“A body, I"ll be there right away. ” As I stepped into the newly built, semi-detached, house on Mount Way I felt my body taken back with the odour that struck my scenes. As I walked deeper into the unimpaired home my eyes stung and my stomach churned with the strength of the smell of decomposed body, a smell that was fresh to my inexperienced nostrils. I paused, a pause held through nerves and broken by experience as my superior colleague brushed past me grinning.
I remembered the hurtful comments he had to say about me when I arrived in the department and held my eyes tight and my body upright and continued past the uniform police who were ushering what seemed to be the tearful owner towards the door presumably to the station. Forensic teams began cornering off the stairs to the basement as I crouched under the tape and slowly stepped down the unstable, wooden stairs into the basement. My eyes tighten as they attempted to adjust to the light as I edged my way around the boiler. A body!
There before me, illuminated with a forensic light, a naked body. The owners of the house had been exploring the full potential of the basement when they began to take the top of a hollow, seven foot, wall down on the far side they discovered the body. Peculiarly the owners had begun demolishing the brickwork from the top confirming the owner’s sense of organisation, which could be seen momentarily on entering their house. The bottom of the wall was still intact and the corpse laid over it as if it had fallen from the upright position the killer had bricked it into.
Half the body was trampled into the basement wall, the other was exposed, flopped over the wall the as if exhausted from the struggle of life. If was a body of a woman, her frame was petite, her bones were defined through her pale, bruised, decaying skin. The chief medical examiner was taking pictures of her as if she was an exhibit; the flashes from his camera exposed a silver bracelet on her left arm, which hung parallel to the right and adjacent to her head. I stepped closer trying not to disturb anything or upset anyone. I could see the inscription in the extreme lighting it read "Happy 15th Birthday. quot; This was not a body of a women but a child. Feeling my presences was no longer necessary I made a discreet exit and headed home for my Sunday dinner, which had been plated at five O’clock when I received the call three hours later, it was inedible and I was not interested in eating. I went straight to my note pad and wrote up my interpretation of the scene and questions that I would put to the forensic pathologist tomorrow, if I was able to go and see her. I met her briefly tonight but she looked too busy to introduction myself.
My eyes grew heavy so I allowed them to close but sleep was out of the question I couldn"t get that child"s body out of my mind. The image scared my sleep away. Her body slung over the coarse, finished, bricks, all the bruises and cuts that lived on her back conceivably from sandwiching her between the walls. If those bruises were from being moved into there, then surely, she most have been alive when she was put in the basement. That child must have lived her last few moments in that basement knowing her death. My stomach turned again as I ran for the bathroom.
As I locked my bike up under the stairs that led to C. I. D I overheard the detective inspector talking about how he would like to see the new subordinate recruits take a dominant role in the investigation. Seven people that fell under this category, I was one of them. It wasn"t subordinate on ability or enthusiasm, just experience. This was my first job as a detective. I decided to go and take some of my observations to him once I had done some additional research. As soon as I got into my desk I got straight on the phone and went to find out some facts about the family who, house the girl"s body was found in.
As I reached for the receiver I decided it was too much of an oblivious lead of enquire and would have been followed up instantaneously last night. So instead I rang the council for details on the housing estate that the family lived in. Then knocked straight on the D. C. I"s door. As he beckoned me in I straightened myself out and entered only to see one of my fellow subordinate recruits leave I didn"t let this dishearten me. I tried to walk in confidently. “I understand you"re currently leading the Molly investigation. Molly was temporarily the deceased name until she was identified. “Thank you for letting me visit the crime scene last night. ” The Inspector continued to stare at me as if briefly analysing me, I quickly began conversation to cut the short silence. “I hope you do not think it out of my area but I took it upon myself to ring, Yatts. That"s the housing company that built the Pugh"s house. The houses were built two years ago and the Pugh"s are the first owners they bought the property fourteen months ago on the 13th May of the building company Yates Limited.
Yates are sending me over a list of names of people that had access to the site with the plans for the house so we are able to establish whether the wall was added. Along with this they said they can give me the exact date number 12 was completed. ” I held my stare waiting for his response. “I do not think that was out of your area Faye, sorry D. C Hebden. ” I went to correct him and let him address me informally but held out after all I want his respect before his friendship. “That"s good work. Have you sent the courier over to collect the plans? ” “No” I sent bluntly I had planned to drive over there and collect them myself.
It wasn"t far I didn"t even think about a courier. Before I could let myself overdrive with embarrassment I covered my inexperience with minor formality like the courier. “I thought I could collect them myself, that way Yatts can see the seriousness of the case, a less formal more friendly approach. Showing our thanks for their co-operation because I"m sure we will need it again. ” “Great idea, well you get onto that then before the briefing at 11O"Clock. ” 11 O"clock came and I settled myself down in the briefing room sitting alone close to the front. The D.
I had pinned the plans I had courier over on the incident board along with pictures of Molly. Although, I did not need the reminder of the image that had haunted my dreams last night. My body still felt weak as I stared at a life snatched away in such an inexplicable, violent manner. The D. C. I entered and the room hushed he thanked everyone for last night and the attendance of today"s meeting. Then he wrote the team that would lead the investigation on the board. Faye Hebden, third on the list along with Gerry and Will. They were ranked high in opinions around the office and therefore their surname weren"t necessary.
