by A L Fraine
Joanna nodded, and Nathan showed her the screen on his phone. Joanna’s eyes swam with tears as she gazed at the image, before nodding and looking away to wipe her eyes. “That’s him,” she said with a sniff.
“Thank you, Mrs Donaldson. Can you tell me a little about your relationship with your husband? Was everything okay?”
Joanna sniffed. “Oh, yes. We were fine. We were looking forward to… to…” She sniffed and took a moment to calm herself. “I’m pregnant,” she said finally, her voice cracking. “We were looking forward to having our first. We were happy.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Kate replied, a lump forming her her throat at the situation that this poor woman now found herself in. “We don’t want to upset you…”
“It’s okay,” Joanna replied, clearly trying to push these thoughts away and remain composed before herself and Nathan. “Please, continue.”
“Are you sure?” Kate asked.
Joanna nodded, wiping her eyes and taking another deep breath.
“You’ve been together a while?” Kate asked.
Joanna smiled. “We were high school sweethearts. We’ve been together for years. We’d always planned to have a family, and with Jordan’s business going well, we thought now would be a good time…” Joanna’s voice cracked with emotion as she let her sentence trail off.
“Of course. Thank you, you’re doing well,” Kate said with a reassuring smile. Joanna attempted to return it, but it came across as forced, and merely a pleasentry.
After giving Joanna a moment to gather herself Nathan asked, “The pregnancy was a joint decision?” Kate thought it was a rather blunt question, but she could see the value of it.
“Yes, of course. We were thrilled about it.” Joanna said, bristling at the implication.
“That’s okay, Mrs Donaldson,” Kate interjected. “I know these are difficult questions, but we need to get a full picture of everything to do with your husband, including your relationship with him and any recent events that might have an impact on this case.”
“I understand,” Joanna squeaked.
“Okay, good,” Kate replied. “Perhaps you could tell us a little about last night? Where was your husband?”
“He was working late, at the office in town. I went to bed early and when I woke up, he still wasn’t home.”
“He was at the office?” Kate asked.
“At his business. He runs an estate agency in Guildford. It’s doing very well.”
“And was he working alone last night?” Nathan asked.
“I… I don’t know,” she answered, her voice cracking slightly.
“Did he say he was working with anyone?”
“No. He didn’t mention anyone.”
“Alright,” Nathan said. “So what happened this morning?”
“I tried calling his mobile, but there was no answer. I tried the office as well, but no one there has seen him, but apparently his car’s still there.”
Kate glanced at Nathan, who returned her look, both of them aware of what this might mean.
“There are people there now?” Nathan asked.
“Oh yes, Kay always gets in early.”
“Okay. Thank you very much, Mrs Donaldson, we’ll be in touch shortly,” Nathan said, standing up and pulling his phone out again. He tapped the screen and made for the front door with the phone to his ear.
Kate smiled at Joanna. “Thank you for your help, we’ll find whoever did this,” she said, and followed Nathan out of the house, catching up to him on the driveway as he spoke on his phone.
“…yes, Donaldson's Estate Agents in Guildford, get a team there now, we need to cordon it off and get the people in there out before they contaminate it any further. No, don’t call ahead. I don’t want them knowing we’re coming, just in case. Yes, we’re heading there now.”
CHAPTER 6
“Good job in there, Kate,” Nathan said, looking over at her as if seeing her in a new light. Kate smiled to herself, getting the feeling that he was warming to her a little bit.
“Thanks. So, what did you think of her?” Kate asked as Nathan sped through the back streets, the lights on the unmarked car flashing.
“Joanna?” Nathan asked. “She seemed upset, but I’d expect nothing less. I don’t think there was anything suspicious about what she said.”
“I don’t know. I’m not so sure.”
“Oh? Why?”
“I don’t know. I just got a feeling that she was holding something back.”
“Like what?”
Kate shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe I’m wrong, but it was just a feeling I got when we were talking to her.”
“You think this was lying, then?”
“Lying, or just leaving something out maybe. Not telling us everything.”
“Well, I’m sure we’ll be talking to her again,” Nathan said as he made his way through traffic, into the centre of town. It was mid-morning, and while the rush hour was long gone, it was still busy as they moved deeper into the city.
Guildford had several roads running through its main shopping district, some of which were pedestrianised, but Donaldson’s Estate Agents was just off one of the streets that cars were allowed to drive along, making their approach a little easier.
They listened as dispatch directed the other cars to the office over the radio, and arrived just as the first marked car pulled up outside.
“You take the lead on this, let’s see how you do,” Nathan said as they jumped out of the car and made their way up to the office, greeting the uniformed officers as they went.
“I want minimal presence inside the office,” Nathan said to the sergeant leading the uniformed team. “This is a possible active crime scene with forensic evidence that we need to preserve. Myself, DC O’Connell, and you two come in, but stay behind us,” he said, picking out two of the officers that were approaching the office. Everyone else out here began cordoning off the area and setting up to process the occupants.
Reaching the door, Nathan held it open and let her in first. She pulled her warrant card as she stepped inside to find nine people stood or sat at desks.
