The Murder Wall

by Mari Hannah

The foyer of Court Mews was a little pretentious for Daniels’ liking. She took a cursory look around, finding nothing out of the ordinary. As the lift doors slid open, she moved forward with Gormley hot on her heels. She turned, lifted her hand to his chest and pointed to the stairwell door. Gormley headed off . . .

  Moments later, Daniels left the lift on the fourth floor. A female officer standing guard outside number 24 greeted her. The scene was secured with thick tape: Police Crime Scene Do Not Enter. Before Daniels had a chance to introduce herself, Gormley arrived through a set of double doors. He bent double with his hands on his knees, taking a moment to get his breath back.

  ‘I’ve got to get back in the gym,’ he said.

  Daniels smiled at the policewoman. ‘He’s being ironic. It makes our grim task a bit more bearable. He hasn’t seen the inside of a gymnasium since leaving junior school.’ Then, to Gormley: ‘Find anything?’

  ‘Negative . . . but it was different, I’ll give you that.’

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘No hypodermics, no used condoms . . . no stink of piss. Hardly our usual murder scene, is it?’ He looked at his watch and then at the WPC. ‘Time our visit please. This is DCI Daniels and I’m DS Gormley. Where’s the body?’

  ‘Second door on the right as you go in, Sarge.’

  ‘Who found him?’ Daniels asked.

  ‘His wife, Monica Stephens.’

  ‘Where is she now?’

  ‘Hospital, ma’am.’

  Daniels thanked her and led Gormley by the arm into the apartment, checking the door frame for signs of a forced entry. It was clean. They walked on along a wide hallway, peering into the rooms on either side. Each one appeared to be immaculate; a place for everything and everything in its place, as far as they could tell – until they reached the lounge.

  The room was cold and uninviting. Daniels didn’t care much for the decor: barring the blood on the walls, everything in the room was white. Surreal was the word that sprang to mind. It was more like a chilling art exhibit than someone’s private living space. It was as if an artist had deliberately splashed red paint across a white canvas for others to appreciate, placing the corpse of a white male carefully at its centre for effect.

  In a London gallery it would probably win a prize.

  ‘I think we can safely assume he’s dead,’ Daniels said. ‘Call out the troops and contact Area Command. Tell them to start the house-to-house immediately. I want a mobile incident caravan too. The whole nine yards, if you can get it.’

  Gormley made the call, then crouched down beside the body to get a closer look. The dead man was dressed in a dinner suit; his clothing intact, apart from a missing bow tie. A bullet wound had caused enormous trauma to one side of his skull.

  ‘Bet that smarted a bit . . .’ he said. ‘He must really have upset someone, given that it’s not a robbery.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’

  Gormley looked up. ‘His wallet’s on the table by the door.’

  Daniels knelt down beside him. But she didn’t stay there long. Although she’d seen death in all its grisly forms, for the second time in under a year she suddenly recoiled from a body. It was like this with Sarah Short and now – almost twelve months later – it was happening all over again.

  Her actions telegraphed alarm to Gormley, who couldn’t fathom what he’d missed. His eyes shifted to a photograph she was staring at. He gave her a moment to compose herself, curiosity getting the better of him.

  With her DS breathing down her neck, Daniels moved to the table near the door. She took out a pen and used it to open up the wallet. Inside was a driver’s licence and money – lots of it.

  Gormley read over her shoulder. ‘Alan James Stephens. D’you know him?’

  ‘Trick of the light.’ She held up her glasses. ‘If I wore these more often, maybe I’d see a whole lot better.’

  Gormley eyed her warily and chose to leave it alone.

  2

  Jo Soulsby looked down at her feet, hoping the two young women hurrying towards the northern exit of Exhibition Park hadn’t noticed her. Her tearful eyes lifted as they continued on their way, whispering conspiratorially as young women do. Then suddenly, their pace slowed. One of the women glanced back over her shoulder. Jo turned her back, hoping they’d take the hint. The sound of footsteps approaching made her realize they hadn’t. She felt a hand touching her arm gently.

