stephenterry
  • WRITERS BLOCK
  • Blog page
  • News flashes

Darkness Chapter 22

19/7/2011

 
The Ice Queen was conducting the postmortem at Cheltenham hospital. ‘Attention, please,’ she commanded. All went silent. Jackie glanced at the DCS and DCI Angers, who were wearing surgical suits and masks to stifle the stench of disinfectant, like her. Marty was conspicuous by his absence. Jackie made a mental note to read his statement.

Helga cut around the scalp and peeled off Candice’s face, making comments into her Dictaphone as she went. She gave a lurid description of broken bones and lacerations, all carefully measured and detailed by her assistant. Severe trauma to the brain was the primary cause of death. Next, the body was slit open from neck to navel; internal organs, all weighed and packed. Severe bruising and some internal bleeding following sexual intercourse, but no trauma. Samples of blood underneath fingernails, and semen collected for DNA testing.

Helga let her assistant sew up the body, and make Candice presentable for viewing. Helga seemed to acknowledge the attending police officers. ‘Any questions?’

DCS Adam Forsyth was first off the blocks.

‘You told us a blunt instrument was used to batter her brains in. Any guess on what it might be?’

Helga folded her arms across her chest.

‘I don’t do battered brains, and I don’t do guesses.’ She held up a hand to stop the DCS from interrupting. ‘What I said was ... her brain suffered severe trauma from a blunt instrument. Hopefully the lab tests will shed some light on what this could be.’

DCI Angers removed his mask and flung in a curve-ball.

‘When would you know?’

Helga drew herself up to her full six feet one; more if she was wearing high heels. Intimidates men, she had told Jackie.

‘Don’t worry Inspector, you’ll be the first to hear,’ she replied, an acid tone to her voice. ‘Maybe tomorrow. Is that soon enough?’

Angers shut his mouth. Jackie sensed he wasn’t going to ruffle her with the DCS there.

‘Well if there are no more questions, I am sure we’re all busy people.’

Class dismissed.

 

Jackie spent the rest of the morning back at the nick writing up her notes from the previous night between visits from DCI Angers, who wanted a progress report on her interview with Carol – he was disappointed to learn that Councillor Winterbotham had not been fingered.

The DCS was particular for punctual reporting. Especially as there was a hastily arranged press conference at lunchtime. Candice’s HIV blood test was negative, that was one relief. DC James came in with regular cups of tea, and padded around her as if waiting for a biscuit, but she ignored him.

The incident file was now a couple of inches thick. She leafed through to last night entries, searching for Marty’s statement. There it was; a brief note hand-written, and signed by him and DCI Angers. She read it. He’d caught Candice in a honey trap the same night that Jackie trod DC James’ head in to the dirt. He only knew Candice by her first name and didn’t know if she had a partner or family. He warned her, then gave his number; told her to call him when she met a punter. But she never did.

Jackie stopped reading.

Phone.

She went back over the site transcript. No personal effects were located there.

Shit.

Then another thought came into her head. What if Candice had met a punter? Her killer? What if she had called Marty?

Too many “what ifs”. She had to share her concerns, and find out. Even if it meant flouting procedure and obtaining a network transcribe on Marty’s phone calls.

And she knew just who to ask.


Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Author

    Bio: British age 74 (young) retired and living in Thailand.  Profession, Charity Auditor working in some 40 countries over the last ten years before retiring.  Familiar with writing reports to professional standard.  Sense of humour, reserved, realist and down to earth.  Enjoy writing with a passion for the unusual. 
    Genre: Fiction crime  

    Email: stephenterry747@hotmail.com
    Phone: 0066823250835 Thailand

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    September 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.