My early morning hard work had paid off but I knew I was going to have to do twice as much to keep up with the big boys. I reached for the pack with all the details the unit needed to know and headed eagerly to the door. "Who"s Faye Hebden? " I heard someone whisper oblivious to me standing before. I turned around and with a brief spurt of confidence swiftly drew my arm from beneath my papers and introduced myself. Two slightly embarrassed and surprised Gerry and Will widened their eyes and shook my hand acquainting themselves. I turned, smiled to my confidence and headed for my desk where I buried myself under paper work.
I tried to do some background on missing girls in the area in last two years aged between fifteen and seventeen when they went missing concentrating on the month May. I short-listed myself to four names and address. Next I did some background work on the Pugh family. The family consisted of Mark Pugh, 44 year old head teacher working for a secondary school out of the city. Gemma Pugh, 36 married to Mark for close to ten years currently a housewife, last employed six years ago part time at a local nursery and their only child is Felicity aged 8 who attends St. Mary"s the local roman catholic school.
I rang the education board who praised Mark Pugh as an "asset to education. " I got them to fax me over his previous employment details. He worked at the school that one of my short listed missing girls attended. Was this a link? I went to Gerry"s desk. “Can I attend the morgue? ” He blanking looked up he seemed slightly irritated with my forwardness after all I was looked upon as a junior in this job. “Have you ever been to a morgue before,” his words seemed to be smothered in arrogance and drawn out with a superior tone. “No, all the more reason to let me come with you. What time are we leaving? I was even more surprised with my boldness than Gerry. He smiled and gave a half laugh to himself as if re-estimating me. “I"ll drive us their now. ” I felt my body ooze with confidence as I briefed Gerry on all the background work I had done. The reception of the morgue was astonishingly warm and inviting. The doors that lead into the examination rooms was contrary to reception the floor was freshly cleaned cold white washed tiles. It was at the second set of the lightweight, swing doors typical of hospitals that we meet the medical examiner. She took off her plastic gloves to greet us.
She was a youthful, a good build, with a natural fresh looking beauty to her. Gerry had obliviously picked up on this when he first met Jane because his eyes held a glisten as he caught her blue eyes. “I suppose you want the low down from my PERK. ” Gerry nodded I gave a vacant look. “P. E. R. K is a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit. Well the girl had had sexual intercourse but there is no sign of a strain. Usually picked up on by bruises. Though there are traces of semen. This did surprise me as she was only around the age of 15 and no contraception could have been used. There were bruise on her arms though. Jane led us into the examination lounge. “They were from struggling against the wall confirmed by small amounts of skin from the palm found on the house wall. No hairs found, except her own. She took a blow to the head that knocked her unconscious but did not kill her. She was not knocked out longer than an hour before she regained consciousness. Her injures were too serve to survive and her body would not have been able to function for long without medical assistance. ” “How long do you think she could have lasted? ” I enquired. “I could only estimate she was youthful, and fit.
In an adult less than hour in a child no more than hour and a half. ” “How likely would it be that she was able to cry for help? Loud enough to be heard and how long for? ” I continued my line of enquires. “Good question. Yet again I could only guess, this is not a fact just an approximation. I imagine she could shout not continuously for about an hour before her brain stop functioning with that area and then she would only just be able to speak at a low tone and then she would stop having the power of speech. ” Jane"s eyes looked heavy and tired. I wondered how she coped doing a job like this.
Emotionally and Physically ” So she did finally die in that house. ” Gerry repeated the facts noticing the harsh tone in his voice he soften it. “Have you any lead on the sperm? ” “We are checking the sex offends register now. It doesn"t look hopeful so far. ” “Do you mind keeping me posted on any change? ” “Of course. ” Jane picked up her brown confidential file from her leather medical bag and began reading off important details. “Time of death, between 23:00 and 02:00,” Jane glanced up, “that time should be round down soon though. That was on Thursday11th May 2001.
The weapon which gave her the injury to the back of the skull was rectangular in shape and measured around, 70mm by 95mm. ” She handed the folder to Gerry. “The blow was from the back so could have been unexpected. This is your copy of my notes and a brief report. As I explained on the phone this is slightly more complicated progress, as the body has been dead so long. I understand that it is also complicated at your end and that is why, just this once, I will issue an incomplete report and then re-issue one as soon as I can. I do understand your urgency though and I"m working as hard as I can. ” “Thanks Jane you"re a star! Complemented Gerry. “I will speak to you soon. ” Jane realised her informal tone slightly embarrassed she raced through the pleasantries and lead us back through to reception. On the drive back to the station I flicked through the report. “So there is still no identification on the girl then? ” “No. ” Gerry spoke in a sympathetic tone. “That"s really sad. ” The car fell silent until we reached the station. Both of us had sat in the car deep in thought about the investigation. As I struggled to single handily close the car door to Gerry"s Vauxhall Astra, Jane"s report along with my heavy bag.