  ‘Do you need help?’

  Jo shook her head. The comment had come from the taller of the two women who then looked at her friend for inspiration. The shorter woman shrugged, nodding towards the exit gate, a heavy hint that she wanted to leave. Jo wished they would do just that.

  The tall woman persisted. ‘Shall I call the police?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘A doctor then?’

  Jo didn’t answer.

  ‘Well, you can’t stay here. It’s not safe!’

  Jo felt a twinge of guilt. Both women were now searching the darkness apprehensively, peering at shadows that didn’t exist. She could see from their eyes that they were terrified.

  ‘Look, it’s not your problem . . .’ she said. ‘Just go!’

  ‘We’re not leaving you,’ one of them said bravely.

  Jo had been sitting in the park, alone and exhausted, for the best part of an hour. Numb. Unable to think, let alone make a decision. Now she had these two to worry about as well. As bad as she undoubtedly felt, she couldn’t justify putting them at risk. Hauling herself from the bench, she moved unsteadily toward the perimeter fence, followed by her knights in shining armour.

  Almost immediately, a taxi pulled to the kerb.

  ‘You first . . .’ Jo opened the cab door. It was an order, not a request. ‘And thanks.’

  The women hesitated before getting in. Jo then slammed the door shut before they could change their minds. As she waved them off, two pairs of eyes stared back at her through the rear window.

  As the cab vanished into the night, a second taxi pulled up. Jo gave her address and got in. It sped off too, merging with other traffic, taking a slip road on to the motorway. She relaxed back in her seat and shut her eyes, relieved to be going home. Her attempt to snatch a little peace and quiet was short-lived, as the driver – reacting too slowly to a changing traffic light – accelerated sharply, then hit the brakes.

  ‘Sorry!’ he said. ‘You OK in the back?’

  Jo ignored his apology and his question. Her attention was on two marked police cars, travelling at high speed in the opposite direction with sirens blaring. As she watched them disappear, the driver studied her through his rear-view mirror. She shifted her position to avoid his prying eyes.

  Five minutes later, the cab turned left into a smart Victorian terrace and stopped. The driver remained in his cab as Jo got out and slammed the door. She opened the gate to number 45 and was halfway up the path when a voice suddenly boomed out from behind her.

  ‘Oiy!’

  When Jo looked back, the driver was on the pavement advancing towards her – his engine still ticking. As he reached out his hand, she stepped away from him.

  ‘That’ll be a tenner,’ he said, rubbing together forefinger and thumb.

  Jo fumbled in her coat pocket for the fare as the driver looked her up and down. His smug expression disappeared when he didn’t receive a tip. He grabbed her ten-pound note, shoving it deep into his pocket as he walked away.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ he mumbled sarcastically, got in his cab and drove off.

  The house was cold and still inside. Jo stood a moment with her back to the door before setting off down the hall, stopping dead in her tracks on seeing her reflection in a full-length mirror at the far end. She looked a sorry state: her tights badly ripped and splashed with mud, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, her cheeks stained where her mascara had run.

  She walked on into her drawing room, slipped off her coat and threw it over the back of a sofa. If anyone cared to look, they couldn’t fail to notice her keen eye fo
r detail and for colour in this room: each piece of furniture hand-picked to complement the rest. In another life, she’d often thought, she might have been an artist.

  Another life? If only that were possible . . .

  Jo picked up a treasured photograph from the mantelpiece, longing to hear the voice of either of her sons. Glancing at her watch, she buried that thought and put the photograph back. Instead of reaching for the telephone, she reached for the next best thing. It wasn’t the first time she’d sought comfort from a bottle; she doubted it would be the last. She poured herself a whisky, downed the shot in one and thought of the girls in the park with their offers to call the authorities. The last thing she needed was the police poking their noses in.

  They were next to useless last time . . .

  3

  The sun was low in the sky, the morning rush hour in full flow. Traffic was backed up in all directions on the busy street below. Kate Daniels was preoccupied with her thoughts, gazing down through a grubby window. It had been one of those nights. She had a feeling that the coming day could be worse . . . a lot worse.

