“That’s quite a statement to expect me to digest without any accompanying facts. Why do you believe that, Katy?”
She spent the next few minutes recounting the conversation she’d had with Patti, ten minutes or so before.
“Okay, let’s not overreact to the news. It might not be as bad as it seems.”
“What? Did I hear you right? How can this not be bad, sir?”
“Let’s begin an investigation into the allegation first and go from there.”
Katy shook her head. “What allegation? It’s nothing of the sort. The evidence is clear, what more do you need to go on? Someone has released a gun from this station and delivered it into the hands of criminals.”
“I appreciate what you’re saying, I truly do. However, we need to monitor the situation carefully before we go barging in with our size ten feet.”
“Speak for yourself,” she muttered, pissed off with what he was telling her.
“I can tell you’re not happy about what I’m saying, but all I’m asking you to do is sit on the information for a day or two.”
“Why? I can’t see the point in that, sir. You know it’s linked to my investigation and yet you’re not prepared to do anything about it.”
“I didn’t say that. There are times when the evidence room is cleared of certain weapons.”
“Well, that’s bloody news to me. How? Where do they end up?”
“Now and then they’re gathered together and disposed of. This might well be one of those occasions.”
“If that’s true, then I find it incredible to believe.”
“They are usually disposed of carefully. I suppose, like everything, there could be slip-ups along the way.”
Katy shook her head. “I’m inclined to stick with my notion, that we’re dealing with a bent copper.”
Roberts’ expression turned sour. “Okay, let’s see if my option is viable first, if only to save face. There should be a record of the weapons that have been disposed of. Let’s check that and then go from there.”
“I hate to ask, but can I leave that for you to sort out?”
“May I ask why?”
“Your seniority will speak volumes. If I go down there shouting the odds, well, it could cause a lot of friction, if you get what I mean.”
He glanced at the mound of paperwork on the left-hand side of his desk. “As if I haven’t got enough to do today.”
“You and me both,” Katy mumbled. “I have people to interview. They’re being brought in now, as we speak.”
“Go. Leave this to me.”
Katy smiled and rose to her feet. “Thanks, boss, that’s a load off my mind. Will you keep me updated?”
“Don’t you go thinking you can wrap me around your little finger like your predecessor, Inspector.”
Katy sniggered. “Sorry, I wouldn’t dream of thinking anything of the sort, sir. Good luck in your mission.”
“Thanks,” he grumbled.
Katy closed the door behind her and released a long breath.
“Everything all right, Inspector?” Trisha asked.
“I think so. I’ll let you know after I’ve fathomed out what just happened in there.” She chuckled and left a confused Trisha behind and made her way back up the corridor to the incident room.
The news that greeted her rocked her to her core.
“We’ve got another one,” Charlie announced.
“What? Another murder?”
Charlie nodded. “Jesus, tell me on the way. Do you have the details?”
Her partner waved a sheet of paper.
10
Katy was pleased to see Patti and her team already at the scene when she and Charlie arrived. They slipped into their protective suits and joined the pathologist.
“Don’t say it,” Katy warned.
“I wasn’t going to mention anything like fancy seeing you here. Sorry for being so predictable. Another crime scene to add to your tally.”
“Don’t tell me his car was stolen, too?”
“Yep. We’ve got a witness.” Patti pointed out a young woman in a uniform, sitting on the edge of the kerb with a female constable comforting her.
“Who is she?”
“His girlfriend. They were setting off for work. He left the house first; she was delayed, seeing to the cat’s needs. When she came out of the house, she found him lying there and his car gone.”
“Sod it. I’ll have a chat with her. How did he die?”
“My first impression would be that he was clobbered on the back of the head with a heavy object, maybe a metal bar.”
“Then what?”
“They just kept beating and beating him until he took his last breath.”
“What the fuck? For what? His damn car? I’ve had it with these guys. I’m determined to make this the last person they kill.”
“How do you propose doing that, Katy?” Patti asked, intrigued.
“We’ve got two women on their way to the station, at least I hope they are by now. It’s my intention to grill them and get the truth out of them.”
“I take it they’re connected to the murderers in some way.”
“Yep, girlfriends of two of them, we think, well…according to their social media pages.”
“Fair play to you. Right, we both have jobs to do. I need to get this young man examined and shifted, we’re already attracting the rubberneckers.”
“We’ll be back once we’ve spoken to her.”
Together, Katy and Charlie walked over to the distraught woman. The PC remained seated and nodded a hello.
Katy produced her ID. “Hello, we’re DI Katy Foster and DC Charlie Simpkins. I appreciate how distressing this has been for you, but are you up to talking to us?”
“I suppose so. Will it bring Ross back?”
Katy let out a ragged breath. “Sorry, no, it won’t. However, the more you can tell us, the more likely it is that we’ll capture the person responsible.”
“I don’t know if I can tell you anything. I didn’t see what happened. I came out of the house and found him…lying there…covered in blood.” She sobbed and added, “He didn’t deserve this. Why would someone kill him?”
“Sorry, what’s your name?”
“It’s Vicki White, and that’s my fiancé, Ross Samuels.”
“Can you tell us what occupation Ross had?”
“Why?”
“It will give
