The Career Killer (DCI Mabey Book 1) by Ali Gunn

Author:Ali Gunn [Gunn, Ali]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime, london, Murder, Women's Fiction, murder mystery, mystery, suspense
Publisher: Gripping Twist Press
Published: 2019-08-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31: Delegation or Derogation

‘Matthews! Oi, Matthews!’ Stryker shouted. He was running at a clip down the main corridor of the fourth floor of New Scotland Yard. Staff lurched out of his way to avoid the lumbering behemoth as he bore down on Matthews. He screeched to a halt before her and doubled over, winded and breathless.

‘What is it, Seb?’

‘I... have... to go... to court. Need... favour.’

‘Sure,’ Matthews said. ‘What do you need?’

‘This,’ he thrust an evidence bag at her, ‘is Leonella Boileau’s iPhone. I’ve spoken to Ian down in cyber. He says we should just guess the pin. It’s only four digits ’cause it’s an older one.’

‘Four digits... Seb, that’s ten thousand combinations.’

‘Err, yep, about that. Must dash. Got to be in court in Yorkshire at two and I’m cutting it fine as it is.’

‘Fine. I’ll do it.’

He beamed. ‘Great. One more thing, we’ve got a fella called Vito down in the cells that was about to blab about our first vic on national TV. See what you can do about holding him for as long as possible.’

‘On what charge?’

‘Possession – but there’s no chance of success. We just need time to find out if his claims have any merit. Look, I’ve really gotta run. Thanks again!’

Matthews turned to the phone. There were exactly ten thousand combinations and it would take weeks if not months to enter them one at a time. Before she could say anything, he sprinted back the way he’d come, leaping a backpack that had been left halfway along the hall with surprising agility.

She held the evidence bag up. It was an ancient iPhone, the kind that got slammed in the press for struggling to make phone calls as a result of the way the antenna had been designed. The screen showed that someone had already tried to break in. The chain of custody log affixed to the outside of the evidence bag read that it was currently in the possession of DI Sebastian Stryker. Matthews quickly rectified that defect, all the while kicking herself that she let Stryker run off without doing it properly. She’d have to get him to countersign the log later to confirm he’d handed it over.

What Stryker wanted was a miracle. Surely Ian hadn’t really suggested that they enter every single possible permutation manually? Maybe Stryker had got it wrong in his rush to dash off to Yorkshire.

Ian was only two minutes away. There was no harm in checking with him before she bricked the mobile and lost any evidence that it might contain. She found the department easily before realising that she had no idea which man was Ian. They all looked the same to her. It was as if every member of the Digital, Cyber and Communication Department had been manufactured somewhere like a toy doll, each with sallow waxy skin, greasy hair and the posture of Quasimodo. Each stared gormlessly at an oversized monitor, earphones on and oblivious to her presence. The room hummed with electricity, hard drives spinning and neon lights glaring in the cavernous basement.

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