Dead to Me: A serial killer thriller (Detective Kate Matthews Crime Thriller Series Book 1)

by Stephen Edger

  ‘Yes. Do you not check your messages?’

  ‘Messages? What are you talking about?’

  ‘Your colleague who phoned a few minutes ago. DS something or other.’

  ‘You spoke to someone before we arrived?’

  ‘Yes. He said he was part of your team and that you’d asked him to phone for information about the killing. I gave him the highlights.’

  Kate shot a worried look at Laura. ‘Can you phone the office and check if Patel called?’

  Laura nodded and headed out of the lab.

  Ben looked nervous. ‘I’m sorry, he sounded so genuine. I’m new and still trying to learn everybody’s names!’

  Kate tried to put him at ease. ‘Don’t worry about it. Where were you before?’

  ‘I’m from Bournemouth originally, but I completed my studies in Bristol, and took a job there.’

  ‘What made you choose to come back?’

  ‘It was a dead-end job.’ He paused, looking for a smile. ‘Oh, come on, that one was funny. You need to lighten up a bit, detective.’

  Kate managed a thin smile. ‘Your jokes are terrible.’

  ‘Sorry about that. I’m nervous. I’ll try harder.’

  ‘Tell me about these ligature marks around the neck. What caused them?’

  ‘My best guess is the victim was set upon and strangled. Either unconscious or already dead, the head was severed, followed by the feet. Finally, the sharp hook was embedded in his spine and he was strung up before the building was torched. I’ve sent some tissue samples for further analysis, to try and determine if the beheading was pre-or post-mortem.’

  ‘At least we can rule out suicide.’

  He considered her, before erupting with laughter. ‘That’s the spirit, detective!’

  ‘Is there anything else you can tell me? Anything unusual about his stomach contents?’

  ‘Difficult to tell because of the charring, but I think his final meal consisted of seafood.’ He passed her a thin paper file. ‘I prepared this for you to take away with you. It’s only my preliminary findings; the final report will follow in a few days when the tissue results are back. But it should give you a starting point.’

  ‘Thanks, that’s really useful.’

  ‘Hey, how about a drink some time? I’m new to the area and don’t know too many people yet.’

  She blushed slightly. ‘I’ve got a case to solve, but thanks.’

  He narrowed his eyes. ‘I’m quite persistent; I’ll break you down eventually.’

  She thanked him again, before changing and joining Laura outside the guard’s station. ‘Well, did anyone call here?’

  Laura shook her head. ‘No, ma’am, sorry.’

  ‘So, who the hell did the doctor speak to?’

  ‘I’ll see if we can trace the number. Are you thinking it’s the killer?’

  Kate didn’t answer as she headed for her car, but she couldn’t ignore the possibility that someone was keeping tabs on them.

  7

  ‘Right, you two,’ Kate said, staring up at the clock on the wall, ‘you know how the supe feels about overtime at the moment; go home to your families and get a good night’s sleep. I need you to bring your best tomorrow.’

  Laura smiled warmly. ‘Have you any plans for tonight, ma’am?’

  Kate pictured the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc chilling in the fridge at home: it would make reviewing the background on Fenton and Watson easier to digest. ‘Nothing special. You?’

  ‘I promised to call in on my friend; her husband just walked out on her after three years of marriage.’

  Kate grimaced. ‘Tell her from me: she’s probably better off without him.’

  Laura tidied her desk as she stood. ‘I wish it was that simple. She’s pregnant…’

  ‘That’s awful.’

  Laura was nodding. ‘I know, what kind of scumbag does that to his pregnant wife? He seemed like such a nice guy.’

  Kate thought about the last photograph taken of herself with Rob and Chloe. Everyone had said what a lovely family they made, but the image was nothing more than a reminder of her failure as a mother, and of his betrayal.

  ‘Unfortunately, all men are the same,’ Kate concluded. ‘Weak.’

  Patel coughed.

  Kate’s cheeks reddened. ‘Present company excluded, of course.’

