Urge to Kill (1) (28 page)

There was little trace of the fun-loving Jenny from nine years ago. She had retained her trim figure but her face now held lines of hardness. Even now, it was difficult for a woman to make her way in the police force, and he guessed she had had to make some hard decisions along the way.

McRay continued, ‘And Professor Meredith kindly offered to come to help us shed light on what is happening. Perhaps you would all like to take a seat.’ McRay waved to the couch and chairs opposite, and Matt couldn’t help thinking of the night he had slept there. It seemed a long time ago.

With an effort, Matt brought his mind back to the present and prepared himself to listen to one of the professor’s rambling lectures. He was surprised that the professor seemed genuinely concerned for his and Eppie’s safety, pointing out the possible motives for the murderer sending one of his props to Matt’s home address.

‘This clearly shows that he sees you as his personal adversary, Inspector.’

‘Why did he send it to the inspector’s home?’ Jenny asked.

‘I would suspect that he was striking where the inspector is the most vulnerable, at his family.’

It was only a flicker of the eyes, but Matt was sure that McRay hadn’t yet fully advised Jenny of all the details, including the fact that he was married and that Eppie was at risk.

She concealed it well. ‘And where are the family now?’ was all she asked.

McRay replied. ‘We have had to compromise, given the cost of maintaining around-the-clock watch on a hotel room and have placed Mrs. Turrell with one of our female officers. It is not the ideal solution, I agree, but the best we could do at short notice.’

Jenny nodded in agreement. ‘So this killer is a risk taker. Does he want to be caught, Professor? He leaves items with the victim, any one of which could lead us back to him, and now he chooses to add to that risk by singling out Inspector Turrell?’

‘There may be a deeply buried element of that. However, I believe he is showing us how clever he is, taunting us. He also wants us to feel his pain, so we can be aware of why he has set out on this course.’

Jenny nodded before continuing. ‘So why Inspector Turrell? Is it just because he is—was—in charge?’

Matt noted how she had corrected herself, and the truth hit home. He had held all the threads in his hands, but now he was to be left stranded and redundant. He forced himself to listen to the professor.

‘Well, I would suspect that the inspector reminds the murderer of someone in his past, someone he did not get on with or with whom he feels he has a score to settle. One thing is for certain, he is a clever, cunning individual and should not be underestimated. I would recommend the inspector should also have protection.’

Matt felt quite touched that the professor should think about his safety, even though he was sure he could handle himself against the killer and would relish the chance to come face to face with him.

‘We’ll take good care of him,’ McRay answered, as the professor stood to leave. ‘Don’t you worry.’

Jenny was still reading the case notes but looked up as the professor was about to move away. ‘Just one more question, Professor?’

He nodded.

‘Why a model soldier? He is dressing these women up to look like young girls at a party, so it hardly seems to fit, does it?’

The professor sat down opposite Jenny and leant forward. ‘Exactly. I find this most interesting. I don’t think the little fellows ever represented a form of play for him, although they probably do come from his childhood. He seems to have attached some sort of hate to them, so I would suspect they belonged to someone in authority over him, like a father or grandfather.’

‘And now someone like DI Turrell?’ Jenny asked.

‘Well, yes, like DI Turrell,’ the professor nodded.

‘So, it follows that the murderer must have met DI Turrell, either because of this case or before?’

There was silence in the room, as they all digested the implications of this. McRay spoke first. ‘We’ll need to go over everyone we’ve already interviewed. Matt think of your old cases. Anyone with a grudge.’

Matt didn’t want to waste his time going through old case notes. In his experience, there would always be some perp who resented being stopped in his career. He’d had the same amount of threats as any other DI who was doing a good job. But he was now side lined, and it was all in Jenny’s hands, now, so he gave a reluctant, ‘Yes, Sir.’

‘Thank you for coming, Professor.’ McRay moved to open the door.

Jenny half rose and shook hands. The professor stood ready to leave.

Matt stood and thanked him too, and this time the feeling was genuine. Jenny had returned her attention to looking through the main notes of the case. Matt glanced at her profile, thinking that she was still attractive, except for a certain coldness. She looked up at him, as if she was aware of his scrutiny, and he went to sit beside her, deciding to play along with her obvious need to keep their past affair secret. There would be time enough later to catch up with old times. Stopping this murderer was more important.

