Dark Secrets: A Cavendish & Walker Novel - Book 11

by Sally Rigby

  ‘So, our killer goes camping,’ Whitney said. ‘I’m not asking you, just musing,’ she added, before Claire could have another go at her for inappropriate questioning.

  ‘What can you tell us about the rope used on the victims?’ George asked.

  ‘It was a blue sisal rope, with an eight-by-ten-millimetre twist. Very common and available in most DIY stores, so it’s unlikely we’ll be able to trace where it was bought.’

  ‘So, they weren’t drugged first and then put into position, like we thought they might have been when we first viewed the crime scene.’

  ‘Lividity centred on the victims’ buttocks and backs, which is consistent with them dying in situ. Also, there were no signs of movement on any of the bodies from being dragged into position, which is what I’d have expected if they were placed there later. It is my opinion that they were seated, tied up and then drugged, except for David Barker who was drugged before being tied.’

  ‘Could this have been a murder-suicide by the daughter?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘Unlikely.’

  ‘Is that a definite no?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘In my professional opinion it was not a murder-suicide as none of the forensic evidence points to it. Is that good enough?’

  ‘Perfect, thank you, Claire. What about food? There was a plate left in front of them which none of them had eaten, but had they had anything to eat at all?’

  ‘Yes. All of them. When I examined the stomach contents, there was some undigested food, and some of it in the small intestine. My analysis concluded they’d eaten a meal of spaghetti bolognaise no earlier than three hours before they died.’

  ‘Had they been drinking?’

  ‘Toxicology will confirm whether alcohol is present, and if so, the quantity.’

  ‘How many meals were set around the table?’ George asked.

  ‘Six. There was a meal set for the empty space. I’ve taken samples from each of the plates, and the wine in the glasses, and sent them away for analysis. I’ll let you know when the report comes back.’

  ‘Other than the lamb shanks, what else was on the plate?’ George asked.

  ‘The shanks were served on a bed of lentils in a sauce with a portion of sliced leeks on the side.’

  ‘Interesting choice.’

  ‘Have you established time of death?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘Between 10 p.m. and midnight for all five of them.’

  ‘It’s all very neat and tidy. Definitely a well-thought-out plan, carried out by someone who was able to enter the house, either from being invited or through a door that was left unlocked. And all they had to do was disable David Barker first. Like you said, George, a weapon would most likely have been involved. Probably a gun. You’ve given us plenty to work with, Claire, and hopefully will ensure Douglas keeps off my back.’

  ‘If that’s everything, I’m busy, so you can go,’ the pathologist said.

  ‘We’re off. Thanks, Claire. Please let me know as soon as the toxicology reports come back.’

  Chapter 9

  George returned with Whitney to the station and after dropping their bags off in her office, they headed into the incident room, where the team were working. Whitney made a beeline for the whiteboard and wrote down several of the details Claire had given them. She then turned to face her officers.

  ‘Attention, everyone. George and I have been to see Dr Dexter and received an update on the victims. She’s waiting for confirmation from toxicology regarding substances in the blood. However, she believes they all died from an overdose of a drug that’s used as an anaesthetic. Most likely midazolam.’ Whitney pointed to where she’d written the word on the board.

  ‘Is it widely available?’ Frank asked.

  ‘It’s used by doctors, dentists, surgeons, vets. Anyone with a medical connection could access some. And even if they don’t have this connection, there’s also the black market, where I’m sure it would be readily available,’ George said. ‘So, in answer to your question, yes it is.’

  ‘That’s not much of a lead, then,’ Frank said, his voice despondent.

  ‘On its own, no it isn’t. But it will be added into the mix. Dr Dexter also examined their stomach contents. The family had eaten their last meal of spaghetti bolognaise no more than three hours prior to being killed. The lamb shank meal left in front of each of them was most likely a message. So, too, is the fact there were six meals left on the table,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Do you believe the scene was staged?’ Doug said.

