‘This woman was found at the opposite end of the lake five months later. She didn’t appear on any of the databases but the post mortem results showed she was severely malnourished, and probably living rough for a number of months leading up to her death. Both women were found wrapped in plastic. Those details were never released to the public, and the investigating officers have had no new leads to follow.’
Kay swallowed, the remnants of dry biscuit sticking in her throat. ‘Were they alive when they were submerged?’
‘The post mortem results confirm that they were, yes.’
‘He’s been lucky, if it’s the same man responsible for all three deaths,’ said Kay. ‘That’s a busy area to be dumping bodies.’
Sharp rubbed his chin. ‘Or, he heard that these two bodies were found, and relocated,’ he said. ‘But to where?’
‘You think there are more?’ said Carys.
Sharp folded his arms across his chest and nodded. ‘I do, yes. Everything points to someone who’s had plenty of practice at this.’
‘Bastard,’ said Barnes. ‘He’d bloody better survive surgery.’
Chapter Nineteen
Sharp lifted his gaze at a knock on the door to the incident room, and Kay glanced over her shoulder.
A nervous-looking young police constable stood on the threshold, his eyes scanning the room until he located Sharp.
‘What is it, Constable?’
‘The Chief Superintendent, sir. Wants a word with you and Detective Sergeant Hunter at headquarters. Said “immediately”.’
All eyes turned to Kay, the hubbub of the briefing dying on the air as a shocked silence swept through the room.
Sharp’s eyes narrowed as he glanced towards his office. ‘I didn’t hear my phone ring.’
‘Message came through the switchboard,’ said the constable. ‘I explained you were probably in the middle of a briefing.’
‘All right. We’ll be right there.’
The constable nodded, and left the room in a hurry.
‘Kay? My office. The rest of you, we’ve still got a murder investigation to manage, so don’t let this interruption keep you from your work.’ When no-one moved, he glared at them. ‘That means now.’
Admin staff and detectives scurried to their desks as Kay grabbed her suit jacket from the back of her chair and followed Sharp into his office, closing the door behind her.
‘Any idea what this is about?’
‘No – do you?’
She shook her head.
‘Well, unless Mr Demiri has filed a complaint – which I very much doubt – I’m as much in the dark as you, so let’s go and see what the Chief Super has to say.’
He swung his jacket over his shoulders and they made their way back out through the incident room and down a flight of stairs.
Signing out for a pool car, Sharp drove the short distance to Kent Police Headquarters in record time, and led the way to the Chief Superintendent’s office.
Kay rubbed her eye while Sharp stood at the office door, his hand poised and ready to knock.
He glanced over his shoulder at her.
‘Ready?’
‘Not really.’ Kay swallowed. She’d never been summoned to the Chief Superintendent’s office before.
Memories of standing outside a headmaster’s office after the rare occasion of a detention set by an impatient teacher sprang to mind.
She took a deep breath, let it out, and then nodded at Sharp.
There was a brief pause after he knocked, and then the Chief Superintendent’s voice rang out.
‘Come in.’
Kay brushed an errant loose hair off the shoulder of her jacket and followed Sharp into the room.
Susan Greensmith, Chief Superintendent for West Kent Division, rose from her seat as they entered, smiled and shook hands with Sharp, and then held out her hand to Kay.
‘Thanks for coming, DS Hunter. Please, take a seat.’
She gestured to the chairs in front of the wide desk, and resumed her position behind it, pushing a pile of cardboard folders out of the way and clasping her hands in front of her.
‘I understand you have a development in the case of the woman killed in the road traffic accident three nights ago, and that you suspect Jozef Demiri to be involved. What’s the current status of your enquiries, Devon?’
Kay listened as Sharp provided a précis of their investigation while the chief superintendent interjected with questions and clarifications from time to time, and wondered why a face-to-face meeting had been requested when Sharp was already submitting daily reports.
Sharp finished speaking, and leaned back in his chair.
Greensmith pursed her lips. ‘It certainly sounds like you and your team are doing everything possible with what information you have to hand, Devon.’
‘Thank you.’
‘However, I’m guessing that the pair of you are wondering why I’ve dragged you over here.’
Kay bit her lip as Sharp made a noncommittal noise at the back of his throat.
Greensmith unfolded her hands and gestured to the topmost file in her tray.
‘I don’t need to tell you both that the arrest and subsequent prosecution of Jozef Demiri have been high on our agenda, especially after what happened to you, Hunter.’
Heat rushed to Kay’s cheeks, but she held her tongue.
Greensmith’s tone was matter-of-fact rather than accusatory, and she continued as if oblivious to Kay’s discomfort.
‘The thing is,’ the chief superintendent continued, ‘our Serious and Organised Crimes Unit has never given up on Demiri, and in an attempt to draw on every resource I have available to me, recent events in your investigation lead me to one conclusion. SOCU should be leading all investigations into Jozef Demiri’s business.’
‘But—’
‘I’m sorry, Detective Hunter, but SOCU are better equipped to deal with whatever Demiri can throw at us.’
‘What does DCI Larch think of this?’ said Kay, then bit her lip, realising she was pushing her luck.
Greensmith raised an eyebrow before responding. ‘Not that it’s any of your business, detective, but DCI Larch is currently leading another aspect of the investigation.’
‘But—’
‘That’s all I’m prepared to tell you, Hunter.’
‘Ma’am, if I could make a suggestion?’ said Sharp.
‘Go ahead.’
‘Both Hunter and I are well versed in how dangerous Demiri can be. Rather than cut our team loose completely, perhaps we could be seconded to the SOCU investigation?’
‘I did say you wouldn’t
