‘Diane, sit down,’ said Hitchens.
‘You know, I’m not sure about the crematorium staff,’ said Cooper. He’d found himself thinking of the terrarium at Mrs Askew’s house, with its seashells and Venus flytraps. Nothing predictable about that, really.
‘Why?’ said Hitchens.
‘Well, I think the type of person Dr Kane was talking about would want to see the processes the body went through after death.’
‘And that means he’d have to go back to the scene to check on the body. Maybe several times.’
‘Yes, I think so.’
‘Somebody must have seen him, surely.’
‘We could put out appeals.’
‘Only if we had some idea what times he went back.’
‘Of course. But wait a minute, Diane - does he know we’ve found this body?’
‘What?’
‘We haven’t issued a statement yet, have we? There’s been no announcement to the media?’
‘Well, apart from your facial reconstruction splashed all over the papers and TV screens the other day. Getting the attention of the public, remember?’
Cooper’s shoulders slumped. ‘Oh, that’s right.’
‘Why, what were you thinking?’
‘That he might go back to the body again. To do a final check.’
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‘Not much chance of that now.’
Hitchens thought about it. ‘Let’s stick to what we actually know. We’ve got a positive ID on a body that was entrusted to Hudson and Slack for proper disposal. But instead of being cremated, the body ended up in the woods, ten miles away at Ravensdale.’
‘That’s about it.’
‘Pretty nasty business, if you ask me. Something we should take very seriously.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Let’s take some action, then. We’ve still got to maintain a “softly, softly” approach towards Hudson and Slack. But I think we’re justified at this stage in applying for a search warrant and seizing their records.’
‘Wow,’ said Cooper, sitting upright with a surge of excitement. He looked at Fry to share the reaction, but she didn’t seem quite as enthusiastic as he’d expected.
‘Can we raid their premises and go softly, softly at the same time?’ asked Fry.
But Hitchens was into the flow now that he’d made a decision, and he started counting off on the fingers of one hand.
‘Secondly, we need to interview anyone who was working at the firm eighteen months ago, at the time of Audrey Steele’s funeral. Any former employees who’ve left since then will also have to be traced. Background checks on them all, plus any known associates. We have to narrow down the list of names to those who had the opportunity to interfere with the body. A motive would be helpful, too. But God knows what that might be.’
The DI looked at Cooper. ‘How does that sound for starters, Ben?’ Cooper had been trying to make notes. ‘Great,’ he said. ‘And what about the family, sir?’
‘Audrey Steele’s family? That’s a bit delicate, isn’t it? But one of them might have noticed something, so they’ll all have
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to be interviewed.’ Hitchens stopped counting fingers and steepled them, as if praying. ‘Handle that yourself, Ben. You’ve already spoken to the mother, you said? I suppose she’s getting on a bit?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, treat her with kid gloves and don’t upset her too much. See if you can find some other members of the family who might be easier to talk to. You know what I mean?’
Cooper nodded. ‘I know what you mean.’
‘Diane,’ said Cooper when they’d left the DI’s office, ‘I don’t think you’re doing yourself any favours with the DI, or with Mr Kessen either. You didn’t seem to give Dr Kane’s views any respect.’
Fry slapped her notebook down on her desk. ‘Have you ever killed anyone, Ben?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘Nor me,’ said Murfin from the next desk. ‘I’ve thought about it a few times, obviously.’
‘I didn’t ask you, Gavin.’
‘What’s your point?’ asked Cooper.
‘My point is, if none of us have ever killed anyone, how can we possibly know what it feels like?’
‘We can’t. Not really.’
‘And Dr Rosa Kane? Do you think she’s ever killed anybody?’
‘I’ll run a check on the PNC, if you like, and see how many murder convictions she has.’
‘Don’t be stupid, Ben. It was a hypothetical question.’
