"Hey, that's a great job. Thanks, Tracy. See you later."
Five minutes later, the victim’s phone was delivered to the police station by one of the SOCO team who had placed it in the evidence bag in the hotel room. It had already been checked for blood splatters but none were found. SOCO had also dusted it for fingerprints and sent the findings to the fingerprint division.
Eden asked for the techie to come to the incident room.
Using latex gloves he went through the phone. "I've got a number stored with a name you mentioned. There's only one with the name Oliver. Oliver Varney is stored as a business contact.”
"Okay, let's give the number a go and see what happens."
Eden dialled the number. After four rings a man answered.
"Hello."
"Hello, is that Oliver Varney?"
"Yes it is."
"Mr Varney this call is extremely important. I'm Detective Inspector Eden Gold with the police in Trentbridge. I understand you stayed at the Albion Hotel recently with a Mr Winston-Moore."
"Er… yes I did. Until his partner turned up. Have I done something wrong? Am I in trouble?"
"Let me assure you that you are not in any trouble with us. I'm checking to see if you are okay. Are you alone?"
"Yes I'm alone."
"Mr Varney. There’s been a serious incident at the hotel. We need you to give a witness statement. I’d like to come and visit you. Can you tell me exactly where you are now?"
“I'm at my bedsit in London.”
"Please can I have your address? I’ll need to come and get a statement from you.”
"Sure. Room 6, 49 Harvey Goodwin Road, Earls Court. It's the top floor, the blue button on the entry buzzer. Can you tell me what this is all about?"
"As I said, you are not in trouble with us. It's purely routine. We just need a statement from you regarding something that has happened at the hotel. I'd like to come and see you tomorrow if that is okay.
"Yes. That's fine. I'll see you then.”
“One last thing. You say you left the hotel?”
“Yes, that's right. I had no idea Peter was involved with someone else. So after his partner turned up and made a scene I packed a bag and left. I took a taxi to the station and got on the first train to London.”
Eden walked into his boss's office, the door was open.
"Andy. I'm going to interview Oliver Varney tomorrow. We found him at his bedsit in London. It appears he's fine. He says after the argument between the victim and Norman he packed his things and got a taxi to the railway station and went home. He says he wasn't in a relationship when he met Winston-Moore. So the possibility of some jealous lover being involved seems unlikely."
The DCI spoke. "Which brings us right back to Norman as the main suspect."
"I'm not sure, boss. Maybe, maybe not. Let's see what turns up in the next few hours.”
“Time is running out, Eden. You know as well as I do that unless we get something pretty fast, I’ve either got to charge him or apply for an extension.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
It was just after 6 pm. when DI Eden Gold stood in front of the team in the Major Incident Room, ready to bring everyone up to date on the daily review. The DCI stood by his side.
“Okay, gang. Day one of 'Operation Riverdance'. Don't blame me. That's the name the computer pulled out. Let’s go over what we’ve got so far. Today at 6.13 a 999 call was received from the Albion Hotel reporting a body found in the Trinity Suite. The discovery was made by the hotel assistant manager, Diane Dempsey. The first officer on the scene was PC Howard Mitchell. Following attendance by the police doctor, it was confirmed as a murder inquiry.
“We know the victim is Peter Winston-Moore, age fifty-one. An art dealer from London who was here to attend the Evesham Art and Antiques Fair that's due to start tomorrow. The time of death is put at between 11 pm. and 1 am and according to the report I’ve just received he was stabbed in the back ten times. So it's likely he knew his killer as he let him or her into the room and turned his back. Not something you'd normally do with a stranger.
“The hotel is locked from 11 pm. After that time you need to be let in or out by the night porter. However, the night porter was off ill and the hotel was locked and alarmed. The only method of entrance for guests after that time is via a guest front door key and none had been given out for that night. There are no signs of forced entry and getting out of the hotel from anywhere above the ground floor would be extremely difficult. So we think the chances are the killer is someone who was in the hotel overnight.
“The victim had stayed at the hotel before. From what we understand this was his third visit. Each time it was to coincide with the Evesham Arts and Antiques Fair in Market Drayton. We believe the victim had a highly valuable painting in his possession. One he had purchased locally in the past couple of days. Apparently it was sitting on an easel stand in the corner of the hotel room. That painting is missing.
“It seems when he purchased the painting he got the lady to sign a receipt so we’ve got a name and address. We are hoping the seller has a photo of the painting so we can get photos out to the antiques trade in case someone tries to sell it. Whoever took it left behind the victim’s wallet, his gold Rolex watch and a gold bracelet