  On their journey back from the crime scene, Gormley had given her space to think. He’d asked no questions, though she suspected he had many on his mind. By the time they reached the station, she’d decided to declare a conflict of interest and withdraw from the case. Then, at four in the morning, Detective Superintendent Bright had called her and put paid to that.

  ‘You’ll be acting Senior Investigating Officer throughout this enquiry Kate. It’s your chance to shine. There’s not another DCI on the force deserves it more. I know you’ll do a good job.’

  His words and his endorsement should have been music to her ears, had it not been for one small matter: Daniels had prior knowledge of the victim, and that was against the rules. It wasn’t that she was too gutless to tell him the truth, more a case of shielding someone with a grudge against Stephens. Question was: was it a big enough grudge to push a reasonable person over the edge?

  If Bright had been taken back by her hesitation, he didn’t let on. He ended the call abruptly, as though he had far more important things to do. Daniels wondered if perhaps he’d agree to swap cases. She immediately called Brooks in the control room for some background information. What he told her had made her sick to the stomach . . .

  In the early hours, a missing boy had been found strangled to death, dumped in a council skip like a piece of garbage. Bright had vowed to find those responsible. There was no way he would trade. It wasn’t just a matter of continuity, it was the human angle too. Every detective she’d ever known took it personally where children were involved. The Super would want to nail the bastard himself – and rightly so.

  The decision facing Daniels was simple: come clean with her boss or put an exemplary career at risk. It was a tough call; she’d always taken great care to keep her personal and professional life separate, gone to great lengths to further her ambition in the force. She was about to encounter what Gormley would call ‘the buggeration factor’. Why now, when things had been going so well for her, was it all going horribly wrong?

  People hurried about their business in the street below, unaware they were being watched. At a bus stop, strangers queued, hands in pockets. A couple of women sheltered in a nearby doorway. In the next one down a vagrant held out a bowl to a female passer-by. She threw in loose change and walked on. The young man ahead of her lost his baseball cap. It whipped high into the air, eventually coming to rest in the middle of a busy junction. He dashed into the road after it, taking his life in his hands, expertly avoiding a passing bus. On its side, a political advertisement spelt out the words: THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

  That was an understatement if ever she saw one.

  Daniels pulled the cord on the vertical blinds, deflecting the sun’s glare. Turning from the window, she lifted her briefcase off the floor where she’d dumped it during the night, preferring to work in the incident room when no one else was around, rather than the tiny office she’d been allocated by some faceless civilian who clearly didn’t understand, much less care, about her needs. She took out her mobile and punched numbers into the keypad. When no one answered she flipped its cover closed and threw it back in her bag.

  The makeshift incident room was old-fashioned and untidy, with peeling paint, tatty office furniture and little room to swing a cat. Not only was it too small, but it was located in a part of City Central police station already earmarked for renovation. Officers from the Murder Investigation Team (MIT) were hooking computer screens together with miles of wires, enough to send the Health and Safety manager into a rage. Screens came to life with the force logo as staff arrived in dribs and drabs. Gormley was writing the name ALAN STEPHENS on the dry white marker board, an ancient piece of kit not remotely like the electronic murder wall in the Major Incident Suite situated on the floor above. He looked old standing next to fresh-faced DC Lisa Carmichael who was new to MIT and eager to make a good impression.

  ‘You’ve no idea how long I’ve waited for this, Sarge . . .’ Carmichael said. ‘I’m so excited.’

  Gormley bristled. ‘Murder victims are people, Lisa. Flesh and blood, like you and me. It’s not a game. See how you feel after your first post-mortem. I could arrange one today, if you like? The Super has an interesting case on. Would that be exciting enough for you?’

  Shamefaced, Carmichael clammed up and wandered aimlessly away. The DCI patted her on the arm as she walked by. It wasn’t like Gormley to be so grouchy.

  ‘That was a bit harsh, wasn’t it?’ Daniels said. ‘What the hell is eating you?’

  Gormley just looked at her like butter wouldn’t melt.