She was efficient, and Matt admired her thoroughness as she identified the main points. He paused in his run-through of the leads they were following, and she used the opportunity to speak to McRay.

‘I would like Inspector Turrell to continue to work with me on this case, Chief Inspector. The team have been working well, and it would be a shame to upset that. And, once I get up to speed, if our murderer still sees the inspector as a personal target, well maybe we could use that to our advantage.’

McRay glanced at Matt, gauging his reaction to this suggestion. Matt nodded his agreement, glad to still be of some use. Although he did wonder what Jenny had in mind when she considered using him to catch the killer. He thought he would let that one pass for the moment. He supposed he would have to clear out his office, but if it were just for this one case, it was going to be a nuisance. Here was another of his quiet thinking places gone. He had always been able to alternate between home and office to ponder any case, but now both options were compromised.

‘There are one or two things I would like to set in motion before the morning briefing, Chief Inspector,’ Jenny said.

McRay nodded as Jenny continued. Matt recognised the well-cultivated tone of authority in her voice. Like him, she had learnt of the need to take full control.

‘I would like all those interviewed after the first murder to be cross referenced with those who have been or will be interviewed after this second murder. Many will be staff, I know, but it would be useful to highlight those who were at the health spa when both murders took place.’

Matt could see her reasoning but wondered if they had the resources. The hard-working backup team, seconded from uniform, were already working flat out.

Jenny didn’t give Matt or McRay any chance to argue. ‘I will need the report on Miss Tomlinson’s phone call to…’ She paused to check the papers. ‘A Mr Graham, as soon as it is analysed.’

‘I’m…we’re…hoping to have that back by the morning,’ Matt paused, uncertain how to address her. McRay stepped in.

‘The interviews are collated and checked by DI Grant who will be back in tomorrow,’ McRay explained.

Matt was looking at Jenny when McRay mentioned DI Grant. Although she covered it pretty well, he watched her face pale, together with a slight tightening of the jaw. So she and Grant had a history, and Matt would guess that it wasn’t a pleasant one. Jenny as well as Fluff. So the man preyed on women. He made a note to watch him.

Her demands for the moment satisfied, Matt suggested he show her the way to his office. Jenny rose and followed him, after loading him up with several files. As soon as they were inside Matt’s office, Jenny spoke.

‘So, a wife, ah?’

Matt had expected that she would want to keep up the pretence that they did not know each other and was shocked at this sudden change. ‘Yes, of nearly three weeks.’

‘Oh, bad luck getting this lot so soon into wedded bliss,’ she sympathised.

‘Yes, it’s not easy,’ Matt confirmed, while opening the top drawer of his desk and beginning to pull out all files there.

Still standing beside the desk, Jenny seemed to hesitate. ‘Look, stop. I think it is silly you moving everything. How about if we shove a small desk or a table in here? That would do for me. After all, I’m not going to be here forever, am I?’

She turned and walked back into the main office. Matt straightened. He felt a bit bewildered by her sudden change from the cold, in-charge DI Hadden, to someone resembling the Jenny he had known before. As he followed her, he supposed it was how she had survived. He would need to be a buffer between her and the team. For a start, it would be a good idea to find out what he should call her.

Jenny had pounced on a small table, which was piled high with box files. Signalling Sam to help her, she started to put the boxes onto the floor. Matt could see that Sam looked sulky and reluctant to help, so he moved forward to encourage him. With the table cleared, he and Sam carried it into the office, and under Jenny’s directions, they placed it opposite Matt’s.

‘OK, Guv?’ Sam asked, emphasising the
Guv
and clearly stating his loyalty to Matt.

‘Yes. Thanks,’ Matt replied, moving Sam towards the door, while trying to signal for him to calm down. ‘And for now, I’m not your Guv,’ he said close to Sam’s ear as he pushed him through the door and closed it behind him. He turned to face Jenny. ‘So, what should I call you?’

‘In here “Jenny” and out there…well, we had better not use “Guv,” had we?’ she said, nodding towards Sam. ‘How about “Ma’am” just for out there in front of the troops?’

‘Sam’s a good sergeant.’

