The Dead Night Sky: A Police Procedural Thriller (The Chichester Crime Mysteries Book 3) by Matthew J. Evans

Author:Matthew J. Evans [Evans, Matthew J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Matthew J. Evans
Published: 2025-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Dinescu saw the crime scene tape across the entrance to Reverend Henderson’s driveway. A young PCSO was standing guard and saw him approach.

Dinescu pulled his lanyard from his jacket. “I’m DCI Dinescu, the SIO in this case.”

“Hello, sir.” The PCSO was nervous and pulled out a scene logbook from inside his stab vest. “May I ask you to sign the logbook, sir?”

“Of course,” said Dinescu. He filled in his details and the reason for visiting the scene. “You don’t need to worry about asking senior officers to sign this.” He smiled and looked up, handing back the pen. “No one goes into the crime scene you’re guarding unless they have a reason to be here and sign the book. Not even the Chief Constable. You’re doing a good job. Thank you.”

“Thank you, sir.” The PCSO blushed and raised the tape for Dinescu.

Dinescu found the front door open and saw Kirby talking to a SOCO. When Kirby saw Dinescu, he paused his conversation.

“What’s happened, Chester?”

“We think we’ve found where James had been staying. It’s the bedroom of Henderson’s deceased daughter.”

“You’re not going to tell me she’s still in there?”

Kirby laughed out loud. “God, no, sir! But it’s just as weird. The sarge is upstairs waiting for scenes of crime to finish in the room. We can go anywhere else in the house.”

“Thanks, Chester.”

Dinescu walked into the hall and looked around. Burgess was at the far end of the hallway with an address book in her hand. He saw the regimental plaque on the wall and a collection of paper evidence bags containing bedsheets.

He took to the stairs and found Summers going through a list of exhibits.

“Sir,” said Summers. “Thanks for coming over. A strange one this.”

“Go on. I’m intrigued.”

“Sarah and Chester found the door to one of the bedrooms locked.” Summers pointed to the open door in front of her. A SOCO was blocking the view inside. “This was Henderson’s daughter’s room—Irma. When they found the key and opened it, it was as if she were still living in the house. It appears that the bed was recently slept in, and at the end of the bed, we believe we’ve found James’s blue dressing gown.” Summers hesitated. “And a life-size doll dressed in Irma’s clothes. I haven’t checked, but I think it’s one of those realistic sex dolls. When I say realistic, I mean realistic.”

The SOCO moved, having finished removing a length of wide, clear tape from a water bottle on the floor. Then Dinescu saw the doll. It was in every way like a young girl, sitting at the end of the bed, wearing skinny jeans and a red T-shirt, its blonde hair swept back into a long ponytail. The eyes were glassy and vacant, staring back at Dinescu, and her mouth was open and ready to perform a sex act.

“I don’t think they’re illegal to own,” said Dinescu. “We will have to take advice.”

“This is scary, sir,” she handed Dinescu a photograph. “We found it in the underwear drawer.

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