I found an interesting comment Jane had made. “It say"s here that the victim had a stomach ulcer it was minor for the minute. Could that of been caused by bulimia? Cry for attention, after all she was very petite. ” “Definitely a good reason. I"ll stick it on the board in the investigation room, if you would like? It may come into some importance in the latter part of the investigation, but I can"t see it helping us I. D her and that is our main aim. ” Gerry was right but I didn"t like the way he told me he was right. As if I did not know the basic skills I was after all just making an observation.
As I reached my desk feeling bitter that my last comment could have undone what good impression Gerry may have had off me. I found my fax which I had been waiting for from the board of education it just gave been details of Mark Pugh"s employment and a recent copy of his C. V which he had sent to his latest school, Hutton R. C Secondary School. As I scanned through the C. V I noticed he had taken a demotion when he took his last job. I wonder what could cause this, stress, the need to leave the school, problems with the colleagues or children?
I was unable to interview Mark, though I had briefly seen him the night the body was discovered, so I wanted to build up an image in my head of his personality. His last school in which he worked at was a local school, and then he moved to a school of a considerable distance from his new property at Mount Way. He left the school at around about the same time he moved. Surely though with having to take a job of a lower he would drop pay, how could he then afford a new house? I stared at the papers piled in front of me waiting as if for information to jump up at me.
I wondered whether it was a fresh start for Mark, new job, new house, could he been running away from something? Could he have had an affair? I knew it was a long shot but I was longing for a lead to follow I was at a roundabout dazed which blurry route to take. “Jennifer Carter. ” Will bellowed at me interrupting my trail of thought. I stared at him blankly was the name to suppose to have importance to me? “That"s the dead girls name. ” I repeated it in my head then again muttering to myself as if trying to drill this name in replacing an anonymous face, Jennifer Carter. You"re to do the background on the girl and the family all the data you can find by 4"O Clock. Then Gerry and yourself can meet me in the briefing room to go over the facts. We shall visit the parents tomorrow. ” I watched Gerry walk away and paused for a moment. I imaged the parents having to go over all the details again with us. Going over buried memories. Once they knew that we had their child"s body they would lose all hope of their daughter walking back through the door. I searched details on the computer and wrote a brief summary on her parents, her personal I.
D and after several calls to the missing persons help line her missing file, as they had misplaced it, ironic really. I went to the staff room made three coffees and brought into the briefing room. “Hope everyone likes coffee. ” I wasn"t looking for endless gratitude, just a thank you but the men where in grossed into the files so I pulled out a chair and sat next Will. He was less intimidating when he wasn"t looking directly at me. “Are these the files? ” Will vociferated staring at me. I released that it wasn"t less intimidating sitting next to him it was just the same. Gerry saved me with a sympathetic smile. “Yes.
I"ve separated it into details of parents, her personal I. D and the information missing persons have given me. ” “Look I want you to take this home and learn it inside out. Working on a case like this means that we have to be compassionate especially when it comes to the family. That"s why I"m briefing the interview that I will have with them tomorrow rather than going straight in heavy-handed. Are there any details you would like to go over? Any information that didn"t add up in your report? ” Gerry"s aggressive manner seemed to have dropped slightly I wondered if he was just passionate about his work. Well, Jennifer Carter was about to turn sixteen. She had a boyfriend who was 18, two years older her senior. Simon Gails. They meet at Jennifer"s parent’s pub, The Oak Tree. He drunk in there at weekends he was just a social drinker. The parents speculated he had something to do with Jennifer"s disappearance but the lead was followed up and found it inconclusive. Jennifer attended Rowing Dale High Secondary School in which she was to sit her exams three weeks after her disappearance. Her attendance at school was patching but overall a good student that was set to have a beaming future.
I have names and addresses of friend that attended school with her and they have spoken to the police before when the case was first open. The parents claimed that she went to meet her boyfriend on the day of the disappearance but he says that they never arrange to meet and he didn"t see her at all that Friday. She was last seen on Friday 11th May that was the night she died. ” The silence was held as the information filtered in and they looked through the information I had placed in front of them. “The D. I has appointed me and you to go, Hebden. ” Will seamed to have searched his memory for my name. “Faye. I said softly and smiled. Gerry collected his papers together and placed them in his hand held leather folder. “Well if you don"t mind my Meggie has a school play tonight. Can I be excused? You can brief me tomorrow Faye? ” I nodded. I felt I had broke the ice with Will now so didn"t feel as intimidated. Gerry let me with a reassuring nod and promptly speeded off to the car park. “So how do you want to handle the parents tomorrow? Any kind of tactical approach? ” I felt cold planning how to tell some that their own child was dead but that was the only way that we could do without causing to much distress.
I was not look forward tomorrow. Will and I spent an hour going over details and lead that needed following up. Where was Simon, Jennifer"s boyfriend working now? We needed a recent address for him because we were going to have to get in touch with him. Along with all off Jennifer"s school friends. I followed up numerous leads until the cleaners where working around me I collected my books and headed for my bike at 8 O"clock. As I left I noticed Will"s office light on and his sleek, well build, shadow hovering through the blinds.
