspector’s cup and saucer back with you, please.”
The woman returned to the table. “Would you like to come with me, Miss?”
“Thank you, Rebecca. I’ll drop in and see you again before I leave. Again, I’m deeply sorry about your mother.”
Lorne followed Ruth through the wide hallway to the back of the house to a large country-style oak and cream kitchen.
A man was sitting at the large table, staring up at the clock. “John, this is Inspector Warner.”
Lorne smiled. “All right if I sit down?”
“Do what you like,” the man grunted.
Ruth pulled out a chair next to her husband. Lorne opened her notebook, took out her pen, and asked, “Have you worked here long?”
Ruth looked sideways at her husband before she replied, “About fifteen years. Mrs. Walker-Scott was a wonderful employer. It’s so sad that she’s gone now.”
“You were away at the time; is that right?”
John shifted in his chair. “Yes, staying with family. As soon as Rebecca rang us, we got on the road to come back.”
“That was kind of you to give up your holiday like that.”
The man shrugged. “You do what you’ve gotta do in times like this.”
“I’m sure Rebecca welcomes your support. Can you tell me if Mrs. Walker-Scott has had any strange visitors lately?”
The couple shared a puzzling glance. “Not that I can remember. What about you, John?”
John Davey shook his head then clicked his fingers together. “She normally keeps to herself at home, doesn’t really socialise much around here. But there was a chap who called at the house last week.”
Lorne looked up from taking notes and tilted her head. “A man? Do you know what the purpose of his visit was?”
He sat upright in his chair and pinched his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “The lady of the house didn’t really divulge her business with us, but I did overhear the conversation as I was tidying up a flowerbed in the driveway at the time.”
“It’ll be really helpful if you could give me an insight into how the conversation went.”
John shrugged. “By what I could gather, the young man was looking for work. He was a bit rough around the edges, gave me the impression he’d kipped out on the streets for a few months.”
“I see, and what did Mrs. Walker-Scott say to this young man?”
“She sent him packing.”
“That surprises me, given the lady of the house’s charitable nature.”
He cleared his throat. “I meant to say, she sent him packing after she gave him a card of a hostel she knows not far from here. The place takes in homeless people for a night or two.”
“Ah, that’s different. I don’t suppose you know the name of this hostel?”
“Nah, I don’t tend to get involved in anything like that. You’ll need to do your own research there.”
Lorne raised an eyebrow. “I intend to. Is there anything else you can think of to tell me?”
The couple shook their heads.
“Don’t think so,” John replied for both of them.
Lowering her voice, Lorne asked, “What about the mother-daughter relationship? How was that?”
Ruth tutted as if offended. “As solid as a rock. They never fell out, always supported each other. I can’t believe you should ask such a thing.”
“It’s my job, Mrs. Davey. If I didn’t ask such questions, there would be several hundred more criminals walking the streets.”
Ruth shook her head. “Sorry. In the circumstances, it sounded a bit off to me.”
Letting the statement pass her by, Lorne asked, “What about the future son-in-law? Has there ever been a cross word between them?”
Ruth looked at her husband.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at Lorne, then he turned to his wife. “There was that incident a few weeks ago.” He waved his hand in front of him. “Nah, it’s not worth mentioning really.”
Ruth seemed puzzled. “Don’t remember that, John.”
“Okay, you’ve got my interest, Mr. Davey. Can you tell me what the incident was about?”
“Well, you’re going to have to give me more than that. What specifically was it about?”
“Something about the cars, I believe. Nadine wanted a vintage Rolls Royce, but Robert wanted a horse and carriage. Don’t quote me on that. He threatened to walk away from the wedding if he didn’t get his own way.”
“That is interesting. It’s okay, I won’t mention your name when I ask him about the incident. Did he storm out of the house after the disagreement, or did they part on friendly terms?”
“Anything but—he stormed out of the house and drove off like a maniac. It took me a good hour to pick up all the gravel he scattered across the flowerbeds out front.”
“Maybe that should be my next stop. A chat with the fiancé might be in order in light of what you’ve just told me.”
Ruth’s shoulders drooped.
“Is something wrong, Mrs. Davey?”
“I hope this doesn’t bring trouble to our door. This is our home. I’d hate to be turfed out of it at our time of life.”
John elbowed his wife in the ribs. “Nonsense, woman, you are a bloody born worrier. We’re just answering the nice lady inspector’s questions. It would be wrong to keep quiet about these events. Ain’t that right, Inspector?”
“That’s spot on, Mr. Davey. Even if nothing comes of this, at least I’ve asked the relevant questions. Can either of you think of any other incidents such as this happening over the past few months?”
“Nope, can’t think of anything. I doubt the things I’ve mentioned will come to anything, but I wouldn’t want them lying on my mind once you’ve gone. Sorry if I’ve spoken out of turn at all.”
“I’m just grateful that you’ve given me a couple of leads in order to begin my investigation. I won’t take up any more of your time.” Lorne flipped her pad closed, finished off her lukewarm cup of tea then stood. “I’ll just say farewell to Rebecca. Thank you both for your time. Oh, I’ll leave you one of my cards just in case you think of anything else I might be interested in.”
Lorne walked through the house again and poked her head around the lounge door. “Hi, Rebecca. It’s only me.”