‘What made her call us, not environmental control over at the council?’ said Barnes.
‘She said she’s tried phoning them before about issues with the tenant at the property leaving rubbish out and the like,’ said Gavin. ‘And she reported that in the past, she’d heard noises from the house – scuffles, muted voices, things like that. She thinks it’s rented by a council tenant but apparently, there was something wrong with the plumbing and the council haven’t got around to fixing it yet. She hasn’t seen the tenant for a while, and was worried it was squatters.’
‘Go on,’ said Sharp.
‘When uniform got there, they spoke to the woman first and ascertained she last heard the noises some three weeks ago. PC Norris says that he went around to the house, peered through the letterbox and immediately picked up the smell.’
He didn’t need to elaborate.
All the team had been subjected to the stench of death at some point in their careers.
‘When he broke down the door, he found the bodies of three women. He’s requested an SIO attend, obviously and has the scene taped off while he’s waiting for Harriet and her team to get there.’
‘All right, thanks Gavin,’ said Sharp. ‘Kay – you’re with me. Go get a pool car ready to leave in five minutes. Barnes, Carys – work with uniform and have them start on the house-to-house enquiries while you speak to Mrs—’
‘Evans,’ said Gavin.
‘Thanks. Debbie – get on to the council and request a list of tenants and anyone else who has access to a key to that house. Including council employees, work contractors, the lot. Let’s go.’
He clapped his hands together, and the team sprang into action, Kay grabbing her jacket and leading the way down to the car park.
Sharp pulled his mobile phone from his jacket pocket as she pointed the car in the direction of Thurnham, and she caught a glimpse of Harrison’s number on the display before turning her attention to the traffic around her.
‘Harrison? Where are you at the moment?’
A muffled response was all Kay heard, before Sharp spoke once more, passing on the details of the property they were heading towards.
‘Understood.’ He finished the call and tucked the phone into his jacket pocket. ‘Harrison’s going to be at headquarters for a while yet. He’s happy for us to attend, with a view to getting an update at the afternoon briefing.’
They remained silent the rest of the way, Kay concentrating on her driving while trying to manoeuvre the car through the traffic as quickly as possible.
Reaching the outskirts of the urban sprawl, she pressed the accelerator and expertly steered the vehicle around narrow countryside lanes.
As she turned into the road leading to the address provided by uniform, she realised why the location would have been perfect for Demiri’s purposes.
A single winding lane revealed only two properties. Two patrol cars were parked outside the first on the right-hand side of the road, the vehicle’s occupants already busy talking to an older woman who stood between the vehicles, her arms crossed over her chest.
Kay slowed as she drew near, then wound down her window.
One of the uniformed officers hurried towards her and bent down until he was level with her. He nodded to Sharp in the passenger seat, and then pointed up the road.
‘The crime scene is up there, just over the crest of the hill. There are two more cars there, and we’ve got the area taped off.’
Kay’s eyes drifted to the woman. ‘Is she the one that called in?’
‘Yes. She was walking her dog earlier this morning. The wind direction must have changed as she passed her neighbours’ house, because she said she hadn’t noticed it before even though she walks the dog the same way every morning. Apparently, she went up to the front door and knocked but didn’t expect anybody to answer, because she said the last time she knew someone was actually living there was over a year ago. She tried to look through the windows, but couldn’t see anything. She says she doesn’t know why, but she just felt that something wasn’t right and that’s why she called us.’
‘Okay, thanks.’
He stepped back from the car and Kay checked her mirror before pulling back into the lane.
Within seconds, they could see the second property and two more patrol cars parked outside.
The wind buffeted Kay as she stepped from the vehicle, and she cast her gaze over the low hedge opposite the property that separated the lane from a fallow field.
Grey clouds billowed across the sky, giving the landscape an oppressive atmosphere.
She shivered as she turned back to the house, a bright holly bush sprawling across the front of the building a stark contrast to the horror she knew she’d find within.
‘Ready?’
Sharp’s words jolted her from her thoughts.
‘Yes. Let’s take a look.’
She opened the back door of the car and pulled out two sets of coveralls, handing one to Sharp and then slipping her set over her blouse and trousers before tying plastic booties over her shoes.
As she straightened, PC Norris approached, his eyes troubled.
‘Inspector Sharp?’
‘Yes, and this is DS Hunter, who I think you already know. You were first on the scene?’
‘I had to break the door down – the neighbour down the road didn’t have a key, and there was no answer when we knocked,’ said Norris. ‘In the circumstances, I took the decision we need to get in there as quickly as possible. The crime scene has been preserved, and I’ve made a note of any surfaces I may have touched. A pathologist has been requested and should be here soon to declare life extinct.’
‘Okay,’ said Sharp. ‘We understand there are three victims?’
‘That’s right. We searched the rest of the house, as well as an old shed out the back, but there are no more bodies. The property doesn’t have a cellar, either.’
‘Okay. Lead the way.’
Kay followed the two men, and wondered what horrors had been left for them this time.
Chapter Thirty-One
Kay was immediately