I dressed smarter than a typical day subconsciously trying to hide my inferior experience behind my favourite Next, black suit. I began walking to work for I did not want to tarnish my suit on my bike. I arrived at work meeting the D. I on the stairs. “Morning Sir. ” I smiled. “Morning D. C Hebden. I understand you have a long day ahead of you. I would like a step-to-step breakdown this afternoon. See you then. ” He left me at the T-junction corridor. Mid-morning Will appeared at my desk. “How you feeling this morning Faye? ” Will asked as he brought a chair to my desk. He seemed genuine; I was shocked at his informal, unnecessary, concern. I"m O. K. Tired but I"ll survive. I"m not looking forward to this. ” I said in a peace tone. “I understand. I"m the same. I couldn"t sleep last night. We better leave, you ready? I"ll drive, I don"t think we would both fit on your bike! ” Will"s car was similar to Gerry"s minus the baby seat and litter. As Will switched on his engine Brittany Spears belted from the speakers. I giggled imagine Will singing along and nodding his head to "I"m not a girl not yet a women," before work. “What? ” He exclaimed innocently to me. Everyone needs a bit off Brittany to start off the day. ” I shook my head laughing. The cheerful tone died as the car pulled into the Oak Tree pub. The pub was closed. With an authoritative knock the sound off the locks unbolting emerged through the heavy wooden doors along with a face off a middle-aged women. Her deep brown hair was scraped back into a ponytail, exposing her ageing flaws, which were discreetly covered with a layer of make up. “Morning. ” She said politely with a breath of energy. Then she stared deeper her smiled dropped, she stepped back and we no longer needed to introduce ourselves.
Without exchange any words we followed the lady that I now had assumed to be Jennifer"s mother into the pub and as we reached the stairs she broke down. Throwing her body against the wall at the right turn on the stairs. It slowly fell heavy on to the stair her head dropped heavily into her lap and she began to sob which developed into cry, a screaming cry. She cried out loudly “Your police, your Jennifer"s police,” and I wanted to cry with her. I felt my professionalism die I went up to her and held her. She held me back and cried to my shoulder, “my hope, all my hope. My stupid hopes. ” As if she was bitter about her feelings.
For minutes we sat at the stairs and then I shepherd her into her living room. Gerry led himself into the kitchen and made as all a typical British tea. I imaged that with all the liquor downstairs tea was the last thing Susan needed. She held her head up as I gave her the tea Gerry had made. The silence felt awkward but necessary. Susan already knew what we were there for and who we were. I imagine she would have seen reports on local radio and news or even local whispers, she owned pub, people talk. All that time listening to people talking about how that child was inexplicably treated, how cruel her death was.
All that time she must have hoped that it was not her Jennifer, her own child. All that time was day"s but day"s she would have been waiting praying that this visit would never happen. Susan"s head loomed above the mug off tea and her teardrops slid off her chin around the red seasonal mug. “Tell me,” she snivelled “Was she? ” She held her eyes tight as if trying to come to terms with the question and prepare for the answer. She repeated herself still unable to look at me and Gerry now sat opposite her on the leather chair. Lowering her head she turned it towards me.
Her voice became clearer but quieter a lowered my head to listen. “Was she? Was she raped? ” She looked in my eyes as she asked the question I know she dreaded the most then she fell onto my arm as if she was a child. I tried to comfort her; I brushed her hair through my long fingers. “Do you want to go over this now Susan? I mean you could wait for your husband to get back before we go over this. ” I said softly. I did not want her to think we had to talk about this now. “Please, I just want to know this. For piece of mind, was she raped? She was wasn’t she? ” Susan looked so venerable. “No.
It doesn"t look like she was raped. ” I paused. I didn"t know what to say. Do I tell her that she had sex she could have been raped? How could I tell her that her daughter could have been raped but we just not sure. Susan threw herself up her cup fell of her lap, which was resting, between her thighs. She headed towards the living door, there her husband stood with a paper tucked under this arm. Susan threw her arms around him and spoke into his ear. “Police. She"s gone. ” Tony who it was noted over the missing report was very close to his daughter. Place Susan on the chair and left the room.
He walked into the kitchen. Susan stared listening to his movements. He had forcefully opened a draw in the kitchen and we could hear papers beginning violent thrown out of the draw. Then it went quiet. A muffled weep came from the kiting. It grew louder and I left the room and made my way into the kitchen. There I found Tony scrunched into a ball on the floor with papers at his feet and a picture in his hand. I sat next to him. “This is Jennifer when she first started secondary. She hates this picture. She"d kill me if she knew I was showing it to you. ” He spoke as if he was waiting for her to come home from school.
As if he had waited every day for the last two years for her to come through the door. He climbed up with the help of the kitchen cupboard and went dashing down the hall past the living room past another two rooms to the room at the end of the hall. The door was a jar. Tony opened it bearing what seemed to be an undisturbed teenage girls room. The bed lied in full view of the door. I sat on the cold kitchen door watching Tony. He picked up a teddy, huddled with his back on the wall sitting on her bed. He kissed the teddy and hugged it. Then he got into her bed and lie under the covers still cuddling the teddy.
