Page 15 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

‘Thanks.’ They went into the garden and joined the others.

‘Anything new to report?’ Jessica asked.

‘Maybe,’ Taff said. ‘I’ve examined the striation marks on the safe a bit more closely.

They’re different from the ones on the patio doors and caused by something I’ve not seen at a forced entry crime scene before.

I’ll need to remove the safe and take it to the lab for a detailed microscopic examination.

’ He turned to Chapman with a smile. ‘Could you help me lift it?’

Chapman held his hands up. ‘I think that’s a forensics job, isn’t it? I wouldn’t want to compromise any evidence.’

Everyone laughed.

‘The intruder most likely brought a toolkit with him,’ Taff said. ‘Like a shoulder bag or rucksack, something easy to carry.’

‘Makes sense. And he could have used it to take away any stolen items,’ Chapman added.

Diane thought of something. ‘He’d have had to put it down to get any tools out. I’ll take some fibre tape lifts from the carpet around the safe. If we identify a suspect and recover a rucksack or something similar, we might find fibres from the carpet or vice versa.’

‘Good thinking, Diane,’ Jessica said.

‘I haven’t done any ESLA testing on the basement carpets yet, though,’ Taff said.

‘Not a problem,’ Jessica assured him. ‘The electric current will lift any loose fibres onto the Myler sheet, and once you’ve photographed them, Diane can extract any fibres.’

Taff nodded. ‘I’ll do it after lunch.’

‘OK, but first I’d like to discuss what we’ve got so far and the forensic opportunities going forward.’

‘Sounds good,’ Diane said, and they all tucked into their pizzas.

When they’d finished eating, Taff put the empty boxes and water bottles in a bin bag and took them to the van to dispose of later. Chapman’s phone rang, but the conversation was very brief. He turned to Jessica.

‘Anderson wants me back at the office to update him. It’s been a pleasure to meet and work with you all.

I’ve learned a lot about crime scene investigation’ – he nodded to Diane – ‘particularly blood pattern analysis, even though I probably won’t remember most of it.

And thanks for the pizza.’ He handed Jessica a business card with his mobile number on it.

‘Call me if you have difficulty finding our office or need anything else.’

‘Thanks. And thanks for lending a hand,’ Jessica said.

As he started to walk off, he stopped and turned around. ‘There is one other thing I’d like to ask you about the crime scene, Jessica, but I understand if you don’t want to answer it yet.’

‘Go on,’ she said.

‘Do you think Anderson is right that it’s simply a burglary gone wrong?’

‘Well, clearly entry was forced, De Klerk was assaulted and property was stolen, all of which constitutes an aggravated burglary, but a few things don’t quite add up regarding what the intruder did . . . and, for that matter, Mr De Klerk.’

‘In what way?’

‘I’ll let you know when we’ve finished examining the crime scene and I further review my observations with Diane and Taff,’ Jessica said.

Chapman nodded. ‘I guess only two people can tell us exactly what happened. One is Mr De Klerk . . . if he survives. The other is the person responsible, whom we’ve yet to identify. But I’m confident, having seen how well we work as a team, that we will.’

‘So am I,’ Jessica replied, wishing he’d stop waffling and let them get on with their jobs.

Diane waited until Chapman was well out of earshot. ‘He’s hard to fathom. What do you two make of him?’

Taff shrugged. ‘He seems like a competent and experienced detective.’

They both looked at Jessica. She had a serious look on her face. ‘He’s certainly interested in everything we do. I’m just not sure why.’

*?*?*

Jessica, Diane and Taff spent the next hour discussing and reviewing everything about the crime scene in fine detail.

They were all aware that after a detailed laboratory examination of the footwear marks, blood and other items seized, their hypothesis of the sequence of events during the commission of the crime could change.

Jessica made notes on her iPad as they discussed their thoughts and observations.

Although they differed in opinion at times, they didn’t argue.

They stuck to the facts, remained objective and reached logical conclusions on which they all agreed.

Jessica thanked them for all their hard work and, as it had been a long day, told them to continue their forensic examination until no later than 5 p.m. If they hadn’t finished, she would resume and complete the outstanding examination in the morning while Diane and Taff started their lab analysis of the DNA swabs and other items seized.

‘Hopefully I’ll be back at the office about the same time as you,’ Jessica said, ‘and we can discuss what DCI Anderson has to say.’

‘I’ve uploaded all the photographs and videos to the MSCAN internet drive and made a copy on a USB stick for DCI Anderson,’ Taff said.

‘Good. I’d better head off to Barking. The last thing I want is to be late. Is there anything else you can think of that I should raise at the meeting?’

‘You could tell Anderson to be a bit more respectful,’ Diane said.

‘Don’t let him get to you, Di. We can only do our best and advise him accordingly. If he doesn’t want to take on board what we say, then he’s only himself to blame if things go pear-shaped,’ Taff commented.

‘Anderson’s under a lot of pressure to solve the case quickly,’ Jessica said. ‘Even more so now he knows Michelle Belsham is the victim’s wife, so maybe give him some slack. See you all later.’

Di and Taff watched her go. Di pursed her lips. ‘I’d better behave myself, then,’ she said.

‘You’d better,’ Taff agreed. ‘You know she’s got eyes in the back of her head.’