  Laura switched off her monitor and picked up her bag. ‘Well, she’s got a tough choice to make. She’s wanted to be a mum for as long as I’ve known her, and she was so excited when she made it past the twelfth-week scan, but now her emotions are all over the place. She doesn’t think she can raise a child on her income alone and she’s heartbroken. It’s very difficult.’

  Kate knew only too well. ‘All you can do is be there for her. Be a sounding board, but know that it is her choice at the end of the day. She can’t let other people influence her decision, or she might live to regret it.’

  Laura smiled and nodded as she headed off.

  Kate turned to Patel. ‘You should get home to that wife of yours too.’

  Patel took care over his appearance, trimming his close beard daily and choosing autumnal colours that didn’t wash out the tone of his skin. He was an efficient detective and required little by way of micromanagement. His priorities were the job, his family and God, in that order. While his style of policing and his views differed to Kate’s, she welcomed alternative viewpoints, and was pleased to have him on her team.

  Patel spun his chair around to face her. ‘Before I go, can you look at this?’ He handed her a sheet of paper. ‘This is a transcript of the 999 call made early this morning. We’ve managed to trace it to a pay-as-you-go mobile, which is now showing as disconnected. We believe the call was made from somewhere near the docks, but there’s quite an area to search. Either way, we can’t locate the phone now.’

  ‘Have you listened to the recording?’

  ‘I have, but it wasn’t particularly helpful.’

  ‘Male or female?’

  ‘That’s just it, I can’t say for certain. At the start, the voice is deep, so I’d have said male, but there are certain words in the recording that are expressed in a female tone and suggest maybe the caller was female with a very deep voice.’

  ‘You think the caller was putting on the voice?’

  ‘Maybe, or maybe using some kind of device to alter the sound of their voice. I don’t know.’

  ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’

  ‘I’ve highlighted the words or expressions that don’t sound right, so if you want to listen to the call, you’ll see what I mean.’ He passed her a CD case. ‘The call’s less than a minute. The handler tries to get more information out of the caller, but they clearly didn’t want to be on the line for too long.’

  ‘Is it possible it was our killer or arsonist who made the call?’

  He pulled a face. ‘I wouldn’t rule it out at this stage, but wouldn’t rely on the fact either. It’s definitely suspicious.’

  ‘Have you spoken to the call handler?’

  ‘I just got off the phone with her. She remembered the call and believed she was speaking to a woman. You can see from the transcript that she refers to the caller as “Miss” a couple of times, and the caller doesn’t correct her.’

  ‘But nothing else to go on?’

  ‘Not really. I spoke to the fire chief and he believes the fire was started at least an hour before the call was made.’

  ‘That means it would have been raging—’

  ‘For four hours before it was brought under control, and the body discovered.’

  ‘Jesus!’

  He frowned at her. ‘It’s an old warehouse, plenty of wooden crates and plinths, and cardboard boxes, not to mention whiskey, and gas canisters. It’s a miracle the fire didn’t spread to any of the neighbouring properties. It being on an end, and bordered by the sea, was a blessing in a way. Had it been linked to one of the newer structures down there, the whole place could have gone up.’

&n
bsp; She raised her eyebrows. ‘You know I don’t believe in luck.’

  ‘I don’t know how else to describe it.’

  She finished reading the sheet of paper and returned it to him. ‘Any forensics details from Scientific Services yet?’

  ‘No, ma’am. In fairness, they weren’t allowed into the place until nearly lunchtime. They’re due to finish for the night soon and then they’ll return first thing tomorrow.’

  ‘Have they given any indication of what they’ve found up to this point?’

  ‘They’re having to be extremely cautious. What’s left is fragile, so hunting for evidence is taking longer than usual. There’s still no sign of the victim’s feet or head.’

  ‘What kind of sicko takes body parts with him?’

  ‘Him, ma’am?’

  She shrugged. ‘Whilst I’m not ruling out the possibility that our killer could be female, from experience this kind of behaviour is more common in male suspects. It’s not a crime of passion; it’s more calculated than that. Our killer lured and throttled the victim before removing his head. This isn’t an opportunistic crime. There was logic in how he killed. We just need to figure out what the logic is.’