‘I’m sure he is,’ she said dismissively, busy arranging the files in order on her desk. ‘Let’s see the phone call from the victim…’

‘Miss Sandi Tomlinson,’ Matt couldn’t help interjecting.

Jenny favoured him with a cold stare, which told him not to interfere when she was speaking. ‘To her boyfriend, Tom Graham,’ she continued.

Remembering Tom’s grief, Matt wanted to interrupt her again and say that Tom was Sandi’s fiancé and that they had been planning their wedding for the last six months, and he wasn’t just a boyfriend but that Tom and Sandi were fully committed to each other. As Jenny continued, he decided against it.

‘Time of murder?’

‘She had been there all night. Slim thinks probably between nine and midnight. Most likely the earlier. He’ll give us more in the morning.’

‘Time of phone call?’

‘Eight forty seven.’

‘So we can assume that she made the call to Mr Graham, and almost straight away became victim number two. What time did her shift finish?’

‘Ten. She sometimes left early, if Harry, the night porter, had arrived. However, he said she had never left without asking him first.’

‘And he didn’t see her?’

Matt nodded. It was good to go over the details of the case with someone from the outside, someone with a new eye who might spot something they had missed.

Jenny snapped the file shut and stood up. ‘We need that phone call analysed. You took down a transcript before sending it to audio, I take it?’ she demanded.

‘Sam did, but it’s not typed up yet.’

‘Right, tell him I need that now. I’ll get hold of the sound guys.’

Matt left her dialling the switchboard. He didn’t stop to tell her that he had already checked, and Nick Forest, the audio expert, wasn’t due in until tomorrow, having only arrived back from a holiday in America early this morning. Sam, who shouldn’t even be here, was talking to Old Bill. He turned as Matt approached.

‘How is it going, Matt? If you want me to deck her I will.’ Sam punched the air in an imitation of a boxer.

‘No, it’s good,’ he said, trying for a lightness he didn’t really feel. ‘Let’s work with her; otherwise, we’ll just be giving the murderer more chances.’

‘OK, if you say so.’

Matt knew the rest of the team would follow Sam and fall into place. ‘Yes, I do. Thanks,’ he replied, giving Sam’s shoulder a pat. ‘Right now, I need the transcript of Sandi’s phone call to Tom.’

Sam turned to his jacket, which was over the back of his chair, to extract his notebook. ‘This is a bit rough I’m afraid,’ he said, flipping through the book until he came to the relevant page. We both listened to it. Nothing there, except for that squeaky sound, which could have been anything. So what does she think she is going to find?’

‘She’s trying to get Nick to come in tonight.’

Sam laughed. ‘Well good luck to her there.’

Matt wasn’t going to stay and argue. ‘In the meantime, can you type that up for me? Please,’ he added, seeing Sam baulk at the idea. He was relieved when Sam nodded and sat down at his computer. ‘Thanks,’ he said, heading back to his office.

As he opened the door, Jenny was in the middle of a phone call. Her tone was strident.

‘And I want you to imagine turning on your television tomorrow morning to hear there is another victim. If that happens, you will know that it was all down to you. Nevertheless, if you think it is more important to sit there with your feet up, then you get on with it.’ Jenny slammed the phone down. ‘Poncy bloody idiot.’

Matt thought she was being somewhat unfair and was about to say so when she turned on him.

‘As soon as those names are compiled in the morning, I want them interviewed.’

Matt said nothing, still getting used to having orders barked at him. He hoped this wasn’t how he sounded.

Jenny looked up, wondering why he hadn’t acquiesced to her plan.

‘Understand?’

‘Yes, Ma’am.’ It was a minefield, trying to figure out which Jenny was speaking, the friendly version or the bossy harridan, and Matt knew he would have to tread carefully until this case was over.

CHAPTER 42

E
ppie was surprised when the unmarked police car stopped at a substantial looking older house, overlooking the ruined Abbey in Kenilworth. The house looked too big for one person.

The driver, a plain clothed policeman, lifted a hand to stop Eppie opening the passenger door, and they waited as another car came alongside them. Eppie found she was almost holding her breath until the car had gone past. Two cheeky youngsters were fighting in the back seat and the driver was a harassed looking young mother.