I watched him he did move his eyes stared straight ahead in daze and the tears escaped quietly. I could hear mummers in the living room. As I entered Gerry was comforting Susan and knelt down in front off her. I wanted to ask her how she was feeling but I felt it was such a thoughtless question. Susan"s puffy red bloodshot eyes peered up. “I know this is a hard time, but there are questions we need to ask you. ” Susan began to cry heavily again. “No,” I tried to hush her. “Not now. Later. When you and your husband are up to it. Please don"t feel that you can"t contact me. My name is Faye Hebden. I felt I had been through so much with her and yet she didn"t even know my name. “My name is D. I Gerry Hamp this is the stations number if you feel you need to speak to either myself or D. C Hebden. ” I felt Gerry had put a emphasise on my title. Not to patronise me just to sub-consciously tell me not to get too personal. We let ourselves out and quietly I got into Gerry"s car as I had time to think, I began to cry. I didn"t want Gerry to see me so I stared out the window. Will meet as at the car park he had arrived back at the station from speaking to Jennifer"s friends from school. “That was hard.
Most of the girls were not that good friends the school had just encouraged everyone to give information. It looks like she only had a few good friends. I spoke to them they said the same sort of thing. She had her fair share of teenage problems, she struggled with weight. ” “That would explain the stomach ulcer, right? ” Gerry directed the conversation to me. “I guess so. She was skinny when she died in the picture her father showed me today from when she was eleven she was a lot bigger in the face. Still not fat though. I do think that if she was lacking friends at school she could of done it more for attention.
Did they mention her home life? ” “Philipa who was said to be her closest friend explained that her Mum and Dad split up briefly for no longer than a six months but her Dad fell into depression when he was left alone. Jennifer had to look after herself. She didn"t hear from her Mum during that time though. Ever since then Jennifer and her dad were close. They use to have reserved nights every Thursday. Jennifer"s Mum would go to her Quiz night at another pub her Dad would take the night off and Jennifer would spend time with her Dad. She had a boyfriend who the parents didn"t agree with.
This made Jennifer like him more. ” Will seemed to be quoting from his notes and kept looking at is pad. “She just rebelled from her family for a bit. That"s when her Dad and her began to argue and they just went from being inseparable to a typical teenage/parent relationship. ” The conversation had led us into the incident room. The statements of Jennifer"s friend"s that Will had spoke to early had been pinned up. "Molly" had been replaced with "Jennifer Carter. " “The next steps from here are to speak to the parents again find out why they hated this boyfriend so much.
Track down the boyfriend find out if in fact he was with Jennifer on the night she went missing. Maybe it might be an idea if you went to speak to her friend, Philipa. ” Gerry suggested at me. “If you could build a friendship with her in case she remembers something and would find it easy to approach you. If you get onto that and see if you can track down the boyfriend Philipa may know where he is living. Have the building company got back to us yet? Why not? ” Gerry responded to the blank look on our faces. “Right. We need to get onto them today. Really we need to interview the employers that worked on the house.
Shelly and Mike will have to do that. ” Pressure seemed to be building so I excuse myself as the meeting continued. I went straight to the computer room and logged on to track down Simon Gails. Jennifer"s last known boyfriend, he should be aged around 20. An hour and a half later I was still non-the wiser on where I could find Simon Gails or if I had been using the data properly. I began to get frustrated at the lack of help from any of my colleagues. I left the computer room, which was a good move as I found myself getting very stressed and that wasn"t going to help me find Simon Gails.
I went upstairs to my desk and read my notes on Philipa, Jennifer"s friend. I had been told to go and visit her but I was not sure how I was to get to her house. I did not want to be a pain and ask for anyone to drive me there so instead I collected my things together and walked towards the bus stop. Catching a bus while on duty made me feel inferior when the bus stopped outside the shops I went in and picked myself up an Autotrador magazine. It was quite a walk from the shops to Peasant Grove where Philipa lived. I knocked on the door several times only to find she wasn"t in.
I had wasted my time and began to feel stupid and ineffectual. Maybe I had jumped to deep. I contemplated my use in the department as I caught the bus straight home. I didn"t want to go back to the station. Humiliation. Even though nobody would have even release my mistake I didn"t want to instead I brainstormed the investigation in bed. I thought about everybody and everything connected to the murder. It was only 9 O"clock when I felt I needed to go and see the parents again so I got dressed and caught a taxi over to their pub. I believed they were the only people in the enquiry that I could not write an A-4 page on.
What I had attempted to do in bed. While I waited for the taxi I sent a text message over to Will, back up. Not that I need it tonight but maybe in the morning if I have to explain why I was there I can say I asked or told Will. In the drive over there I wondered what I was going to say. Would they even be working? I can"t exactly say what I was doing there. "Hi. I don"t know much about you and in my training they made it a rule to be able to write at least an A-4 page on everybody connected in the crime. " How could I ask them everything I wanted to know? As the taxi pulled up outside the pub I drifted towards the door.
Not sure whether I had made the right decision coming here. Then Will"s car screeched around the wet bend that lead into the car park and I took a sigh of relief. As he got out the car I wished I had wore the red top. He looked different, relaxed. He ran over to me and put his arm out and I linked it as he walked into the pub. He seated me and bought us over some drinks. I did not recognise anyone behind the bar. So instead I asked Gerry about him and listen to all his funny stories about how he got in the force. I went over to get in the last round of drinks before we mutually called it a night.