  ‘He might have thrown the body parts into the water.’

  She sighed. ‘I know. The murder weapon could be in there too, but unless I can call in a favour from somewhere, we won’t get the sign off to send divers in.’

  ‘I can bring in my goggles and snorkel,’ he offered.

  ‘You shouldn’t joke; I might just take you up on the offer. Where are you with liaising with Hendrix’s team?’

  ‘I phoned her and left a message but haven’t had a response yet.’

  ‘Typical. I’ll have a word with her and test the water. Speaking of which, have we managed to get hold of Danny Fenton yet?’

  ‘We’ve left messages at his club and restaurant, but nothing yet.’

  Kate frowned. ‘I’ll see if a patrol car can try and locate him in the morning. Right, you better get off home. Be back in here for eight tomorrow. Hopefully, SSD might have some forensics for us to work with by then.’

  She watched him leave before logging off her own computer and picking up the stack of paperwork from her in tray. She could see Underhill watching her from the opposite end of the office.

  He stood as she headed for the door and called after her. ‘You going home already, Matthews? I can think of a hundred reasons to stay.’

  It was going to feel so good to beat him once and for all.

  8

  The doorbell rang. Pushing her laptop to one side, Kate opened the door to the one friend she’d made since moving in: her upstairs neighbour, Trish.

  A divorcée, and insatiable, Trish was determined to make the most of her promiscuity before gravity made her face sag or death came for her. Kate had never seen her without make-up or in tracksuit bottoms; she was well-presented at every possible hour of the day. She refused to admit how old she was, but Kate conservatively estimated early fifties, and she looked good for it. There had to be fifteen years between them, but Trish’s effervescence was such that Kate hardly noticed the age gap, and when it came to friends, she couldn’t afford to be picky.

  Trish leaned against the doorframe and offered a mock salute. ‘Evening, sarge.’

  ‘Have you been drinking?’

  Trish winked. ‘Guilty as charged! You shall have to have me locked up, but can I make one request? Make sure the boys you send round are young and fit,’ she slurred.

  ‘What can I do for you, Trish?’

  ‘You can put your glad rags on and come out for a drink with me.’

  Kate massaged the skin beneath her eyes. ‘Not tonight, okay? I’ve had a tough day, and I just want to stay in.’

  ‘That’s all the more reason for coming out.’

  ‘Maybe another night.’

  Trish leaned closer and sniffed the air. ‘You have wine open.’ She pushed through the front door before Kate could stop her and was in the living room by the time she had closed the door. ‘A-ha. I knew it! Well, if you won’t come out with me, you can go and fetch me a glass instead. You shouldn’t be alone after a crap day at work. Chop-chop!’

  Kate sighed, too tired to argue. Perhaps company wouldn’t be a bad thing? She filled a glass and carried it through to Trish, who was seated on the sofa and staring at the laptop screen.

  ‘Bloody hell, you don’t half look at some odd things in your spare time. Beheading?’

  Kate snatched the laptop away. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not a serial killer. It’s for work.’

  ‘All work and no play makes Kate a dull girl.’

  ‘You’re the second person to tell me that today.’

  ‘Well, maybe it’s time to take note. Who else told you? That horrible arse you work with?’

  Kate wasn’t sure which arse Trish was referring to, but let it pass. ‘No, someone I just met.’

  ‘The question is: was he hot?’

  ‘I didn’t say it was a man.’

  Trish’s grin grew wider. ‘No, but your body language did. Well, who is he? When are you bringing him back here for hot sex? I’ll be sure to use my earplugs.’

  ‘It’s not like that. He’s a forensic pathologist.’

  She turned up her nose. ‘Eurgh, as in, he cuts up dead bodies?’

  Kate nodded. ‘His heart’s in the right place, I think.’

  Trish pulled a face. ‘Oh my god, you do actually fancy him. I was only pulling your leg, but you just defended him. What’s his name?’

  Kate playfully slapped Trish’s leg. ‘I do not fancy him. Anyway, can we change the subject?’

  ‘Not until you tell me his name.’

