BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book by Rebecca Bradley (whitelam books .txt) 📗

police, you know, not some touchy-feely place, the stuff we have to deal with, we’re automatically hardened. We can give and take some ribbing . . .’

‘Or,’ Krish pointed out, ‘in Paul’s case, direct orders. He needs them, Dom. I’m sure you know that. We don’t see Hayley as any different to the rest of us. She makes the tea and she tells us to make the tea. It’s swings and roundabouts.’

Before Dominic had time to mull Krish’s point over, Kapoor entered the room closely followed by Rhys who had been out on enquiries. Kapoor brought the room to order.

‘Okay gang, we all know what a disaster last night’s press conference was. I’ve been summoned to see the chief this morning and I’m expecting to get my knuckles rapped for that. But as far as you’re concerned, we’re doing a great job and we have to continue. Connelly’s already hauled me over the coals before I came in here. It’s more about what was said rather than how they think we’re handling it. When faced with the realities of the investigation they can’t complain. But the press are not making it easy and more will be said today. So grit your teeth and get on with your jobs.’

Kapoor ran his hands through his hair. ‘How’s it going with the CCTV viewing?’ he asked.

The officer at the back of the room responsible for viewing the hours and hours of CCTV spoke up. He was logging multiple vehicles that were in the area at and around the relevant time, but his job had just doubled with the case from yesterday. He asked if he could have another staff member to join him.

Kapoor shoved his hands in his pockets. ‘I’m going to increase the size of the team by another fifteen officers. Expect them over the next week or so. I need to get them released from their commanding officers, but after seeing the chief later today I don’t see it being a problem.’

The incident room team was growing. They were a huge enquiry team and if this case got any bigger, as Dominic worried it might, then they would probably expand to the biggest murder team the force had seen for a long time.

Kapoor turned to Dominic. ‘How was your interview last night? With the ex-husband, wasn’t it?’

Dominic thought back to the man they’d spoken with. ‘I think we need to take a look at him. He’s an arrogant prick, but if I take my personal dislike of him out of the equation he doesn’t have an alibi for the time of death and he doesn’t seem to speak very highly of Maddy.’ He looked to Hayley. ‘Or of any women, I imagine. He could very well be a suspect.’

Kapoor turned to Hayley. ‘You agree with this?’

Hayley looked down at her notes from the meeting. ‘Yes, boss. He’s very unlikeable. But as the sarge said, he can’t account for himself at the time Madeleine was killed.’

‘What about the other murder, Julie Carver?’ asked Rhys.

‘Could be that he wanted to hide Maddy’s murder and not have himself be the prime suspect,’ said Dominic. ‘It’s not unheard of.’

‘Anything solid on him other than your gut feeling?’ asked Kapoor.

‘Just the lack of anything that puts him in the clear. I definitely think he’s worth a look,’ said Dominic.

‘Okay,’ said Kapoor. ‘We have our first real suspect, let’s dig into him.’

Chapter 30

Dominic

By that afternoon they’d interrogated every police system at their disposal and nothing of concern had come up for Alex Chapman. He hadn’t ever been arrested or committed a traffic violation as far as the team could see. There was no intelligence on the system relating to him or anyone connected to him. Even his car insurance was up to date.

Dominic scribbled a note into his pad. ‘Okay, I’m going to his place of work. Check things out there.’

Hayley looked at him.

‘Yes, it’ll rattle him, but maybe that’s what we want? If he does have something to do with this we need him to make a mistake. Whoever is behind this hasn’t put a foot wrong so far. A rattled killer is a sloppy killer.’ Dominic grabbed his jacket. ‘Are you coming with me?’

Hayley rose. ‘Me?’

‘Yeah. You were with me yesterday. You may as well follow through, hadn’t you?’

She shoved her notebook into her bag. ‘Okay, let’s go do this.’

* * *

Dominic knew when Alex Chapman had stated he was in banking he didn’t mean he was a teller handing out ten-pound notes over the counter to the men and women of Sheffield.

The building they entered was a huge glass-fronted affair. In the centre was a beautiful atrium with a water fountain surrounded by plush sofas facing outwards. A couple of people were sitting there having conversations, disposable coffee cups in hand, expensive looking briefcases on the floor at their feet. The women in heels so high Dominic wondered how they could stand in them never mind walk in them. All the women he worked with wore sensible shoes they could stand in all day or chase an offender if needed.

To the side was a glossy, white, long desk with a smartly turned out male sitting behind. Dominic and Hayley approached. The young man looked them up and down barely disguising the comment that he thought they were in the wrong place.

This, thought Dominic, is where Alex Chapman’s whole demeanour came from.

Eventually, after warrant cards were shown and a strong refusal by Dominic to return later, they were hand-delivered to the floor where Chapman’s boss resided. Chapman, it turned out, worked in the financial crime threat mitigation department.

‘You protect individuals from fraud?’ Dominic asked as they settled around a table.

The woman smiled. ‘That’s a simplistic way of putting it. The FCTM department is responsible for all financial crime, individual and big business,