Room 15 by Charles Harris

Author:Charles Harris [Harris, Charles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781913419684
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thriller and mystery
Published: 2020-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

When we reach the makeshift incident room, I find there’s no need to report back on the raid’s failure as Bannon and Toth have already heard. Instead, Charlie Toth asks if we’ve established a connection between Javtokas and the Kleizas.

‘No,’ I say, feeling foolish. ‘And even if there is, we can’t prove anything. We can’t prove Javtokas tried to kill Crystal. Or, if he did, that he also shot Amy Matthews. Or that there’s any connection with the raid on the Kleizas’ office.’ I try to harness my thoughts, my doubts and uncertainties, and take control of this case. Back to procedure again. Hide any feelings. ‘What can we say for sure about Crystal’s attacker? Build a profile. What kind of person do we know he is?’

‘Violent,’ says Helen Bannon from behind her computer. ‘Vicious. He knew what he was doing.’

‘Okay,’ I say. ‘He? Are we sure it’s a man? Not a tall woman? How do you know?’

Bannon doesn’t blink. ‘Looks like it, doesn’t it, sir? The hospital estimated over a hundred and eighty centimetres. Used fists and feet. Someone who knows how to hit and doesn’t hold back.’

‘Even so, it could be a woman. Keep your options open. But go on, what’s the motivation? Is he or she on drugs? Or fighting over them? Or looking for revenge over something or other? Or the kind of person who just likes hitting women?’ I want to push her, push the whole team. I have so little time. ‘Is there anything on missing prescription drugs at the hospital?’

Bannon turns over pages in her notebook. ‘Nothing. Not even an aspirin, they say.’

Nothing seems to be helping us. I search desperately for something that will at least make me look like I’m in charge. ‘I need someone to go to Javtokas’ college to find out what we can about him there.’

Becks puts up his hand, which doesn’t surprise me, but I nod instead to Bannon and tell Becks to drive back to the hospital with Javtokas’ picture, taken from Facebook. ‘Show it around and see if it means anything to anyone. I’ll come over in an hour and meet you there.’

Meanwhile, I get Charlie Toth to stay in the incident room, in case of phone calls, and find out more about the Lithuanian and Bengali gangs. I also ask him to book me out a plain car from the pool. Preferably not a Mini Cooper. He’s watching me carefully. Is he growing suspicious or am I imagining it.

During all this, O’Shea has returned, listened and then bounced off again, surprisingly upbeat, to bark orders, chase up the forensics, knock on more doors. He seems to be a man who feeds off failure. It reassures him that his pessimism was right. And as Bannon and Becks pull on their coats, I look around the team, wondering if one of them tipped Javtokas off that we were coming.

With everyone busy, I walk back as fast as I can to my official office at the other end of the station.

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