Page 46 of The Scene of the Crime

‘Likewise, ma’am . . . sorry, Jessica.’

Jessica sat down at her desk and turned on her laptop. The previous evening, she’d started typing her crime scene report at home and had nearly completed it. She was glad DS Jenkinson was on the team, as he could load it onto HOLMES for Anderson to read.

‘You’ve met Guy then,’ Commander Williams said as she walked in holding a mug of coffee.

‘Yes, ma’am. I assume it was him you wanted to speak to me about?’

She nodded. ‘And the investigation, of course.’

‘Thanks for bringing him onto the team. He seems highly qualified. And very dapper.’

Williams smiled. ‘He’s also an absolute gentleman, and completely trustworthy. Did he tell you about his background?’

‘Only that he was in the Intelligence Corps and had analytical skills.’

‘He’s also very modest. Guy led a military team in the Middle East on a Counter-Terrorism Intelligence operation and saved the lives of a lot of soldiers whose barracks were about to be bombed. He’s also skilled in exploiting and analysing social media websites to establish and track terrorist networks on the darkest parts of the internet.’

Jessica was surprised. ‘He didn’t tell me any of that, though he did say he was qualified in digital forensics.’

‘Like I said, he’s very modest. A lot of his work was secret squirrel stuff and highly classified. He’s also done someoutstanding work on the Counter Terrorism Command and been commended by the courts and the Commissioner.’

‘Why did he leave Counter Terrorism if that’s where his skills are most useful?’

‘I put out some feelers about a HOLMES operator joining MSCAN. I was surprised when he contacted me personally and asked about joining the team. He wants to expand his knowledge and work in a different environment. He’s very interested in forensics and well-read in the relevant sciences. His mind absorbs and retains information like a sponge. Terrorism Command was very reluctant to let him go, but they couldn’t stop him . . . their loss is your gain.’

Jessica nodded enthusiastically. ‘Accessing and cross-referencing information with the investigating team will certainly be much easier with a HOLMES operator.’

‘I should add that Guy is also a super recogniser.’ Jessica knew Williams was referring to people with an exceptional ability to recognise and memorise faces, often after the briefest glimpse. They could store facial information for months or years and quickly spot a person they’d seen before in a large crowd, even if they looked different due to ageing, facial hair or camera angle.

‘He’s certainly a man of many talents. Has he any skeletons in the closet?’ Jessica asked.

‘Not that I know of . . . unless you see being gay as a problem?’

Jessica was surprised by Williams’s reply. ‘Of course not, and I can assure you neither will my team.’

‘I only mentioned it as some of the old sweats on Counter Terrorism were a little homophobic. It was mainly banter they thought was funny, as opposed to outright nastiness. Guy didn’t complain, but a team member reported them to Professional Standards. The offending officers were given words of advice and sent back to division. Guy wasn’t best pleased as it broughthim unwanted attention. Anyway, I thought it best to let you know the circumstances.’

‘I appreciate your frankness, ma’am. I think Guy will get on well with Diane and Taff.’

‘How do you feel about DCI Anderson leading the investigation on the De Klerk stabbing?’

‘It surprised me when I saw him at the scene yesterday morning to be honest. I’ve not had a chance to speak to him about my scene analysis as we’ve both been very busy.’

‘Is that a polite way of saying he hasn’t taken the time to sit down with you and discuss your findings?’

‘No, ma’am. I was late for his office meeting as I was with Michelle De Klerk. She turned up at her house unexpectedly, and I took her to the hospital.’

‘Anderson did mention it. He felt you should have called him, then he could have met her at the hospital.’

Jessica was annoyed by Anderson’s childish behaviour but was determined not to show it in front of Williams. ‘He didn’t give me his phone number. I informed DI Chapman, his deputy, that I was at the hospital with Mrs De Klerk. Chapman was also with us during the scene examination. He was in regular contact with DCI Anderson and kept him informed of our progress.’

‘I don’t doubt you for one minute, and I’ve got my eye on Anderson. He couldn’t survive without Mike Chapman and the other experienced officers on his team, such as DS Wood. Chapman is the glue that holds the team together, not to mention being an excellent and dedicated detective, though he can sometimes seem a little quirky. Anderson is keen to prove himself a capable SIO, but his management skills are lacking, and he fails to listen and learn from people like you and Mike.’

Jessica nodded. ‘I just want him to realise we are here to help, not hinder.’

‘I’m sure the results of your work will make him realise that.’

‘I read an article in theHackney Gazettethis morning, but it was brief and didn’t reveal much about the investigation. I was wondering if DCI Anderson had identified a suspect.’