EVIDENCE POOL: murder detectives face a tricky case by Ian Robinson

Author:Ian Robinson [Robinson, Ian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: THE BOOK FOLKS British crime fiction publisher
Published: 2023-06-18T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

The grounds of Heath Hall were illuminated with strategically placed pods of subtle and tranquil lighting designed to accent the staged planting. Moretti sat under the porch of McNeil’s cabin, pipe lit, listening to a blackbird trill in the final moments of light from the bush where Bliss, McNeil’s spaniel, had exited upon his arrest. He needed the break after Nash had informed him Petrov’s son was out of bounds now it was confirmed he too was protected by diplomatic immunity. At least they had a name for him now, Maxim Petrov. The inside team had obtained a flight manifest as well as having had the news article translated.

The newspaper article was standard stuff. Rich man’s son out clubbing gets in a confrontation with photographers. Not that the image showed any such confrontation, just a jaded-looking Maxim leaving a club holding the hand of a person unknown due to the crop of the photo. Moretti dismissed his thoughts. This was his final smoke in the stately grounds of the house. He and Nash had been given their marching orders by Commander Allen on the basis that the main forensic work had been exhausted and no one would be leaving the country without contacting Allen’s office first. Not that Nash or Moretti could engage with Petrov’s entourage anyway.

Moretti knew that Petrov and son were the only ones who were afforded the immunity status. Petrov’s remaining security team had all given written statements, courtesy of Petrov’s lawyer, that amounted to: I saw nothing, heard nothing, and couldn’t be of any help. This included the one who helped Maxim Petrov remove his father from the pool area. He claimed to have been focussed entirely on Petrov senior and didn’t see the body in the water due to his concentration on doing his job – getting Petrov to a place of safety. Commander Allen had received the statements, hand-delivered to New Scotland Yard, and forwarded them on to the incident room at Hendon.

Moretti chuckled to himself as he recalled Nash’s face when she’d told him what Allen had arranged behind her back. Allen had effectively had statements taken over the phone in the safe room via his personal assistant. Statements that, to Moretti and Nash, amounted to nothing. They’d never stand up in court. Not the way they were obtained. Moretti blew out smoke and thought about why Allen was so keen to see the investigation completed. Why had he chosen to interfere in such a brazen way? Yes, the heat was on from above for everyone, but Moretti sensed Allen’s involvement was beyond the norm for a man of his rank. He was interrupted by Middleton, who ambled into view trussed up in a dark, padded coat that stopped short of her ankles. Moretti noted she’d opted for a pair of Hunter ankle wellies rather than her heels.

‘Thought I’d find you here; may I join you?’ she said, without waiting on Moretti’s reply.

She sat next to him on a bench seat and withdrew a slim silver cigarette case from inside the oversized quilt.

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