I ordered the drinks from a pretty young lady behind the bar. She served me, she noticed I had come to the bar and rushed over to take my order, before she did she lean over the bar. “Your a police officer. I wanted to speak to you. ” The young lady"s words were soft and weak although I had seen her through the night. She was not timid. Her words were though when she spoke to me. “Would you like to me speak to me now? ” I tried to get my tone to match hers with out sounding patronising. “Not now. ” She moved head to acknowledge the bar being packed. “Maybe tomorrow. No. No, Sunday I"m working by myself.
About nine? ” “Of course. Here at nine? In the morning? ” I confirmed. I took the drinks back to the seats and began to discuss the case with Will. He agreed that there was a piece missing when it came to Jennifer"s home life. Though it was not on the top of the list. Finding out where her boyfriend was higher. “I"m not looking forward to arranging all these interviews tomorrow. The building company sent me a list of employees that worked on building the house. I haven" t even had a chance to have look at it though. Most of them are still working with the company. They have been really helpful.
Usually you have to go through a long process "employee confidentiality. "” He quoted. “Time is getting the better of us. ” Will rubbed him head over his face. Stress sighs emerge through his tired eyes. He took a deep breath and long huff. I had agreed to help Will with the interviews. I arrived early no sigh of Will I sat at his desk looking for the employee list. I found it under his crisps. I scanned down the lit and picked up the receiver, to ring the first employee. I asked Bill Reeds to come down to the station at 10"O Clock today and continued down the list just given fifteen minutes between each person.
This gave them enough time for a chat and to write a statement. I got mid-way down the list to find Simon Gails on it. Could not believe it how could this have been missed? I grabbed the phone and dialled Will"s mobile number only to hear it ring outside the door. “I think I"ve fond our break. ” I charged towards Will. “Simon Gails, he worked on the house. ” “Yes! ” “Lets get to his place now. ” I grabbed my bag and the piece of greasy paper with the address on. We banged aggressively on the door of 6a Bleffing House. Only to find a half dressed young lady open the door. “What. Her common voice echoed around her the bare floored flat. We showed our warrant cards and she perked up a bit. She then explained she moved into the flat three months ago. We left and headed back to the station. “What now? ” Will asked. “Well the interviews are starting in thirty minutes. We need to know if he still works at the company and if he does someone must have his address or a contact number. Lets put a warrant out for his arrest and ring Gerry. We are going to need help with these interviews. ” We got back to the office and Shelly and Tom offered to help with the interviews.
I arranged the rest, missing only three including Simon Gails. Five interviews past all inconclusive. Simon still worked for the company in fact he had received "Best Bricky" award this month. Yet no one had the lad’s number! No one knew his girlfriend had died two years ago. Gerry and I took an interview. The guy was a complete druggy and waste of time he could not remember last night let alone a one specific house he built two years ago. Shelly interrupted and took Gerry outside. He come back in and whispered that they had a mobile number for Simon. He left and I carried on writing up the statement.
I was then left to do the last three interviews as everyone else has disappeared still non were very conclusive. As I showed the last employee out I watched Will open the door for a young man to get out, Simon Gails. I went up to the CID department to be told they are taken his DNA sample now which they will analysis this afternoon, on a Saturday! Gerry had apparently been on the phone about it! I decided that I would go and try and find out some more about Jennifer"s parents to help me fill out my A-4 page. Before I had even stepped foot into the dim lighted computer room I got a helper.
P. C Francis Felden offered his afternoon to me. Even though he wasn"t working. He was complete genius on computers and in no time at all my A-4 paper on Susan Marie Carter was complete. I couldn"t get any background on Tony Carter though. Will rang me for a briefing. I went to leave. “Faye. ” Francis called behind me. I was in a complete daze and hadn"t said good-bye let alone thank you to the helpful P. C. “Sorry Francis. I was in a world of my own. Thank you for your help. Its shame it wasn"t as easy to access Mr Carters records as it was his wives. ” “Don"t worry.
I will stay here and enquire why that isn"t coming up. I will tell you the outcome tomorrow O. K? ” “That would be great! ” I left Francis in the corridor and hurried towards CID. Shelly updated me in her upper class accent. “Gerry has sent the DNA results over by courier about two hours ago. They received them and are looking at them now. Simon Gails has been interview there on a break now. Gerry is in his office on the phone, I guess to forensics. ” Through Gerry’s blind I saw him assertively put the receiver down. “No luck? ” I entered. “He is crying in there he seems genuine but its all to much of a coincident.
