The Body in the Shadows by Nick Louth

Author:Nick Louth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Published: 2023-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

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Gillard parked well away from Thamesway Tower and walked in the drizzle to the base of the building. The usual crowd of ne’er-do-wells were hanging around the entrance, but took a look at Gillard in his suit, with briefcase and false lanyard, and probably thought: social worker. Certainly that is what he hoped. The lift was working, and no one shared the ride with him. That was a definite plus point. Looking around Keith Sutton’s flat was a bit of a high-risk activity. As far as the family and neighbours were concerned, he’d died of natural causes. If a vanload of crime scene investigators had turned up word would be out in no time, and they didn’t want to tip off anyone at the Railway Tavern that they had suspicions. Culshaw was adamant that nothing must prejudice preparations for the big robbery, even the suspicion of a murder. DI Florence Latimer had borrowed the key to the police padlock that secured the flat from the desk sergeant at Peckham Police Station and offered Gillard the chance to look around with her. As arranged, she had just called him from inside the flat. He got out at the sixteenth floor and made his way quietly along the corridor. She let him in without him having to knock. The place smelled worse than stale, just what you expect when someone had died there.

‘Good to see you,’ she said quietly, in her Caribbean lilt.

‘I really appreciate being in on this,’ he responded.

Her disguise was impeccable. Grey trouser suit, unfashionable shoes, and her usual prominent crucifix. Maybe a social worker or some other official, possibly even a Jehovah’s Witness. Certainly she was unlikely to face awkward questions on the way in. The moment she had closed the door behind him, they rapidly donned booties and gloves. Gillard took a camera, a fingerprint kit and some cotton buds for DNA from his briefcase.

‘You did check the daughter is at work today?’ he asked. ‘If Dawn sees me, it would be a disaster.’

Florence’s wide face twisted slightly. ‘I’d hoped she’d be going into work, but she’s at home. Compassionate leave. Her flat’s a good mile away, and I’ve got an officer in a car within sight of the entrance here who will ring us if he sees her. We gave her a key to the padlock.’

They concentrated on the bathroom door handle, the toilet flush handle, and on the edges of the adjacent bath. ‘We’ll have to get elimination samples from the paramedics,’ Gillard said.

‘It’s in hand,’ Florence replied. ‘I’ve already got the elimination record for the female officer who found the body.’

‘Whoever did it must’ve been known to him, to be let in. I’m not sure if Sutton even knew Horace Mower, but he’s my favourite.’

‘The neighbours on the corridor came out when the door was knocked in yesterday morning,’ Florence said. ‘None of them said anything about there being a racket, according to the PC.’

‘There may not have been much noise,’ Gillard said.

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