Syn (The Merseyside Crime Series Book 2) - Malcolm Hollingdrake (world of reading TXT) 📗

‘Could that be, Brian, because they might be getting something other than CACI?’

April watched Brian’s reaction and she witnessed a metaphorical penny drop.

‘You don’t think … not Carla. I refuse to even consider that suggestion. She’s a good girl.’

‘Right, yes, sorry for even suggesting that. And this second man wasn’t in any of the images you’ve seen today?’

‘No, I might not be able to recognise him. I saw him for a few moments and I never saw him again.

‘Was there a name?’

Brian raised his shoulders suggesting not.

‘One last thing. Have you seen this man before?’ She placed Simon Taylor’s photograph on the desk.

Brian picked it up and studied it carefully. He shook his head. ‘No. Was he at the parties?’

‘We believe so.’

‘He wasn’t at the ones I attended. I would certainly remember that face.’

‘Thank you, Brian. I’ll get someone to drive you back. You’ve been a real help. One last thing! If you get a call that suggests it’s from Carla’s phone do not answer it just call me.’ She passed him her card. ‘Any time, do you hear?’

He read the card and slipped it into his phone case. ‘Will she ring me?’

She let the question hang in the air.

April watched as he left before scribbling the words, ‘friends of friends’ on her notepad.

Within minutes they had tracked Stuart Groves’s details and a call had been made to KP Financial.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Groves is out of the office until later this afternoon. May I say who called?’

April decided Fred should go and await him at his office. They really needed to talk with him. The findings on the tests of the metal tip had come through and the update meeting in the Incident Room was due to start.

‘If you inspect this, the type of blade looks innocuous enough. The twin notched concave blade is made from high quality tungsten British steel. It’s immensely strong and honed to produce the perfect cutting edge. It’s a blade that’s designed to slice through the toughest of carpet cleanly. Inserted into the thin handle and locked by the two notches, the blade remains totally secure and easily replaced. Each time the weapon was used it would become obsolete and cheap enough to be disposable. If the knife was like this model, the blood would have crept into every nook and cranny of the handle’s crisscrossed textured grip and the inside making it a forensic expert’s dream.’

Tony took great delight in showing the image of the type of knife and blade used in both murders. ‘Pathology has suggested this was the type of blade used considering the depth and extent of injuries seen on both victims. This is a Royal Blade, a professional carpet fitter’s tool. Cheap as chips and readily available over the internet. We’ve requested records from the distributers for addresses within fifty miles of Southport. The blades, however, will fit any craft knife. We tend to class them as Stanley knives. We also know that our man is right-handed from the angle of the cut and dragging motion. A great deal of force would be needed to execute this kind of damage using such a blade. It’s been suggested it’s a hook and pull motion. Dig in hard and then drag, keeping the force against a secured neck. According to the pathologist, what you don’t sever you damage. Considering the major blood vessels running within that area there’s a very high chance of death resulting from the incision.’

‘Wouldn’t the killer be covered in blood?’ Lucy asked, her face patently indicating her disgust at the method used.

Skeeter turned over one of the sheets and drew from memory the Nike swoosh logo. It was not just a line but more the shape of a handle-less blade.

‘According to Forensics and Pathology it would depend on certain conditions – where you were standing, angle of the head and speed at which you could move away. So, in a confined space, yes, more than likely there’d be a good deal of blood spatter. Out in the open where you could move away quickly? Then possibly not. I don’t suppose our killer was too worried about that initially. I believe it would have been considered at the early planning stage as I feel these killings were well conceived – they’ve a look of an execution about them to me. If he assumed that the bodies would not be found for some time, then he would have used that time to sort himself out and dispose of any evidence.’

‘Surely that couldn’t have been predicted in such a public carpark?’ Lucy announced. ‘It could have been discovered at any time.’

‘It’s about the location within that space and the likelihood.’

‘Are there any clues as to whether we’re looking for a male or female executioner?’ April asked, also believing in Tony’s use of the title.

‘Considering the force and power needed to cause the damage sustained, there’s a greater chance that the killer is male but I’ve known some bloody strong women in my time. I work with a couple so I’d keep an open mind. I’m sure there are people who have in the past been lulled into a sense of false security by a female and not lived to tell the story. As I say, keep an open mind.’ He turned his focus on Skeeter knowing her physical attributes were more than capable of such a show of strength.

‘A minute.’ Skeeter stood and held up the sheet containing her doodle. ‘Anyone recognise this?’

Kasum appeared. ‘Groves has failed to return to his office. Not only that, he’s missed an appointment which was at four and that’s most unlike him according to his secretary. Fred’s waiting for instruction. They’ve tried Groves’s mobile but that’s now switched off. Apparently, that’s also unheard of as he’s practically married to it. Today he altered an earlier appointment, brought it forward but didn’t inform the secretary until the last minute. His behaviour was out of character they said and they’re worried.’

‘Do they