  ‘Yes, that’s our view. George, what can you tell us about that?’

  George hadn’t had the time to mull over exactly what implications the staging of the scene had, but she could give a broad opinion. She didn’t like making categoric statements until she’d given it sufficient consideration in case she gave the team incorrect information which sent them in the wrong direction.

  ‘It could mean several things. First, that the killer saw themselves as part of the family and wanted to be acknowledged as such. Alternatively, someone in the family might have rejected the killer in the past, and the staging was to send the message that rejection had consequences. We’ll know more once further evidence comes to light. I have nothing more to add at this stage.’

  ‘Thanks, George. That’s still useful. We should look to see if David or Gill are responsible for hiring and firing within their businesses, or if either of them had an affair that turned sour. Also, were the children dating or could they have rejected someone at school.’

  ‘Would you say the killer was male or female?’ Doug asked.

  ‘Good question. I don’t wish to assume at this stage, but I’m leaning towards them being male. Even with a weapon, it would have taken some strength to have injected David Barker in the neck while still wielding it, because he wasn’t a small man and he might have taken the chance to tackle a woman. But I may be wrong as we don’t know the circumstances, so it would be foolish to exclude anyone,’ George said.

  ‘Agreed,’ Whitney said, nodding. ‘Another point Dr Dexter brought to our attention is that Gillian Barker had duct tape placed across her mouth, which was removed post-mortem, and no one else did.’

  ‘Was it to stop her from shouting out?’ Frank suggested.

  ‘It’s possible, but why her and not the others?’ Whitney said. ‘George, any thoughts?’

  ‘She was a mother witnessing an attack on her children, so it could be to silence her. Until we know the motive, I wouldn’t want to speculate, though.’

  ‘And why remove it once she was dead?’

  ‘The scene was staged. Having her gagged might not have fitted in with what the scene represented.’

  ‘I see. The post-mortems also highlighted that it was Keira, the daughter, who restrained the family. She, in turn, was most likely tied up by the killer who used a different knot Whether selecting Keira was intentional or random, at this point we don’t know. But we need to be mindful of it.’

  ‘That could fit, if the murders are linked to Keira’s ex-boyfriend Ellie discovered,’ Brian said.

  Whitney frowned. ‘She had an ex-boyfriend? When did we find out about him?’

  ‘I identified him only minutes before you came back, guv, and I told Brian. I think that Corey, the name written on the calendar, is Corey Hudson. Until recently, he was Keira’s boyfriend. They’d been in a relationship for a long time but according to their social media accounts, it ended several weeks ago, and within a few days she’d started seeing someone else. Corey took it badly.’

  ‘Hence the reason he was invited for a meal, and then his name was crossed out. How would that fit with your theories, George?’

  ‘If Keira had ended their relationship, then he would feel rejected. But why murder the entire family?’ She cupped her elbow with one hand while tapping her lip with her other. ‘It doesn’t sit right.’

  ‘Unless he’d totally lost the plot,’ Frank said.

  ‘Yes, his mental health may have been badly affecte
d, and that could have led to him committing an otherwise unfathomable act. I’d need to see him and analyse his actions and reactions before making further assumptions.’

  ‘We’ll get the young man in for an interview, and you’ll be able to observe his behaviour. How old is he, Ellie?’

  ‘He’s seventeen and still at school.’

  ‘Does he go to the same school as Keira and her brothers?’

  ‘No, he’s at Kingsford. The all-boys school on the outskirts of Lenchester.’

  ‘We’ll need at least one of his parents in as well when we interview him, as he’s only seventeen. Brian, sort that out, please. I want him here as soon as possible, preferably within the hour. Ellie will give you the contact details.’

  ‘Yes, guv.’

  ‘Frank, anything yet from the house-to-house enquiries on Sunday morning?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve seen the statements and, according to one of the neighbours, a young man was seen hanging around and watching the house on more than one occasion. I don’t have any details other than that.’

