An Unfamiliar Murder: An absolutely addictive female-led crime thriller (DCI Helen Lavery series Book 1) by Jane Isaac

Author:Jane Isaac [Isaac, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: dp books
Published: 2024-11-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The call came at half-past nine and took Helen by surprise.

“DCI Lavery, this is DI Connell from the Control Room.”

“I’m not the Duty DCI this evening,” she replied quickly, lifting the newly poured glass of red wine to her mouth.

“I realise that, ma’am,” he said, “but there has been a fire at 21 Castrell Street.” She shot forward at this remark, droplets of wine spilling into her lap. “The resident,” he hesitated as if he was reading from notes, “a Ross Kendle, is missing, thought to be in the property, and his lodger, an Anna Cottrell, is giving a statement to officers at the scene. When the officer radioed through, both of these names were highlighted as being linked to your Operation Marlon.”

“Do we know how the fire started?”

“Not yet, but the firefighters are treating it as suspicious.”

“I’ll get straight down there. Thank you for letting me know.”

When she arrived at Castrell Street, it looked like a scene from a Hollywood movie. Firefighters had extinguished the final flames but were scurrying around, collecting up hoses, putting their equipment together. The street was cordoned off by two marked police cars with flashing lights. Hordes of onlookers, some of whom would have no doubt been evacuated from their nearby homes, looked on avidly. She had been forced to pull out her warrant card in order to fight her way through the crowd.

Helen headed for the first familiar face and held out her hand, “Alison?”

DS Strenson turned to face her. “Hi, ma’am.” She smiled, shook her hand. “Control room told me they called you.”

Helen smiled back at her. She had worked with Alison Strenson a couple of years back, on a project to centralise the Control Room across the Area, and they retained a good, professional, friendship. “How are you?”

“Fine thanks, and you?”

“Good.” Helen nodded, then cast her eyes back across the scene.

“I hear you’ve got Op Marlon?”

“For my sins.” She raised her brows. “That’s why I’m here.” She pointed towards the smoky street. “What do we know?”

“Not much at the moment. A neighbour was putting some rubbish out at around eight-thirty and noticed the smoke billowing into the back garden of number 21. He called the fire service who alerted us.”

“What about Ross Kendle?”

“Not accounted for as yet. His girlfriend, a Miss Cottrell, was staying with him. She went out just after seven.”

To meet me, thought Helen.

“She returned around nine o’clock,” Strenson continued. “Mr Kendle was at home when she left. She has given us contact details for friends and family, but we can’t locate him at the moment.”

“Where is Anna now?”

“She made a brief statement but was suffering from shock. Refused to go to hospital, so we took her back to her parents’ home.”

Helen looked around her. “Who’s in charge?” She nodded her head backwards towards the fire engine.

“James Campbell is senior on scene,” Strenson said. She pointed to a lean man with a shock of orange hair sticking out from underneath his helmet.

“Thanks, Alison. Good to see you again.” She patted her on the shoulder.

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