  ‘You know perfectly well what I’m talking about, Hank. Lisa’s young and keen. She could go all the way. I asked you to take on her supervision because you’re the best and you know how to have fun at the same time. At least, you used to. She doesn’t deserve to have her enthusiasm dampened just because you have marital problems, so don’t take the piss. You owe her an apology.’

  Gormley stopped pretending. ‘I know, I’ll sort it.’

  ‘See you do.’

  Daniels pulled a packet of Benson & Hedges from his top pocket without asking. Under a NO SMOKING sign, she lit up. Another thing for Health and Safety to complain about! She hadn’t tasted nicotine for months and felt instantly dizzy. She coughed, bent down and immediately stubbed the cigarette out on the side of a bin. As she handed the packet back, DS Paul Robson’s frustration caught her attention. He tapped his watch and rolled his eyes as DC Neil Maxwell wandered in off sick leave: large as life and late, as usual. For the third time in as many weeks, his malingering had left MIT short. He was the weak link in the chain and it was no secret that she wanted him out.

  Maxwell plonked his lazy arse down at an empty desk just as Detective Superintendent Phillip Bright appeared in the doorway looking every bit the impressive officer he was. His clothes were immaculate as always: a crisp dark grey suit, white shirt and silver tie matching a spotted handkerchief in his breast pocket. A hint of aftershave reminded Daniels of one her father used to wear.

  Bright’s appointment as head of MIT eight years before had come as no surprise. He was highly respected throughout the force and had a proven track record in murder detection. He’d also been instrumental in guiding Daniels to make the right career choices. Her path mirrored his own; so much so that she almost felt like his shadow. Wherever he had gone, she had gone too. One day he would become force Crime Manager, which effectively meant he would take charge of the CID. When he did, she was hoping to step into his formidable shoes.

  ‘Morning, sir. Can I help?’ Maxwell was back on his feet, sucking up as usual.

  Aware of the problems his sickness had created for a squad already understaffed and under pressure, Bright wafted him away as if he were an irritating fly, concentrating instead on Daniels.

  ‘Got a minute, Kate?’ He pointed at the bundle of crime-scene photographs in her hand. ‘You may as
well bring those with you.’

  Gormley raised a quizzical eyebrow as Daniels followed Bright from the room almost breaking into a trot to keep up with him. They didn’t speak as they moved along a noisy corridor and up a flight of stairs to the building’s west wing, eventually arriving at a brand-new facility and a door marked: MAJOR INCIDENT SUITE – No Unauthorized Entry.

  The room was a stark contrast to the one they had just left, pleasantly air-conditioned, an open-plan layout designed to make best use of natural light and equipped with all the latest technology. Bright’s squad were hard at work as they passed through to his private office, which still reeked of fresh paint.

  He sat down at an imposing desk that wouldn’t look out of place at the Kennedy Space Centre. Daniels imagined herself sitting behind it. Houston, we have a problem. She remained standing, her eyes scanning his new desk with its fancy videophone, state-of-the-art computer, a pile of crime-scene photographs that were even more distressing than her own. The subject bore no physical injuries. He looked like any child does when they are sleeping peacefully, except she knew that not to be the case. Her eyes shifted a foot to the left to a happy snap of her boss’s wife taken at a police fund-raiser weeks before Stella Bright was confined to a wheelchair. She was posing in the foyer of the city’s Malmaison Hotel in a party dress and high-heeled shoes, her shapely dancer’s legs on show for all to see.

  If Bright saw Daniels looking, he didn’t let on. He reached out to take the bundle of photographs she was holding. ‘Mind if I take a look?’

  Tell him.

  Daniels held his eyes for a moment and then handed them over. ‘This one’s not going to be straight, guv. We’ve identified the victim, but there’s very little to go on.’

  He took a cursory look at the photos, sifting them through his hands until he’d seen them all. She thought he looked troubled and waited for him to tell her what was on his mind . . . but he sat for a moment considering. He was taking a special interest in her case and she was desperate to know why given that he was in the crucial first few hours of an enquiry of his own.