Paul explained that he had been advised by Freeman to call the pathologist and was present while the two of them discussed the position of the body, bullet injuries to the head and the blood distribution. Harrow had said that if the body was removed to the mortuary within a couple of hours, he would ‘as a favour’ handle it as a late-afternoon post-mortem as he was off on holiday the next day.
‘So Freeman never suggested a firearms or blood-distribution expert should attend?’
‘I did ask but Freeman said that the distribution all fitted with a suicide and if Harrow’s examination concluded the same then there would be no need for further investigation at the scene,’ Paul explained.
‘I’m sorry, Paul, but you were badly advised and their opinions influenced your judgement. Pete Jenkins should have been called to the scene. Freeman has a reputation for being self-opinionated and cutting corners. I don’t know Harrow but…’
‘He said he’d been a pathologist covering the Lancashire and Yorkshire areas for over twenty-five years and had only recently come to London. He looked to be in his late fifties and seemed to know what he was talking about,’ Paul said, looking tense.
His breakfast was only half-eaten as he placed his knife and fork together on the side of his plate and poured himself another cup of tea from the silver teapot. She knew that his nervousness had ruined his appetite.
‘Sometimes experience can lead to overconfidence. Pathologists are there to examine bodies and give cause and manner of death. Not pass comment on blood distribution at a scene.’
‘Well I didn’t know that, and even if I did I’d hardly have felt in a position to argue the point.’
‘The scene is ultimately your responsibility, Paul. Who do you think they are going to blame if this all goes pear-shaped?’
‘Me. Will I get demoted to sergeant?’ Paul was now very distraught.
‘You acted in good faith, Paul, but inexperience has let you down. I suspect though you may be given some strong words of advice by Langton about your actions and report, but not demoted.’
‘What’s wrong with the report?’
‘It’s not very thorough or detailed. You need to cut your teeth on these kinds of cases. Always treat them as a possible murder, be thorough, trust your own judgement and challenge others.’
Paul was close to tears. Anna knew that he had always been a bit of a sensitive soul and felt she needed to reassure him, but was unsure what to say.
‘I’m sorry I let you down, Anna.’
‘You’ve let yourself down, not me. Whatever happens, I will support your actions in light of what Freeman and Harrow advised. Put it down to inexperience for now.’
‘What about this Dewar woman?’
‘Leave her to me,’ Anna insisted. ‘Now cheer up and finish your breakfast. I’m not paying for good food to go to waste.’
Paul seemed somewhat reassured by Anna’s comforting advice and he managed to take a couple more mouthfuls of his breakfast. She decided not to tell him that Gloria Lynne had complained to the local Chief Constable. Undoubtedly, that would leave him a nervous wreck.
‘I’m off to the FBI Academy in Quantico in a few days on a ten-week course,’ Anna said, attempting to take Paul’s mind off his predicament.
‘So who’s going to cover the Reynolds case while you’re away?’ he asked anxiously.
‘Don’t look so worried. I hope to have the case resolved before I go. Even if I haven’t, Paul Barolli will be deputizing for me. He shares my views about Dewar and he’s on your side.’
‘Will you get him to keep me in the loop while you’re away?’
‘Of course, and if you’ve any problems or worries you can always ring me – just check the time difference first,’ Anna said, and Paul laughed.
Anna finished her breakfast before asking Paul anything further about his investigation.
‘What did you make of Donna Reynolds?’
‘I interviewed her at length. Obviously, she was very distressed, but there was nothing that made me feel she was lying,’ he said thoughtfully.
‘Was her mother Gloria present?’
‘Yes, she was a bit of a mother hen, very concerned for Donna, but understood that I had a job to do.’
‘Did you meet Marcus Williams?’
‘No, I spoke to him on the phone and sent a detective to the Trojan to speak to him about Josh. He thought Josh had been very down since his mother died, as did Donna.’
Anna touched on Josh’s financial situation and Paul told her that he had seized and viewed his bank statements from the flat and that there was nothing untoward.
‘Did you look at the Trojan accounts?’
‘No, but I had an off-the-record chat with the bank manager and he said that a loan had been taken out by Josh when he first bought the place and that the monthly repayments were being made.’
‘Anything about a further loan for renovation work?’ Anna asked.
‘No.’
‘What about Josh’s mobile phone for calls and texts on the day he died?’
‘I had his and Donna’s phones checked and again there was nothing untoward.’
Anna observed to Paul that he appeared to have made many more enquiries than he had given himself credit for in his report. Paul explained that he had wanted to keep it brief and that as none of his enquiries had brought up anything to suggest Reynolds’ death was suspicious he had not included those details. He added that he had kept the notes, along with the forensic submission forms and other assorted documents and copies of the bank statements and phone records. Anna asked him to drop them off at Belgravia as soon as possible and reiterated that his report should have contained details of all the enquiries he had made.
‘You always need to cover your own back, Paul,’ she stressed.
‘Shit. I didn’t, did I?’ he said with a forlorn look.
Outside the restaurant, Paul thanked her for her support and sound advice. As she put her hand out to shake goodbye, Paul came forward and took Anna by surprise, giving her a big hug.
‘Would you be a bridesmaid at mine and Brian’s wedding?’
‘I’d look a bit like the old matriarch standing next to that age group, so an honoured guest will do fine,’ she hurriedly assured him.
‘Not true, you’re looking good, so no more excuses, Anna, you’re in as chief bridesmaid.’ Paul smiled, hailing a cab.
‘We’ll see.’ Anna laughed.
The cab pulled over and as she waved, Paul waved back and Anna could see the concern on his face. They both knew his situation could become serious – Anna just hoped she could protect him. That and avoid being a bridesmaid.
Chapter Eleven
Anna arrived at the forensic lab in Lambeth just after eight-thirty, only to find Pete Jenkins was not due in until nine, so she took the opportunity to grab a coffee in their canteen and phone Joan in the office. She knew that if she wanted to speak to Donna Reynolds again, or her sister Aisa, Gloria Lynne would most probably get on her high horse and object.
‘Hi, Joan.’
‘Morning, ma’am. How’d the enquiries go yesterday?’
‘Nothing surprising but it’s a day I’d rather forget.’
‘Dewar?’
Anna avoided giving Joan a direct answer.
‘I am at the lab this morning seeing Pete Jenkins and I need you to do some discreet research on Gloria Lynne and her two daughters Donna Reynolds and Aisa. I’m assuming Aisa uses the surname Lynne but that may not be the case,’ Anna said. She gave Joan details of the Mini Cooper Convertible and Lotus she had seen at Lynne House and asked her to do a registered keeper’s check on both cars.
‘I’ll do what I can and leave an intelligence file on your desk,’ Joan promised.
‘No, don’t do that. Keep it to yourself for now and we’ll speak when I get back. Tell Barolli I want him to get warrants issued and served on the banks for Reynolds’ personal accounts and the Trojan’s business accounts.’