When a Killer Strikes by R.C. Bridgestock

Author:R.C. Bridgestock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Dylan arrived at work. It was seven-thirty. He logged onto his computer and instantly began working his way through the homicide database. He was eager for any scrap of information that gave him a new line of enquiry. ‘Any news on the leaflet droppers? I assumed not as there was no update from you last night.’

Vicky was typing. She didn’t look up. ‘Nothing to report. It was half-eleven before we finished and there didn’t seem much point in ringing you to say “nothing” at silly time of night.’

‘Why so late?’

‘The guys work as bartenders to pay the rent. Neither of their interviews brought about areas of concern. Their stories were consistent. Both admit to handing out leaflets on Burford Avenue for their new joint enterprise, and we took their DNA. Neither of them admitted to knowing Patti.’

‘They’re touting for window cleaning business in the area?’

‘Yes, and they’re adamant they didn’t put a leaflet through the letter box of Colonial House on the day of the murder; they were doing even house numbers, not odd.’

Dylan’s smile was forced as he raised his eyes from the computer screen. ‘And there’s nothing new on the box this morning.’

‘Could have told you that.’ Vicky sighed. ‘What next?’ Her eyes met Dylan’s stubborn gaze.

‘We carry on doing what we’re doing,’

The Force’s internal post had been delivered and sorted by admin and was piled high in the tray on the corner of his desk. He gave the documents a brief scan as to their priority, and made a start.

‘Why the long face?’ said Vicky when she brought coffee back with her into the office ten minutes later.

‘You’d think the officer running a murder enquiry would be left out of everyday mundane issues wouldn’t you?’

‘You would, but they’re not.’

‘No,’ Dylan held up a variety of paperwork. ‘Then there’s the paper trail for the murder, and the stream of requests for various updates. Just so they can monitor performance from headquarters. I wouldn’t care but everything is computerised, so the information they’re seeking has already been gathered and recorded. They could save a bloody rainforest, never mind a bucketful of money if they only took time to access it.’ Dylan’s phone rang and he snatched it up. ‘Dylan,’ he snapped.

Vicky spun on her heel and snuck out of the office, closing the office door behind her.

Although it was one of the great highs of an investigation, to get DNA evidence, it meant other expectations for a quick lock-up were high. Dylan more than most knew that it wasn’t always the case, unless the offender was already on a database. In this instance the offender was proving elusive. The net was widening. The only definite result was that Patti’s murderer was male.

‘Good news from Forensics today, I hope?’ said Dylan on hearing Maggie Jones voice on the end of the line.

‘Not the news you were hoping for, I’m afraid. We have an anomaly with a sample that’s been submitted to us in a batch.’

‘An anomaly? In what way?’

‘The problem isn’t getting DNA from the piece of chewing gum.

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