  ‘Okay, fine, his name’s Ben Temple.’ Trish squeaked, and Kate gave her a good-natured shove. ‘Enough!’ She sipped her wine.

  Trish responded with a look of shock. ‘I’m not suggesting you go and get married, but what’s wrong with having a bit of fun along the way? I’m going to put an idea out there, and you tell me what you think: online dating.’

  ‘No. No way!’

  ‘Oh come on, don’t be such a square. I go online all the time.’

  ‘You do online dating?’

  ‘Sure, there’s no shame in it. Half the men on there are only looking for a fumble under the duvet. How do you think I get so much action? Let me create a profile for you.’

  ‘No, Trish, I’m not interested.’

  ‘Don’t be such a prude, Kate! All we need to do is create a profile for you with a few details, and then watch your admirers come running. It only takes five minutes, and anyone you’re not interested in, you can just say no. Please, let me do this for you.’

  Kate rested her glass on the coffee table next to the sofa, and stood. ‘I said no, Trish.’

  ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘I’m going to the bathroom, and then I’m going to fetch the rest of the bottle.’

  She was surprised to see the laptop on Trish’s lap when she returned. ‘What are you doing?’

  Trish’s eyes widened. ‘Don’t be angry with me. I created a profile for you—’

  ‘You did what?’

  ‘There’s no harm done. Top up your glass like you said, and we’ll see what interest you get. It will be fun!’

  Kate huffed. ‘Fine, but I’m opening more wine.’

  Trish clapped her hands together excitedly. ‘You won’t be disappointed!’

  Kate reappeared at the door with a fresh bottle. ‘What did you say?’

  ‘Oh, nothing. Never mind. Right, here we go, you’ve got some interest already.’

  Kate sat down and looked at the screen. ‘Already? But you only just…’

  ‘I told you you’d be popular. Look, you just got a message!’

  Kate nearly spat out her drink.

  ‘He says his name is John, and he likes your photo.’ Trish typed as she spoke. ‘I’m just telling him you like his photo too. Top me up, will you?’

  Kate refilled the gla
ss and handed it back. Her eyes fell on the screen and she saw what Trish had typed. ‘You asked him what his darkest fantasy is. Trish! Oh God, now he’s replying. This needs to end now,’ she said, snatching the laptop from her.

  ‘No! Wait, let’s see what he puts. Don’t be a spoilsport.’

  ‘He’s writing something. Eurgh, he says he likes being watched, and wants to know if I like it too.’

  ‘Don’t answer his question, but ask where he is.’

  Kate frowned, before typing in the question:

  Kate: Where are you?

  John: I’m at home.

  Kate paused. ‘Now what? I’m no good at this kind of thing.’

  ‘Let me have the computer and I’ll do it. Look, you can watch as I type.’

  She reluctantly passed back the laptop.

  Kate: Is that really you in the photograph?

  John: Of course it is. Why? Is your photograph not real?

  Kate: It’s a couple of years old.

  John: I have a confession to make: I’m not at home. I’m at work. I don’t know why I lied before.

  Kate: Doesn’t your boss mind you dealing with private matters at work?

  John: She went home hours ago.

  Kate: Your boss is a woman? How do you find it working under a woman?

  John: She’s an okay boss.

  Kate: That’s not what I meant.

  John: What DID you mean?

  Kate: What do you think I meant?

  John: Oh I see. I like it when she orders me to do things.

  Kate: Yeah? You like it when she takes control? What else do you like?

  John: I like lots of things.

  Kate: Tell me. BE SPECIFIC.

  John: I watch her sometimes. I imagine what it would be like to fuck her on her desk.

  Kate grimaced. ‘Okay, this is going too far. I’m ending this.’

  Trish pushed Kate’s outstretched hands away. ‘Wait. I want to know what else he thinks.’

  ‘I could get in trouble, Trish. If my boss ever found out…’

  ‘He’s not going to find out.’

  Kate: I said be specific.

  John: Okay. I watch her telling us to do things, and I imagine walking over to her desk and pushing everything to the floor.

  Kate: Then what?

  John: Then I push her to the desk and tell her to shut up. I tell her I’m the one in control now.