Page 52 of The Scene of the Crime

‘That sort of makes sense to me. But are you saying his home life causes the imposter syndrome?’

‘To an extent, yes, and I don’t see him as the sort of person who would seek help from others about his anxieties.’

‘Is there anything I can do to help him?’

‘Give him positive feedback when he gets something right or makes a good decision. If you disagree with him, tell him, but point out the pros and cons. Try to help him connect with others on the team.’

‘You sound like a shrink,’ he laughed.

‘Well, I did study psychology at university.’

‘I’ll try my best, Doctor Freud, but Anderson’s a tough nut to crack.’

‘I’m sure he’ll appreciate it in the long run. Right, we need to start working on the car.’

‘Sorry, I can’t stay. Anderson rang me on the way here. He’s called an office meeting for one o’clock, so I’d better get going.

‘We’ve got Johan De Klerk’s laptop and PC at the lab. It might be useful to examine them to help with a victim profile. Could you raise it with Anderson and ask if he’d approve a warrant application?’

‘I’ll try, but I don’t think he’ll prioritise it, and I doubt a judge would issue a warrant at present anyway. Still, with my new-found psychological techniques, I’ll give it a go,’ he said with a wink.

* * *

Jessica, Diane and Guy put on protective clothing and face masks before entering the vehicle examination bay. The acrid smell of smoke and burnt rubber filled the air, leaving an unpleasant taste in their mouths and making their eyes sting. The exterior of the Range Rover was badly burnt, and the two rear tyres had almost melted. As they approached the car, the smell of petrol hit them.

‘Is it still a fire risk?’ Diane asked nervously.

‘The fire brigade signed it off as safe for transport, so we should be OK,’ Jessica reassured her.

‘You know much about photography?’ Jessica asked Guy.

‘A bit. I took some pictures during covert military operations.’

‘I’ll bet they were interesting,’ Diane said. Guy smiled, but didn’t respond.

Jessica removed a digital camera from a bag. ‘A scene of crime officer took some exterior shots at the scene of the fire, but I need some close-ups as well . . . if you’re happy to take them?’ she said, wanting Guy to feel more involved.

He took the camera from her. ‘Sure. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll snap away.’

Jessica peered into the vehicle. The leather seats were totally destroyed, leaving only the springs and metal frames behind. She tried to force open the boot using a crowbar, but it was stuck fast, and she needed Guy’s help to finally do it. Once opened, they could see that most of the carpet was burnt, leaving only bare metal. She let Guy pry open the bonnet, to find a lot of the engine parts were melted due to the intensity of the fire. Jessica tried to open the fuel cap, but it was firmly locked. She stepped back, closed her eyes, and moved her head from side to side as she pondered the extent of the fire damage to the car.

‘What’s she doing?’ Guy whispered to Diane.

‘I’ll explain later . . . but don’t worry, it’s how she works things out.’

Jessica opened her eyes. ‘Clearly, from the pungent smell, the accelerant used was petrol. I’d say, from the burn damage pattern, it was poured all over the inside of the car, the boot and on the rear and front exteriors then ignited with a match, cigarette lighter or piece of burning cloth. We’ll need to remove all the debris inside the car and sift through it for any remnants of a lighter and petrol container.’

‘With all that fire damage, it’s unlikely we’ll get any hard forensic evidence to help identify the perpetrator,’ Diane remarked.

Jessica was more optimistic. ‘The source of the petrol used to start the fire could help us identify the person responsible.’

‘How?’ Guy asked, looking puzzled.

Jessica looked at a photograph of the registration document for the Range Rover. ‘It’s a diesel car, so petrol can’t have been syphoned from the tank, and De Klerk wouldn’t have kept a petrol can in the boot.’ She opened Google Earth on her iPad and entered Wanstead golf course. Jessica turned her iPad towards them. ‘DC Bingham said the Range Rover travelled along the A12 East Cross Route and likely came off at the Green Manroundabout, just short of a mile from the golf course where the car was found.’

Diane and Taff stood on either side of Jessica as she zoomed in on the golf course and roundabout. ‘Which means the intruder might live locally and hid the car in a garage or lockup nearby for twenty-four hours before setting fire to it. He could have had a can of petrol at home . . . or, more likely, he went out and purchased one. There’s a twenty-four-hour Jet petrol station just off the Green Man roundabout in Hollybush Hill, which is also the nearest one to the golf course.’

‘You’re thinking he might be on CCTV if he went to that garage,’ Guy said.