His girlfriend goes to meet him and two years later turns up on a house he bricked. He denies meeting her. I can"t go to hard on him as he wont take a brief and he could use that if it goes to court! ” Gerry was fuming, pacing the office. “Forensics are taking their sodding time. It has to be him! ” Gerry took in a deep breath. The phone rang. “Yep! ” He bellowed rudely down the phone. “I just rang your department. O. K. ” He seemed to be being calmed on the phone. Then face reddened and his eyes widened he shook his head indicating that it wasn"t his DNA. The phone was brief. I"ll bail him. ” Gerry told me as he headed for the door. I felt stupid knocking on the pub door at such an early hour on Sunday morning. After a few knocks I wondered if I was going to get a repeat performance of Friday afternoon. My eyes were heavy and my patience were straining. I turned to leave as the door open and the young lady from Friday ushered me in. “I"m sorry. I was cleaning upstairs. Would you like a drink? ” Her voice seemed less timid yet nervous. I stared around hoping she meant tea. The pub was spotless and the young lady that stood in front of me seemed exhausted.
She took me upstairs which I was familiar with and presented me with tea. “I don"t think Susan, Mrs Carter, that"s Jennifer"s mum would mind if I brought you up here. They wont be back for a few hours but if they do can you not tell them I brought you here. I feel like I"m betraying them. ” I didn"t understand how she could be betraying them she wanted to help find their daughters murder. I did not want to stop her trail of thought. “They have been really good to me. They gave me a job as a cleaner until I was old enough to work behind the bar. Tony trained me everything.
Every Thursday he would teach me. ” “Did you know Jennifer? ” I asked, as I didn"t even know her name. “Yes we were really close I went to school with her. We were best friends. ” This was Philipa, the girl who I travelled across town to see yesterday. “Philipa, right. ” She smiled. “Philipa can you tell about Jennifer"s life. Her life at school, home, her boyfriend, she used to make herself sick didn"t she? ” “Yer. She told me. I think she wanted attention. If only I had given her some maybe she could have told me more. ” “About Simon? ” “About everything. Simon wasn"t the bad one you know.
I bet Tony has been telling you that he let her a stray. He used to tell that to anyone that would listen. Jenny would have killed herself if it hadn"t been for Simon. He was her key she used to say that. She never explained anymore but I guess it was because he was strong and that they used to plan escaping. They were so in love. He change her, he made strong she stopped taking shit. People at school stopped bullying her they released she was no longer weak and vulnerable. ” “Why did she need a key? ” “This place. ” Philipa said aggressively she looked around. “She hated it. Things were never right since they split up.
They got back together and Jenny and her Dad were the unbreakable bond. Her Mum, she just drifted apart from them. Then when Jenny and Simon got together. Her Dad went off the rails. He threatened Simon and everything. Jenny from then on hated her Dad. They never made it up that"s why he does weird stuff sometimes. ” “What do you mean weird stuff? ” A pause was held broken by Philipa. “Its not his fault. He needs counselling. He won’t take it though. He had it as a child he says they make the problem worse. ” “So what is this weird stuff then Philipa? ” “Like I say it’s not his fault. This one time, he was teaching me to work the bar.
It was really cold so he took me upstairs. He made me a warm drink, but it was still really cold. So he got me a jumper. It was Jennifer"s jumper. I couldn"t put it on but he said "she wouldn"t have minded. " I said it didn"t feel right. He said it would make him happy. I still didn"t want to put it on and he said don"t I want him to be happy. So I put in on. I felt stupid. I did know what to do or look so I busied myself and I washed my cup from the tea. I could feel him staring at me. He turned me around and he, He kissed me and forced his body against mine. When he did I think.
I think. ” Philipa looked so innocent and scared when she spoke. She looked freighted to speak. “I think he was aroused. ” I moved over next to her. She cried and a tear fell on to my high cheekbones. I couldn"t believe what she was telling me. She carried on explaining how she quit and she looked for other jobs. No one would employee her though because she couldn"t work some days because she was seventeen with a six month baby girl. She had to work with him again I walked back to the office from the pub. It took over an hour but it gave me time to put the case and its facts into perspective.
I wondered whether Tony had found Philipa attractive or if in fact he found a piece of his daughter in her. I mostly felt sorry that Philipa that she had to work with him everyday. Philipa must have had a genuine hope that she best friend was going to return one day or she surely wouldn"t have been able to work for Jennifer"s parents. I entered through the security and walked through the station. Francis, the computer whiz that had helped me met me in the main corridor. He seemed eager to see me, anxiously he told me about his extra research into Tony"s profile. The reason why you and I could not find any information on him, Tony, was not down to your lack of ICT skills. ” He spoke quickly and led me from the hustle of the station into a quiet briefing room. “Tony was adopted. He was adopted when he was 14 years old. He changed his name when he turned 20. His mother died when he was 9 and then he was taken into care. He had four different foster carers over the 4 years he was in care. He left school at sixteen as an apprentice for a local building firm. Then he changed his name from Tony Larks to Tony Carter. ” “Why change his name did he have a criminal conviction? Debts?
