‘I’m sorry, Jessie. I promise from now on you’ll be in the loop on everything.’
‘Slate’s clean as far as I’m concerned. I’ve been going over DI Simms’ investigation and he was clearly badly advised by Freeman and Harrow.’
Anna told Jessie and Simms about her meeting with Pete Jenkins when they had discussed the scene and items that were submitted to him for forensic examination. She said that Pete was still working on the blood-distribution analysis from the photographs and would take his time, but sadly any opinion he might have would not be definitive, as he was never asked by Freeman to attend the scene.
Paul Simms was shocked that Freeman had failed to pass on any of Pete Jenkins’ comments to him and had been so dismissive when Pete offered to attend the scene, and he grew more and more subdued as Anna spoke. Dewar told him about their meeting with Dr Harrow and his recent four-month suspension.
‘Neither Freeman or Harrow ever said anything to me about the scene being anything other than a suicide. I can’t believe I was taken in like that.’
‘You weren’t, Paul, you relied on their experience, and they let you down,’ Dewar said reassuringly. ‘Together, they formed a conclusion of suicide at the scene. They should have taken a step back, challenged their thoughts and considered competing theories.’
‘Freeman was lazy and failed to carry out a proper scene examination and Harrow was gung ho,’ Anna added.
‘Yes, but ultimately, I’m responsible for not treating Reynolds’ death as suspicious,’ Paul said.
‘I can’t say you shouldn’t have done more at the time, but we all make mistakes and in turn learn from them,’ Anna remarked.
Paul was close to tears. ‘I’ll be disciplined and demoted, won’t I?’
‘We don’t know what the outcome of our reinvestigation will be, but whatever happens, Agent Dewar and I are on your side. Aren’t we?’
‘It goes without saying,’ Dewar replied firmly.
Paul looked so dejected that Anna felt it was not the time to begin examining the documents he’d brought over, and so told him that she and Jessie would look through everything and get back to him if they needed to. Paul thanked them for being so understanding and hurriedly left, clearly embarrassed and hurt.
‘Thanks for going easy on Paul Simms,’ Anna said.
‘He’s a nice guy. Will he have to face discipline proceedings?’
‘I hope not, but the final decision may well be out of my hands.’
Anna and Jessie were interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Joan, come to tell them that Langton wanted everyone gathered in the main office for a half eleven meeting as he was on his way with the detective superintendent who would be taking over the Reynolds case. Anna looked at her watch and saw that they had just over an hour to get things prepared. She asked Joan if Langton had said who it was; typically, he hadn’t.
Anna suggested to Jessie that it would be a good idea if they had a look through the documents that Paul Simms had brought over in case there was anything that needed urgent attention or would be useful to bring up at the meeting.
They sat by the coffee table in their office and opened the box.
‘What first?’ Dewar asked.
‘Forensics and post-mortem exhibits would be a good place to start,’ Anna replied as she took out the exhibits list from the box, which was written and signed by Freeman. Jessie had her notebook and pen to hand.
‘Items from deceased: bloodstained white shirt, black trousers, socks, leather shoes and underwear, Rolex watch and one St Christopher pendant – nothing exciting there then,’ Anna remarked.
‘No wallet?’
‘Yeah, from his right pocket – it contained credit cards, Oyster travel card, cash and some receipts. In the left trouser pocket were three keys on a fob and some loose change.’
‘I don’t suppose it says make or type of keys?’
‘No. I’m sure there’s a photo in the case file of all the property laid out on a white sheet at the mortuary,’ Anna said as she went over to her desk to get the folder containing the photographs.
‘I don’t suppose there’s any recorded detail about the receipts? They might be helpful in tracing Reynolds’ last movements,’ Dewar suggested.
‘No. Freeman is bloody useless.’
‘Have we still got any of the exhibits you just mentioned?’ Jessie enquired.
‘Apart from the bloodstained clothing, everything was restored to Donna after the Coroner’s inquest,’ Anna commented as she spread the mortuary and scene photographs on the coffee table.
Among them was the picture showing the contents of Josh’s trouser pockets, which she handed to Dewar. The agent looked at it closely and then picked up a close-up of the bed. She asked Anna to look at the exhibits list from the scene and see if any keys were recovered from the bed.
‘Yes, two keys on a fob,’ Anna said, as Dewar got a jeweller’s loupe from her handbag to scrutinize the closeup of the bed and then the keys recovered at the mortuary.
‘Probably Josh’s house keys – he may have thrown them on the bed with the mobile before opening the safe.’
‘Or they could be Donna’s. Remember, she went straight to the bedroom and unpacked when she got home,’ Dewar said.
‘Good point.’
‘The apartment door locks were one Chubb and one Yale and the keys on the fob recovered from his trouser pocket are a Chubb a Yale and what looks like a locker key. The keys on the bed are a different shape from those in Josh’s pocket at the mortuary,’ Dewar remarked.
‘They could be the keys for the Trojan,’ Anna suggested.
‘If they’re not, then what were they for? Donna’s statement and Paul Simms’ notes never make any mention of the origin of any of the recovered keys. Strange Donna never noticed them when she unpacked the washing.’
Anna was impressed with Dewar’s powers of observation and told her so, commenting that it would be worth having the pictures of the keys enlarged to show to Williams and Donna. She checked her watch. ‘So, do you reckon we’re ready for the office meeting?’
Jessie didn’t hesitate but stood up. ‘You bet your sweet ass we are. Let’s go for it.’
Chapter Fourteen
As there was still some time to spare before Langton was due to arrive, Anna decided to give the team a quick run-down on Lady Gloria Lynne. She emphasized that here was a powerful woman who got instant attention by merely lifting the phone and dialling the likes of chief constables and the Commissioner, so if the eyes of God were upon them then they needed to make sure that everything was done by the book and totally above board. As much as she didn’t like politics mixing with policing, it was a fact of life.
As Langton entered the room, DC Ross was adding his contribution, that ‘poli’ in Latin meant ‘many’ and ‘tics’ were ‘bloodsucking creatures’. Anna didn’t object when everyone laughed loudly and Langton, having missed the joke, commented that he was glad to see the team in such good spirits. A few seconds later, the door opened and Mike Lewis walked in. Everyone looked round, not sure if the popular detective superintendent just happened to be accompanying Langton or if he was, in fact, to be his replacement.
‘Well, aren’t you going to welcome Mike Lewis, your new superintendent?’ Langton asked. The team, many of whom had worked with Mike Lewis on previous murder investigations, all smiled and gave an approving round of applause. Anna was pleased, but wondered if Langton was aware that Mike had signed off the Reynolds case as suicide, even as Mike gave her a warm smile, saying it was good to see her. Special Agent Dewar stepped forward to be introduced, and Anna watched as Mike smiled and said he looked forward to working with her. Mike then approached Barolli, shaking his hand firmly whilst patting him on the shoulder, and congratulated him on his promotion to DI. The strong bond of friendship between them was obvious to everyone in the room. It had been Mike, as DCI on the Henry Oates case, who had recommended Barolli for the Queen’s Gallantry Medal, and Langton had also approved and countersigned the recommendation, the result of which would not be known until August. Greetings over with, Mike stood with Langton by the large plasma screen and addressed the officers.