Page 42 of First Blood

‘Okay, boss.’

‘And while you’re at it, meet Luke’s sister, Lisa Bywater, at the morgue to ID the body at 2p.m. Keats has been informed. Okay, gotta go, Stacey is calling.’

She ended the call. ‘Hey Stacey,’ she answered.

‘Boss, I know yer said to carry on with the CCTV, but I’ve been doing a bit of digging and I think I’ve found something else.’

Kim could hear the breathlessness in her voice.

‘I got to looking at the method and the planning and the—’

‘Spit it out, Stacey,’ Kim said.

‘I’ve found something similar a month ago. I think our guy must be on a roll.’

Chapter Thirty-Six

Warwickshire Constabulary was first established in 1840 and had been part of more amalgamations and absorptions than any other force Kim could think of.

Proposals had been made in 2006 to merge the force with both West Midlands and West Mercia to form a single force for the whole West Midlands, but plans were abandoned due to a public outcry.

In its current state the force was divided into districts and boroughs with thirty-three local policing teams. One of which was located in Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, where Bryant was parking up right now.

‘Not sure how keen they’re going to be to share,’ Bryant said, parking beside a BMWX5. Once upon a time this force had combined with their own and West Mercia to form the Central Motorway Police Group but now it was only themselves and West Mercia.

‘Well, let’s see, shall we?’ Kim said pushing open the front door.

Kim approached the desk. ‘Sergeant Greene?’

‘Please,’ Bryant added from behind. ‘Is he available?’

The uniformed officer focussed his attention on Bryant. ‘And you are?’

Bryant held up his ID and introduced them both.

The officer picked up a phone. Bryant stepped away.

‘Friendly bunch,’ he said, quietly.

‘Are you surprised?’ she asked. This force had been messed with more than most.

‘All doing the same job, guv,’ he said, as the door to their left opened.

A man of slim build with pasty white arms protruding from his black tee shirt greeted them with a half-smile.

‘May I help?’

Kim remained silent. They wanted something from this man and people clearly responded better to her colleague.

Bryant took his cue from her silence.

‘Could we have a word about the body you got at Redland Hall?’

His face tightened but he nodded and ushered them through the door he was still holding open.

They followed him ten steps before turning into a small office with no windows and two plastic chairs.

Documents hung off a single noticeboard, sheets pinned on top of each other causing Kim to wonder at the relevance of the documents at the bottom.