“Can I have your attention, please,” Kate said, projecting her voice through the property to the back of the room while holding up her identification. “I’m Detective O’Connell with the Surrey Police. I need you all to stop whatever you’re doing, pick up only whatever you brought into the office with you today, and make your way to the front. Thank you.”
They began to move, standing up from their seats, looking somewhat nervous. A larger woman with dark hair, wearing a dark business skirt and white shirt took a couple of steps forward.
“What’s this all about?” the woman asked, her tone tense and professional.
“All you need to know right now is that this is an active crime scene and we need you to leave the building. So, if you wouldn’t mind, please, just come forward, and follow the instructions given to you.”
“A crime scene?” the woman asked.
Kate nodded and watched the woman’s body language shift from confrontational, to something a little less self-assured as she moved back to her desk to grab her things.
Everyone complied and moved towards the front of the office where the uniformed officers began to guide them outside. The woman she’d just spoken to walked over after picking up her handbag and coat.
“Jordan’s not here yet, does he know about this?” the woman asked.
“I’m sorry, may I have your name, please?” Kate asked quietly, guiding her to one side of the door to talk to her privately.
“Kay. Kay Seward. Senior Sales Consultant.”
“Thank you, Kay, I’m Kate. So, you’re in charge here?”
“When Jordan isn’t around,” she replied. “What’s wrong, what’s happened to him?”
“Well, you’re going to find out anyway, so…” Kate shrugged. “Jordan Donaldson was found dead this morning under suspicious circumstances.”
“You me
an, he was murdered?” one of the passing employees asked.
“Oh my god,” Kay replied, putting her hand to her mouth in shock.
Kate rolled her eyes at having been overheard, and addressed the remaining people in the office. “Please, everyone, make your way outside. The officers outside will need to speak to you and take your details before we can let you leave. We’ll be wanting to talk to all of you again very soon.”
Kate watched them file out through the front door where the waiting officers began to ask a few questions while taking fingerprints and DNA swabs. She had a good look at each of them as they walked out and noticed one of the girls wearing black with a pentagram on a chain around her neck. The young woman wore dark eye makeup, with black hair that framed her alabaster skin, giving her a slightly gaunt appearance. Kate had seen something like that before and felt sure it was some kind of occult symbol.
Pondering what she’d just seen, Kate watched her walk out and stand with the others who were waiting to speak to the officers.
“So, I heard that right, did I? Jordan’s dead? Are you sure you sure that’s who it is?” said a voice from in front of her. She turned to see a man who was a good couple of inches shorter than her, but stocky and lean. He clearly worked out. He had a shaved head and wore a jacket and jeans.
“Yeah, we are. I’m sorry,” Kate said with a nod.
“That’s okay. Well, I mean, it’s not. It sucks, but...” The man paused, took an emotion-filled breath, and started again. “I’m Wilson, Wilson Hollins. I own the property. I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
“You own it?”
“Jordan leases it from me. I own a few of the units up the high street. We had a meeting scheduled here today. I thought he’d just popped out.”
“How come?”
“His car’s around the back.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, glancing over at Nathan who looked back with slightly raised eyebrows. “Well, he won’t be attending your meeting, I’m afraid.”
“Heh, yeah, I guess not. Shame, nice man. Anyway, thanks Kate. I’ll go speak to one of your colleagues.”
Kate nodded to him and returned to looking at the girl in black with a frown.
“See something?” Nathan asked, having clearly noticed her expression.
“I’m not sure. Maybe. That girl, she was wearing an occult-looking necklace.”
“Occult-looking?”
“A five-pointed star, upside down, inside a circle,” Kate explained.
“An inverted pentagram,” Nathan commented. “Alright. Make a note of it.”
Kate nodded and pulled out her notepad that already had several of her observations about the case scribbled inside. “So, you know a little about the occult then?”
“It’s a hobby,” he said.
“So, what’s it mean?” Kate asked.
Nathan looked at her sideways. “Alright, sure. It used to be used by the Christian faith to represent the five wounds of Christ, but these days it’s more commonly associated with Wicca, and Satanism when inverted.”
“You mean upside down, like how that girl was wearing it?”
Nathan nodded.
“Okay,” Kate answered, noting down a few bullet points in her notepad. She turned to look over the office, which now stood empty apart from herself and Nathan. “Do you think this is where it happened?”
“Maybe. If that really is his car out back, that would add weight to the theory that he’d been attacked here, or taken from the premises somehow.”
“Hmm,” Kate answered as she looked over the office. Four desks, two on either side of the room stood directly in front of her, with another pair at the back. A door stood open at the back of the room, leading to a hallway and what she guessed were other rooms and offices, but they’d need to get some crime scene suits on to go looking.
“CSI’s here,” Nathan announced from beside her. She looked out front again to see a SOCO van pull up onto the kerb at the end of the short pedestrianized street. “Let’s get suited up and have a look around.”
A few minutes later, Kate wore a white crime scene suit with covers for her shoes and blue latex gloves as she stepped back into the office with Nathan, who was similarly dressed.
