‘Yes,’ Pinto said.
‘And you drove from there to Regent’s Canal?’
‘Yes. The two heavies kept me company at the warehouse for an hour or so, told me what would happen to me if I didn’t do what they said.’
‘This mysterious man, what happened to him?’
‘He left.’
‘Did you get a clear look at him?’
‘No. Only that he drove a late model Jaguar.’
‘How do you know?’
‘I saw it out of the window.’
‘The two heavies, what can you tell us about them?’ Larry asked.
‘The more aggressive of the two was an Irishman by the name of Devlin. The other one, hard as nails, called himself Steve. Apart from that, I don’t know much about them, other than they drink in the Pride of Paddington on a Friday night, the same as we did.’
Isaac realised they had almost concluded the interview, and there was plenty to follow up on. One last question remained. ‘Why was there so little blood at Regent’s Canal?’
‘They put what was left of Dave in a freezer for some time. I suppose that must be the reason.’
‘The packaging? What did you carry the body in?’
‘A garbage bag, one of those heavy-duty ones you put in your dustbin.’
‘And where is it now?’
‘I dumped it in a rubbish skip not far from the canal.’
‘Do you know where?’
‘Not the address.’
‘Could you find it again?’
‘Yes.’
‘Larry,’ Isaac said. ‘Take a couple of cars, some uniforms and our friend here. See if you can find it.’
‘No problem,’ Larry said. ‘It won’t do us much good though.’
‘Agreed, but it may help to corroborate Pinto’s story.’
‘What about me?’ Pinto asked.
‘You will be charged with aiding and abetting in the murder of Dougal Stewart. There will be a further charge of drug trafficking.’
‘Is that it?’ Katrina Hatcher asked.
‘I am willing to believe that your client was not involved in the murder of Dougal Stewart. However, he will be remanded in prison awaiting trial.’
Pinto’s lawyer looked over at him. ‘I may be able to get you bail,’ she said.
‘Don’t bother. I’m a dead man walking,’ Pinto replied.
***
By the time Isaac and Larry returned to the office, Wendy was preparing to leave. Pinto had been formally charged and would be transferred out of the cells at Challis Street Police Station to a prison, pending trial. Before Pinto’s transfer, Larry needed to take him to find the plastic bag that Stewart’s torso had been wrapped in, although the visit out to the warehouse described by Pinto was more immediate.
Three vehicles converged on the warehouse on Canal Way. Larry had driven with Wendy in the passenger seat. The other two unmarked cars carried four men in each, all armed in case of trouble. The first of the two vehicles entered the forecourt of the warehouse after breaking the chain securing the metal gates at the front with hydraulic bolt cutters. The second car then drove through with the first car following. Larry and Wendy remained outside on the street at a secure distance.
Five minutes later, Larry’s phone rang. ‘It’s all clear.’
Larry moved forward and drove through the front gate of the warehouse. It looked modern but unused. A police officer, a gun still in his hand, let them in. ‘No one here,’ he said.
Wendy phoned Gordon Windsor first. ‘You need to bring your team over,’ she said.
‘Any sign of blood?’ Windsor asked.
‘We’re securing the area for you. It’s a big place.’
‘Keep everyone out of there.’
‘Some of our men needed to check it out, but they’ve been careful.’
‘Thirty minutes and we’ll be there.’
Wendy and Larry, careful to ensure they were wearing foot protectors, moved around the warehouse. Two uniforms were securing the area. One of the two cars that had accompanied them had left.
It was evident that the building had been empty for some time, a clear indication of the downturn in the economy. In one office, they found signs that it had stored furniture at one time. The place was as hollow as a grave, their voices echoing as they spoke. A lone pigeon sat high up on a beam. At the back, close to a rear entrance, they found their proof.
The floor in a rear store room was covered in blood. A piece of rope hung from the ceiling. ‘That must be where they strung up Dougal Stewart,’ Larry said.
Wendy surveyed the scene, smelt the blood and the dead flesh. She left and found an open door out to the rear of the building and vomited. Larry remained at the scene, careful not to move in any closer. He could see a chainsaw, and what appeared to be a bloodied mess; he knew what he was looking at. He left and went to join Wendy. He needed fresh air and plenty of it.
‘Sorry, DI. Too much for me,’ Wendy said. She had a cigarette in her mouth. ‘I haven’t had one for two weeks.’
‘If you’ve got another one…’ Larry replied.
Gordon Windsor arrived shortly after with Grant Meston and Rose Denning. Windsor took one look at the scene. ‘Pretty grim,’ he said.
Another three crime scene investigators were checking the rest of the warehouse.
Windsor moved into the crime scene, taking photos as he went. Rose Denning was documenting, taking fingerprints, shoe prints. Grant Meston confirmed that the chainsaw was almost certainly used in the dismemberment of Dougal Stewart.
To Larry that was stating the obvious. The chainsaw was barely recognisable, covered as it was in dried blood. Meston picked it up, tagged it and ensured it was ready to transport to Forensics. ‘We’ll check that it’s Stewart’s blood later,’ he said.
Larry could see the beam that Pinto had described. The smell in the room was horrendous, so much so that he retreated