  ‘Could it be Corey Hudson? Do we have a photo of him?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘Yes, guv, I have one,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Frank, take a copy and visit the neighbour who mentioned it to confirm if it’s him. Also, find out how often, when and where he stood when they saw him. Call on the other neighbours to see if they noticed anyone hanging around and show them the photo, too.’

  ‘Yes, guv.’

  ‘Ellie, is there anything else you can tell us about Corey Hudson from his social media posts?’

  ‘When he was going out with Keira, he posted often, usually photos of the two of them together. He was always smiling, and his posts were funny and typical of a teenager. After they finished, he hardly posted at all and, if he did, it was memes and nothing personal.’

  ‘Teenage break-ups can be the most devastating, especially as hormones are running riot at that age. But was he disturbed enough to murder Keira and the rest of her family?’

  ‘There have been instances in the past when unrequited love has led to murder, so it’s certainly possible,’ George said.

  ‘Ellie, I want you to continue digging. Pay attention to Corey and Keira’s friends, see if there’s anything that suggests he might have been involved.’

  ‘Will do, guv.’

  ‘Has anything come back from forensics yet?’

  ‘Yes, guv, an interim report came from them half an hour ago,’ Brian said. ‘A set of size ten footprints were found in the back garden, and close by several cigarette butts were discovered.’

  Whitney’s eyes lit up, as they always did when evidence built up.

  ‘Find out the shoe size of each victim, so they can be excluded. Dr Dexter will furnish you with the information.’

  ‘If the footprints belong to Corey Hudson, that ties in with him hanging around the area. From memory, the garden was large enough for him to sneak in without being seen. We’ll get his shoe size when he’s here for the interview,’ Brian said.

  ‘Yes. I’d also like someone to check out both David and Gillian’s background. So far, we know that David was an only child, and his mother died six months ago. Is his father still alive, and if so, where is he? As for Gillian, all I ascertained from Belinda Douglas is that she comes from somewhere down south. Doug, find out what you can.’

  ‘Yes, guv.’

  ‘Good. I’m going to see the super and give her an update on where we are. Fingers crossed the chief super isn’t in there with her.’

  Chapter 10

  George stared at the board in the incident room. There were individual photos of each victim, with their name written underneath, and also one of the family at the murder scene, all seated around the table with the plateful of food in front of them. It was most definitely staged, as they’d discussed. But why? What did it signify? And was it something a rejected boyfriend would do?

  ‘Here you are,’ Whitney said, standing beside her.

  ‘You weren’t long with Superintendent Clyde.’

  ‘No, she had a meeting to go to, so I gave her a quick update. You were staring intently at the board. Have you had any thoughts?’

  ‘Observe the manner in which the meals were placed in front of each victim. All in an identical way to one another, even down to the width between the cutlery and plates. It’s as if a tape measure was used.’ She pointed to a photo of the family.

  ‘I hadn’t noticed that before. What do you think it means?’

  ‘Our killer was verging on the obsessional. This was also evident in the way the kitchen was so meticulously cleaned after the meal was prepared.’

  ‘Assuming that it was prepared there, and not brought in.’

  ‘That had crossed my mind. But if it was brought in, then there would have been no need to undertake such a thorough clean. Also, did the killer use food already in the house, or bring the ingredients with them? If the latter, then is there anything significant about it being lamb?’

  ‘That the killer lived on a farm?’

  ‘What?’ George said, frowning.

  ‘Sorry, I was being stupid. But seriously, how many teenage boys do you know who can not only cook like that, but are also obsessively clean, and know the significance of food?’

  ‘I wouldn’t discount it. Do we know whether the crockery used belonged to the Barkers? Was it part of a larger dinner service?’

  ‘We don’t.’ Whitney turned away from George. ‘Brian. Have you been in touch with Dr Dexter yet?’

  ‘Yes, guv. I’ve got shoes sizes for the victims, and none of the family wears a size ten.’

