Blacklight (Dark Yorkshire Book 2) by Dalgliesh J M

Author:Dalgliesh, J M [Dalgliesh, J M]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Published: 2018-05-31T16:00:00+00:00

His date was far more forgiving than he expected. The time was pushing eight o’clock when he walked into Domenico’s, on the edge of the city centre. Dr Taylor smiled warmly as he took a seat opposite her, passing his coat to the maître d” as he did so.

“Gentle jog, was it?” she asked, noticing a sheen of perspiration on his face.

“I did have to pick up the pace a little,” he said apologetically. “I’m sorry, I got caught up-”

Holding up her hands to indicate there was no need for further apology, Alison sought to reassure him, “It’s okay, Nathaniel. This is a sort of working dinner anyway, right?” Caslin nodded, although that acknowledgement saddened him slightly. He poured himself a glass from the bottle of water at the table.

“In which case, what do you have for me?”

“Well, for starters, I’ve ordered for you already,” she pointedly looked into his eyes, a playful gleam in her own, “you were late, so I took the liberty. I hope that you like fish?”

“Love fish,” Caslin said, returning her look with a smile.

“Secondly, I got the results back on the material beneath Melissa Brooke’s fingernails as I left the office, this evening. But don’t get too excited.”

“Why not, is it unidentifiable?”

She shook her head, “Oh it’s definitely identifiable. Unfortunately, it’s hers.”

“Her own DNA?”

Alison nodded solemnly, “Those scratches that seemed so odd across her body, well, it looks like the majority may have been self-inflicted. Apart from the injuries attributable to the vegetation, soles of her feet, ankles and so on.”

“Are you sure?” Caslin asked, sitting back in his chair as a sense of deflation washed over him.

“With the organic material, there is no doubt. The pattern was too strong. There are traces of another but not enough to form a working profile.”

“Can you give me anything to work with?”

“We can try and separate the organic matter and attempt to illicit a stronger pattern but don’t hold your breath. As for the self-harm, I’ll have to do some more tests tomorrow but I should be able to confirm it. Melissa’s fingernails were long and manicured so there will be a reasonable degree of correspondence between cause and injury.”

“Why on earth would she do that?” Caslin asked.

“Your guess is as good as mine, I’m afraid to say. Perhaps it was unintended, during a struggle but there is very little to suggest that to be the case and the number of apparently self-inflicted injuries is rather high.”

Caslin nodded, “Do you have any good news for me?”

“Toxicology has confirmed that she had no illegal drugs in her system, so she wasn’t high at the time of her death or in the weeks running up to it.”

“Suzanne was right,” he said softly.

“Who?”

“Oh, Melissa’s mother. It was something she said. Sorry, I was just thinking out loud. Anything else?”

“Yes,” Alison said, smiling, “the fish here is excellent. I also ordered a bottle of wine. I assumed that white would be okay, seeing as we’re having fish.”

Caslin smiled. If truth be known he always drank red, regardless of the meal but agreed that her choice was fine.

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