Why would you change your name? ” I enquired. “Only Tony could tell you that but I have theory. Tony was in care so it was very doubtful that he would be able to get into huge debt. The foster care report indicates no sign of drugs. He had no criminal charges on his record. My guess was that it was an escape. When Tony changed his name he also left Bristol for London. He left everything, the few friends he had cutting off all his roots. I believe that Tony wanted to leave his life as Larks behind and start new as Carter. It wasn"t his personality he was leaving behind Tony came with him just his father name. “How can you be so sure? ” “Tony was place into care as his father abused him from the age of 9 until 14years old. The foster care report tells us that Tony could not sleep. They took him to counselling for four years but he still had to have pills to help him sleep. He could not cope with the fact that what is father had done to him was wrong. ” I couldn"t believe what I was hearing. I took the report Francis had in his hand and he followed me as I rushed to CID. I went into the DI office. “Its Tony. It’s got something to do with him. I"m sure off it. ” I ranted. “Tony! ” He exclaimed as if in disbelief. Tony is her father. ” “Tony is her father that abused her. He abused her every Thursday night because he was abused. It was regular abuse. It has to me his DNA. His sperm that we found on her. ” I was still ranting. Speaking instantly thoughts that came into my mind. “The night she was killed. ” I remembered. “The night she was killed was a Thursday. I want to bring him in for questioning, now! ” The DI grabbed his car keys and we rushed towards the door leaving Francis at the station. We arrived at the pub and as briefed I said nothing as the D. I brought him in for a few questions. His wife thought it was routine.
He got into the car and I said nothing. Nothing, as he told as the difficult, demanding time him and his wife were going through. Nothing, as he told as about Jennifer being his only child. Daddy’s little angel. I was so wound up the D. I sent me for tea as he cautioned Tony Carter and explained that he wanted him to take part in a DNA test. It was on hour later when the DI got me from my desk to ask me to join him in the interview room. I was ready for this. I walked in to find Tony sitting there alone with no solicitor. Tony tried to protest his innocents. “Do you not remember that it is my child that has been murdered? ” He shouted. Why are you wasting your time? ” The DI was cool and collective when he spoke. “I do not think we are wasting are time Mr Carter. We want to find out facts. So why don"t you start giving us some. We can begin with the night she left. A Thursday night, correct? ” “Yes it was a Thursday. She was off to met him, Simon” He spoke his name in disgust, muttering under his breath bitterly. “Its him you should be speaking to. ” “We have spoken to Mr Gails, thank you. What happened that night? ” The DI tone was strong but sarcastic. “Susan went out as she always does on a Thursday. Jennifer wanted to go and meet Simon I said no.
I told her I had seen him with another women. Which I had the day before. She got upset and went to confront him. She left around eight. That was the last time I ever saw her. ” He fell quiet. I began to get angry thinking about when I had first met Tony. I felt sorry for him as I comforted him on the loss of his daughter. The daughter I knew he had killed. “Was Thursday"s yours and Jennifer’s night? ” I began. “Yes. I should off made her stay in. ” “What did you do on your Thursdays? ” I asked knowing the answer. “Nothing really. I hired a movie we watched it. Then she went to bed before Susan returned at midnight. “Where did you hire your films from? ” I asked. “What sort off question is that? ” “Where did you hire them from? ” He hesitated. “Erm. Blockbusters in the town centre. ” “When did you get them? Who choose them? Did you go together? What was her favourite film? Did she prefer sweet or salted popcorn? ” I throw the questions at him increasing in pace and volume. He broke my questioning. “What are these questions? Why are you asking them? ” He was wound up. “I"m asking them because I don"t believe you. I don"t believe that you have a blockbusters card let alone have hired weekly films.
I think every Thursday you raped your daughter. ” “I never raped her. ” “Every Thursday you had sex with your child. What happened when Susan left? You hated for it didn"t you? ” “I was angry, yer. ” “Was Jennifer angry? Is that how your bond started? Mr Larks? ” His face changed expression he halted his words and remembered his past. “Jennifer and I were different. ” “Different from what? Different from you your father. ” “He abused me. ” “What did you do to Jennifer didn"t you abuse her? What was so different from Jennifer to you as a child. ” “She loved me. Until. He left his words unfinished. “Until who? Until Simon. Until Simon told her that fathers that love there daughter do not rape them. ” Simon rose from his seat and roared. “I cared for her. He didn"t. He wasn"t going to take my little girl away from me. No one was. Ever! ” “Someone had to take her. You knew that one day she wasn"t going to be little anymore she was going to make her own mind up and leave. That was Thursday 11th May. Two years ago when she said "no". She didn"t want you anymore she"d had enough and she wasn"t going to let you rape her anymore.
She struggled that night. You killed her. ” “She was going to tell Susan. I couldn"t lose everyone. Not again. ” Silence fell on the room as the pacing atmosphere ceased. “Tony Carter you raped and killed your daughter Jennifer Carter on the night of 11th May 2001. ” His head fell and he began to cry. Forensic teams immediately went into the Oak Tree pub and tested every square inch. Jennifer was killed with a mallard in the pub cellar and then moved my vehicle believed to be a hire van, that the landlords hired regularly and had hired that week.
She was then moved to a house that Simon Gails was working on. Using his knowledge gained from his apprentice as child Tony bricked his daughter into the wall of 12 Mount Way and left her there. Tony was denied bail and moved to Gateshead prison awaiting his trial. “Jennifer. ” The D. I called me back into the station. “Sorry. I was just about to go home. ” I locked my car and entered back in his office. “Early this morning Tony Carter was found dead in his cell. He had taken an overdose on sleeping tablets. Leaving a note "The only way I could sleep. "”