  ‘Good. Doug?’

  ‘Yes, guv?’

  ‘Contact Dr Dexter and ask her for a description of the plates the meal was placed on. We want to check whether they belonged to the family, or if the killer brought them in. Then go to the house and take a look at all of their crockery.’

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘While you’re there, check the contents of the fridge, freezer, and the pantry. That might assist us in discovering who bought the ingredients for the meal. In particular, check for tinned or dry lentils, and vegetables,’ George said. She glanced at Whitney, to check if she’d usurped her authority by giving Doug an order.

  ‘Good idea. Also, look for any wine they have, and what it is,’ Whitney said.

  ‘We’ll need to find out where the daughter’s bedroom was, because if it overlooked the back garden and it was the ex-boyfriend, that would make sense as to why he stood in that position,’ George said.

  ‘We’ll ask him when he arrives,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Guv, Corey Hudson and his father are here,’ Brian called out.

  ‘Perfect timing. Brian, you’re with me, and George is going to observe.’

  They took the lift to the ground floor and headed through the double doors into the corridor where ten interview rooms were situated.

  ‘They’re in room eight,’ Brian said.

  George left them when they reached the observation area, and once in there she stood by the two-way mirror and scrutinised the young man. He appeared to be a typical teenage boy. His dark blond hair was cut into a crew cut and was slightly longer on top. He wore a faded moss-green coloured hoodie, which was zipped up, and beneath it the neckline from his navy T-shirt was showing. His head was lowered, and his hands tightly clasped together in his lap. His father was seated beside him, staring ahead with his arms folded.

  Whitney entered the room holding a folder, which she placed on the table. She sat opposite the boy and Brian opposite the father. Whitney leant across and pressed the button on the recording equipment.

  ‘Interview on Monday, June 7. Those present Detective Chief Inspector Walker, Detective Sergeant Chapman, and, please state your names for the tape.’

  ‘Julian Hudson,’ the father said.

  ‘Corey Hudson.’

  The boy looked up. His eyes were red and swollen. He didn’t have t
he appearance, or demeanour, of someone who’d committed the murders in such a calculating manner.

  ‘Mr Hudson, you’re here as an appropriate adult and are not to speak unless a question is directed at you, or if you believe Corey is uncomfortable with any of the questioning.’

  ‘I understand.’

  ‘Thank you for coming in to see us, Corey. We’re here to discuss the deaths of the Barker family. When did you find out about it?’

  ‘My dad told me.’

  ‘How did you learn of it, Mr Hudson?’

  ‘My neighbour had seen in on the news, and he informed me.’

  ‘Corey, how did you feel after you learnt about the deaths?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘That’s a ridiculous question to ask. How do you think he felt?’

  ‘Mr Hudson, please allow Corey to answer. The question wasn’t directed at you.’

  ‘I didn’t believe it. I kept thinking it wasn’t true. Why did it happen?’ His eyes filled with tears.

  Whitney slid over the box of tissues on the table and the boy reached for one and wiped his eyes.

  ‘That’s what we’re investigating. We understand that you went out with Keira until recently, when she broke up with you.’

  ‘Yes. We were together for two years.’

  ‘Which was ridiculous at their age. Quite frankly, my wife and I were happy when it was over, and Corey could concentrate on his studies. We’re hoping he’ll get into Oxford University, Worcester College, where I went,’ Mr Hudson said.

  ‘Ask Mr Hudson a few more questions about this. I want to gauge his reactions,’ George said into the mic.

  Whitney gave a tiny nod. ‘Mr Hudson, you clearly didn’t condone the relationship between Corey and Keira.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘How did you make your feelings known?’

  ‘We didn’t initially, as we thought it wouldn’t last. Recently, when Corey mentioned he was thinking of applying to Lenchester University so he could be close to Keira, that’s when we made our feelings clear.’

  ‘Ask him if he had anything to do with Keira ending it with Corey?’ George said, a thought forming in her mind.