beauty. That was why he’d had to get rid of Trinny and Lucy. Their bodies had gone saggy and started to smell. Which was hardly surprising considering they had been frozen and defrosted half a dozen times.
Chapter 32
Grand Parade, Plymouth. Monday 8th November. 11.17 pm
Inspector Nigel Frey was commanding the Tactical Aid Group and Savage had briefed him on the situation, emphasising the possibility of a hostage scenario.
‘Alice Nash. We are pretty certain he has her.’
‘Alive?’
‘Let’s hope so.’
‘But you are not sure?’
Savage told Frey about the frozen bodies of Kelly Donal and Simone Ashton and also about the murder of Forester and the attempted murder of Simone Ashton’s boyfriend.
‘He doesn’t think twice about killing so if he does have her we need complete surprise.’
‘Two armed officers will enter first,’ Frey said. ‘They will sweep and clear. Then the rest of us pile in en masse.’
‘We need to remember the house is a crime scene. If Harrison isn’t in there we want to keep the number of people entering the building to a minimum.’
‘Understood. But safety comes first. It is my call as to if and when you get in. Sorry, instructions from Hardin. He mentioned something about the Moor Vale incident.’ Frey’s tone came across as serious, but he was grinning at the same time. ‘If you ever fancy a change of career I am always looking for officers with a bit of backbone.’
‘Thanks, but no thanks.’ Savage smiled back. ‘Once is enough. I’m quite happy watching you guys from a safe distance.’
*
A safe distance equalled fifty metres up the street in an unmarked car. Savage, Riley and Enders waited in the darkness for the TAG team to appear. A few minutes earlier Enders had cruised the car past Harrison’s place. Even an estate agent would have been hard pushed to describe the property as anything other than grotty. Paint peeled from the window frames and the railings on the first floor balcony were rusty. On the front wall a hunk of plaster had fallen off and lay in pieces in the tiny garden. Alongside the rest of the street’s smart looking dwellings the house stuck out like a sore thumb.
‘The press will love this,’ Riley said. ‘Fit’s their stereotype perfectly.’
‘And if it doesn’t they will make it,’ Enders said.
Savage brooded, her own thoughts blocking out the chat of the other two officers. Had they missed something which might have led them here earlier? The house flagged Harrison up as different, but should someone else have spotted other things that might have drawn him to the attention of the authorities and prevented him being able to work at the nurseries? Savage didn’t know, but she reckoned she had done her best. In the end no one could expect more.
‘Ma’am?’ Enders nodded toward the house. The front door opened and light washed out onto the street. Two girls dressed for a night on the town tottered down the steps and walked along the road.
‘Students,’ Riley said. ‘Ground floor and basement are rented out. Harrison has his studio on the first floor, flat on the second and third.’
‘Nice looking tenants,’ Enders said as the girls breezed past the car, a whiff of perfume noticeable a few moments later. ‘Don’t suppose that is a coincidence. Whatever, they will be searching for new digs come tomorrow.’
‘Maybe your missus would be happy to give them a room, eh?’ Riley said.
‘Shut up, ladies,’ Savage said. ‘Here we go!’
The TAG van drove by and drew up alongside the curb in front of them. The rear doors opened and six men jumped out, Frey leading the way. Black clothing, body armour, SWAT team boots and guns. They jogged down the street to Harrison’s house. Two of the team now held the enforcer — a tubular steel battering ram — between them while a third peered through the letterbox. ‘Clear,’ he mouthed.
The two officers swung the ram and the door crashed open, splintering around the lock. Two more officers with weapons drawn now raced past and into the house. Savage heard muffled shouting from inside and the rest of the team rushed in.
‘OK, we’re on.’ Savage opened the door and got out of the car. As they walked down the street and neared the house they heard commotion from inside. A crash as an internal door caved in and a high-pitched warble sound from a burglar alarm. More shouting. Bodies thumping up and down stairs. Now doors were opening on houses either side and a couple of the TAG team were screaming at the residents to get back inside.
‘Give me CID any day,’ Enders said. ‘All this running around would leave me too knackered for anything.’
Frey appeared at the front door.
‘Clear so far. No lights evident on the inside so seems like he’s not around. Burglar alarm would indicate that as well. Give my lads another five minutes and then you can call your CSIs in.’ Frey indicated the white SOC van pulling over up the road. He grinned. ‘Methinks there will be plenty for them to get their teeth into.’
Layton climbed down from the van and began unloading gear from the back as Savage went over.
‘I want a quick search around inside,’ she said. ‘And then I will leave you to it.’
‘That’s what they all say,’ he said, shaking his head at the sight of the TAG team members leaving the building. ‘Honestly if you knew the pain that causes me. All those sweaty bodies clumping around over my lovely crime scene.’
‘Want me to get suited up?’
‘Ma’am, that would make my day. Your boys too, please.’
The three of them got into the garb Layton provided and padded into the house. They had the place to themselves now the TAG team had left and it was quiet.
The hallway had stairs that led up to Harrison’s studio and the flat above and Savage led the way.
‘Patrick, you take the studio. Darius and I will go to the flat. Prelim scout only. Leave the digging for Layton and his crew.’
The stairs and the studio area seemed neat and tidy. Bright white walls, cleanish. When they ascended the next set of stairs to the second floor flat that changed. A stale odour of sweat and unwashed clothes invaded Savage’s nostrils. Something else too.
‘Darius?’
‘Not sure, ma’am. Unpleasant anyway.’
The door to the flat led straight into the living area. A big bay window looked out to the Sound, lights sparkling in the distance across the water. In front of the window, but set back from the glass, three cameras on tripods reminded Savage of the Martian machines from the War of the Worlds. One camera had a long lens and pointed towards the Hoe. Savage went into the room, aware as she did so of something scattered over the floor.
‘Huh?’ Savage glanced down at her feet where sheets of paper overlapped each other, a white carpet made of A4.
Riley bent down and picked up one of the sheets.
‘Printouts, ma’am. Must be a computer somewhere.’
‘Interesting?’
‘Jesus, no. Sick. Ranting. Nonsense.’ Riley laid the piece of paper back where it came from.
‘OK,’ Savage said. ‘I wanted to examine those cameras, but I think I’ll leave it. Too much to disturb in here. Let’s check out the rest of the flat.’
On the same level a kitchen didn’t hold anything of interest. Old linoleum lay on the floor, sticky and smeared with grease and scraps, and a bin in the corner overflowed with fast food packaging. In stark contrast the stainless sink and chrome taps gleamed as if from a showroom and the gas hob was spotless. The black granite worktops looked clean too, but the inside of the fridge stank; a half-empty bottle of milk had gone sour.
