Mortal Remains by Sally Rigby

Author:Sally Rigby [Rigby, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Calibre
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

WHITNEY PULLED up at the entrance to Rushmere Close, the cul-de-sac in Thorpeville. The morning sun was streaked by thin wisps of black smoke. The houses were all semi-detached and the cordon closed off the entire street. Inside the restricted area were two fire engines and an ambulance. No flames were visible, so she assumed it was now under control. She ducked under the tape and made her way to the fire officer who was standing beside one of the engines. Her nostrils burnt as she breathed in the rancid fumes. He was holding his helmet in his hand. Black smudges covered his face.

‘What can you tell me?’ she asked, holding out her warrant card for the officer to see.

He shook his head and let out a sigh. ‘Three bodies, two children and a woman. They didn’t stand a chance. We found them all in their beds. They would have been overcome by the fumes and were asleep so wouldn’t have known anything. The fire’s now under control, although we’ve evacuated the rest of the houses in the close as a precaution.’

‘Is arson suspected?’

‘We won’t know officially until our investigator has reported back, but it’s similar to the previous two fires. A cloth pushed through the letter box. It looks like we have a serial arsonist on our hands.’ He winced.

‘Thanks for your input. I’ll leave you to it.’

She walked away and looked down the street to see if George had arrived yet. While waiting she took out her phone and recorded everyone who was watching at the entrance to the close, from behind the cordon. She didn’t recognise any of them from the crowd at the factory fire.

As she pocketed her phone, George pulled up. She ducked under the tape and waited while George got out of her car.

‘This is dreadful. We’ve got three bodies. A woman and two children. We haven’t identified them yet. I’ll have to get Ellie on to it. I’ve videoed everyone here watching.’ She gestured at all the people, huddled in groups, who were peering down the street. ‘Do you want to come and take a look?’

‘Is it safe?’

‘The fire’s out, so we should be able to walk around the outside. If you can bear the smell.’

‘I’ve smelled worse,’ George said.

They dipped below the cordon and walked down the middle of the road until reaching the house. They stopped and stared at it.

‘How many more people have got to die before we can put an end to this?’ Whitney shook her head, gripped by the helplessness which flooded through her.

‘Have they confirmed it’s the work of the same person?’ George asked.

‘Not officially, but there are similarities between all three fires.’

‘How close can we go to the house?’

‘Why, have you spotted something?’ Whitney asked, turning to look at George who was staring intently.

‘I’m not sure whether it’s a trick of the light, but do you see that garden ornament?’ She pointed to the grassed area in front of the house where there was a gnome.

‘Yes.’

‘There’s something tied to it.

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