‘Thankfully, there’s no further damage to the vertebrae,’ Pullen told him. ‘As I suspected, the spinal cord has been severed between the C3 and C4 sections and the hyoid bone is fractured.’ She looked at the notes she’d made prior to dissecting the throat. ‘The width of the entry wound in the neck is two and a half centimetres and the penetration depth five centimetres. However, the knife could have had a longer blade than the penetration depth. There were no signs of serration on the vertebrae which suggests the knife had a smooth blade.’
Pullen used the tweezers to lift out the small triangular-shaped object she’d seen on the X-ray. She placed it gently down on a piece of blue paper cloth. It was clearly the tip of a knife.
Pullen took some measurements. ‘It’s quite thin, two centimetres wide at the break point and narrowing to a curved tip.’
Lloyd took some close-up photographs as Pullen held the ruler next to it. ‘She must have been stabbed with some force to severe the spine and break the knife tip off.’
Pullen nodded. ‘Yes, it’s rare. The tip was embedded between the vertebrae and probably broke off when the knife was removed at an acute angle.’
‘Do you think two people could have been involved in her murder? Lifting the body and putting it in the coffin wouldn’t be easy,’ Boon suggested.
Pullen shrugged. ‘It’s possible. However, the victim is small and quite light, even though the body has mummified.’
‘If the coffin was on the ground, a single person could lift the upper body in first then the lower half,’ Jane suggested, and Pullen agreed.
‘The initial strangulation may not have taken place near the coffin,’ Lloyd suggested.
‘Could another nun have done it?’ Boon asked.
Pullen shrugged. ‘Metaphorically speaking, God only knows. All I can say at present is she was strangled then stabbed, by a person or persons at present unknown.’
‘This is all wild speculation at the moment, anyway,’ Stanley said.
‘Finding the knife with a broken tip would be good,’ Boon said enthusiastically.
‘If she was murdered in the 1800s, it will be long gone,’ Stanley retorted.
‘It might be buried somewhere in the old convent grounds. We could use one of those metal detector things to look for it,’ Boon suggested.
‘A mechanical fit between the knife blade and broken tip would prove it was the murder weapon,’ Jane added, and Lloyd agreed.
Stanley shook his head, ‘searching the old convent grounds would take weeks, if not months. Spending a fortune on a murder that could have happened in the last century might not be justifiable, especially if the killer and any witnesses are all dead.’
‘So, we just forget about it... is that what you’re saying?’ Jane asked.
‘Like I said, Jane, I don’t make the decisions.’
‘Well, the coroner may want a full investigation. As I see it, the priority has to be to find out who the poor woman is,’ Jane said.
‘I think the coroner is likely to agree with DCS Barnes’s thoughts rather than yours,’ Stanley replied.
‘I’m not qualified in forensic odontology, but I can say her teeth are in reasonably good condition, which may help to give you her age range,’ Pullen interjected. ‘I can contact Dr Martin. He’s the top forensic odontologist in London and lectures at King’s College.’
‘Have they got an anthropology department?’ Jane asked.
‘Yes, they have,’ Pullen replied, ‘and they also have a senior lecturer there, Richard Eaves. He’s an expert in anatomical art and doing some ground-breaking work on facial reconstruction.’
‘What’s facial reconstruction?’ Boon asked.
‘Basically, he layers the skull of a body with modelling clay to create a three-dimensional facial likeness of the deceased person. It may lead to someone recognising the reconstructed face of the nun and help you identify her.’
Stanley raised his hand. ‘Slow down, the lot of you. Before we start calling every forensic expert in the phone book, let Dr Pullen finish the PM, then I’ll speak with Barnes.’
Pullen continued the post-mortem, dissected the body, and examined the internal organs, which had remained intact and become leathery due to the adipocere. The stomach contents had dried up, but there were some remnants of digested food which Pullen put in a glass container.
Pullen finished the post-mortem in nearly three hours. ‘Her liver, heart and other internal organs were preserved by the adipocere. They are all in good condition which makes me think she was a healthy young woman... possibly aged between twenty and thirty, but don’t quote me on that. Cause of death is the stab wound to the back which severed the spinal cord. I’ll type up my report and send it to Jane in the next couple of days.’
‘Thanks, Sam. You’ve given us some interesting details to work on. You also did an excellent job on your first solo PM,’ Jane said.
‘What about me?’ Lloyd asked, looking forlorn.
Jane laughed. ‘You as well, Lloyd.’
‘You’ve a long way to go to beat Paul Lawrence’s track record,’ Stanley joked.
Pullen removed her gown and gloves. ‘Please let me know if you decide to call in an anthropologist or odontologist. I’d like to be present when they examine the body. Anyone fancy a drink at The Sydney Arms? It’s just up the road.’
‘I’ve got time for a pint before heading back to the lab,’ Lloyd said.
‘Sorry, I’ll have to decline as I need to get back to the station,’ Stanley said.
‘Can we join them for a drink?’ Boon asked Jane.
‘Sorry, Boony. We need to write up our reports of the day’s events.’
‘Just a quick one, sarge...’ Boon said.
‘Do as you’re told, Boon,’ Stanley said firmly. He turned to Jane. ‘I want to go over everything that’s happened before I speak with DCS Barnes. I’ll see you in my office when we get back to the station.’
Jane waited for Stanley to drive out of the mortuary car park before having a private word with Lloyd, who was putting his forensic case and exhibits in the boot of his car.
‘Can you do me a favour?’
‘What is it?’ he asked cautiously.
‘Would you contact the odontologist and Richard Eaves, the facial guy at King’s College anthropology department? I’d like to know their availability over the next couple of days.’
Lloyd sighed. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea. You heard what Stanley said about doing things your own way. Let him speak to Barnes before calling them.’
‘It’s already clear Barnes won’t be interested in my opinion, but he can’t argue with the experts. That nun was murdered, and whoever did it needs to be held accountable.’
‘If she was murdered in the mid-1800s, the case would be over 150 years old. There’ll be no one alive to arrest or convict.’
‘That’s my point. We won’t know how long she’s been dead, or how old she is, until we get further expert opinion. For all we know, it could have happened in the fifties or sixties, before the convent was sold for development. There may be a grieving family out there, still alive, wondering what happened to their daughter.’
‘Then they might have reported her missing. The convent records might help as well,’ Lloyd suggested.
‘I know. I was going to do the relevant checks when I get back to the station. Will you contact the other experts?’
‘I don’t like being used, Jane,’ Lloyd said as he shut the boot of his car.
‘I’m not trying to use you, Lloyd. All I want to know is if they would be available and willing to examine the nun’s body. I’ll take full responsibility if you get in any trouble.’
Lloyd shook his head. ‘I don’t want to risk my job as a lab sergeant... not when I’ve just started. If I got sent back to division, you know I can’t do front line duties with my problems. I’d be stuck behind a desk pushing paper.’