The SOCO officers had already begun to move through the premises, and there were several of them in the front of the office, picking over the desks and workstations, taking photos and video.
Nothing stood out as being out of place on the main office floor, and Kate was keen to get a look out back. She walked through with Nathan into the rear corridor that had a small kitchenette immediately on their right. The kettle was still hot and steaming with empty mugs sat on the counter, but again, nothing seemed out of place. Further back they found a toilet, a storage room filled mainly with boxes of files, a meeting room, and an office with the name Jordan Donaldson stencilled onto the glass set into the door.
Inside, a Scene Of Crime Officer stood over the desk, carefully picking up a small square of black card by the edges and turning it over. The man recoiled from the item in his hand and looked up upon hearing Nathan and Kate walk inside.
“You’d better take a look at this,” the SOCO said.
Kate followed Nathan over to the desk, and moved around the opposite side, flanking the investigator.
“So, I found this face down on here, like this,” the man explained, showing them the back of the square card. It was glossy black, with grey sections at the top and bottom. The brand of a photographic company emblazoned across it.
“So, I turned it over, after I photographed the desk,” the investigator continued, flipping the item over to reveal it was a Polaroid, complete with the white border around the image.
An emaciated, bloodied, and bruised face stared out at them from the image, and below it, written in black marker were the words, ‘4 days’.
“Who is that?” Kate asked, noting there were some blood splatters on the image-side of the photo.
“I don’t know,” Nathan said.
Kate peered a little closer at the photo. “It looks like he’s alive. See, he’s looking at the camera. I don’t know. There’s something familiar about this man,” Kate wondered out loud.
“Familiar? Have you seen him before?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe, yeah. I feel like I should know who he is. This has to have been left by the killer, right?”
“That would be my assumption, but we’ll need to eliminate the office workers first. We’ll have to search their properties. Alright, well, our first priority is finding out this man’s identity,” Nathan said and used his phone to snap a quick photo of the Polaroid.
“We’ll run tests on the blood, see if we get a match,” the investigator said, slipping the photo into an evidence bag.
“Good. Send us the report as soon as you have something.”
Kate stood up straight and looked around the room. “Four days. That’s not very clear, is it? I mean, four days from when? Yesterday? Today?”
“We should assume yesterday, making it a shorter timeframe.”
Kate could see his logic. “Good thinking, Batman,” she commented as she scanned over the office once more. “Do you think the room looks like it’s been cleaned up.”
“I guess,” Nathan replied. “But was it cleaned by the killer, a cleaner, or one of the employees who didn’t realise they were tampering with a crime scene?”
“I’ll let forensics figure that one out,” Kate commented.
Nathan nodded to her. “Very wise, Padawan.”
“Pada-what?” Kate asked.
“Hmm? Oh, Padawan. It’s a Star Wars thing… You know what, forget it,” he replied, shaking his head.
Kate laughed. She was enjoying teasing him.
“Let’s check the car out and leave the experts to do their job,” Nathan said as he walked out nodding to the SOCO who’d been in the room with them.
Stepping out the back of the office, a single car stood waiting for them with a uniformed
officer stood nearby. Kate moved around the car and peered into the windows without touching them, but again, there was nothing obviously suspect that she could make out through the tinted side windows on Jordan’s BMW.
“Nothing much to see out here,” Kate said.
“No,” Nathan agreed, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket to check a message.
Kate looked around while Nathan read the message on his phone. They were stood in a wide, but not very deep, area that ran along behind the row of shops and was clearly used for loading and as a parking area for workers. One unit further up, was a cut-through back to the road that looked like it was the main access point to this back-lot area.
“Anything relevant?” Kate asked, noticing that Nathan had finished reading the message.
“The preliminary report on the body is in, and it looks like we have Jordan’s phone records as well. They’re back at the station.”
“Alright, shall we head back?”
Nathan nodded. “I’ll call ahead, let the DCI know about the photo. That should get us some more resources.”
CHAPTER 7
Kate walked back into the Murder Team’s office, crossed to her desk, and put her things down while Nathan removed his jacket. Kate was shrugging out of her own coat when a woman in plainclothes strode over.
“Sir? We’ve just had word from the Pathologyst that Jordan’s dental records match up with the body. The SIO’s confirmed he’s satisfied that we’ve identified the body.”
Nathan looked up and smiled. “Thanks, Debby,” he answered her. “Kate, this is Debby Constable, she’s one of our desk clerks.”
“Hi, Debby,” Kate said with a smile. “Nice name.”
“Hey. Yeah, I’m the one constable that isn’t,” she answered. Kate laughed as Debby retreated back to her desk.
“Alright, let’s have a look at what we’ve got, shall we?” Nathan said. Kate pulled up her chair and sat down beside Nathan as he logged into his computer and navigated to the preliminary report on the body of Jordan Donaldson. The statement was brief and outlined the main visible wounds on his body. Right now, it looked like Jordan was killed by a deep stab wound to the chest that hit his heart, but there were lots of other cuts all over his body that had contributed to a large amount of blood loss. The report also noted bruising around his neck, and what looked like a single puncture mark on his right shoulder.
