Read Online Absolution - The First Book Of The Vampire Immortalis Trilogy by Elizabeth Mitchell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Mitchell
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murder in Melrose really shook the inhabitants of the town. It also increased press interest ten-fold. Precious parking spaces on the High Street, Buccleuch Street, and Abbey Street, were now permanently occupied by television news vans with satellite dishes on their roofs. There was also a very visible police presence on the streets, particularly in and around the town centre, something that was practically unheard of in the small Borders town.
DCI Buchan now had a clearer picture of the murder of Steven Baker, the backpacker from New Zealand. Enquiries in the town revealed that he had been seen drinking in both Burt’s Hotel and The Ship Inn on Friday evening. Bar staff in both pubs remembered serving him. The two young women he was seen with had left Melrose on Saturday to travel north to Inverness, but came forward after seeing a television news report about the murder. They had told CID officers from the Central Division of the Northern Constabulary that the last time they saw Steven Baker was when he went into the trees to urinate. That was around 11.30pm on the Friday night. All of the evidence, forensics included, pointed to him dying around that time. DNA samples had been taken from the two women, but they had been ruled out as suspects.
What worried Buchan most was that the two murders were linked. Both victims had identical puncture wounds to the neck consistent with bite marks. The police made no mention of this to the media, saying only that they weren't ruling out that both murders were in someway connected. The last thing Buchan wanted was the red top newspapers filling front pages and column inches with lurid tales of a vampire serial killer on the loose in Melrose.
“Okay, boys and girls, settle down,” Buchan said to the detectives gathered in the incident room at Melrose Police Station. “Jane, if you could bring us up to speed with what's been happening.”
“Yes, sir,” said Jane Carver as she looked over the paperwork in front of her. “Two victims, both male, both murdered at night. Cause of death in both cases, exsanguination.”
“Exsanguination?” muttered one or two of the officers present.
“Loss of blood,” explained Jane. “Both victims had puncture wounds to the neck . . .”
“What sort of puncture wounds?” asked Detective Sergeant Joe Grant. The room erupted in laughter when Joe's grin revealed that he was wearing joke plastic vampire teeth with bloodied fangs.
The only person not laughing was Buchan. “For Christ's sake, Grant. This is a double murder investigation, not a children's Halloween party.”
“Sorry, sir,” said Joe, quickly removing the teeth. “Gallows humour.”
“Aye, well, I don't suppose Jim Scott's family would appreciate your efforts at stand-up. I don't want any more nonsense like that from anyone, is that clear? Please continue, Jane.”
“DNA found on both bodies points to their being one suspect, but that doesn't explain how someone the size of Jim Scott was strung up from rugby posts. There's no match at the National DNA Database and we're still waiting to hear back from Interpol.
“No further updates on Steven Baker beyond what we already know. His time of death is between 11.30pm and midnight on Friday the 8th of October. Uniforms will be visiting both the Ship Inn and Burt's Hotel this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to ask regulars if they remember anything that might be pertinent to our investigations.
“Jim Scott's death becomes more interesting by the day. He left Monte Cassino with friends shortly after 10.40pm on Saturday the 9th of October. CCTV has him walking alone down the High Street at 10.46pm and there's no suggestion of him being followed. He is presumed to have been walking in the direction of High Cross Avenue and his home in Darnick.
“It has also now been confirmed that the blood found at the public toilets in Abbey Street is that of Jim Scott. He must have taken quite a beating in one of the cubicles because his
DCI Buchan now had a clearer picture of the murder of Steven Baker, the backpacker from New Zealand. Enquiries in the town revealed that he had been seen drinking in both Burt’s Hotel and The Ship Inn on Friday evening. Bar staff in both pubs remembered serving him. The two young women he was seen with had left Melrose on Saturday to travel north to Inverness, but came forward after seeing a television news report about the murder. They had told CID officers from the Central Division of the Northern Constabulary that the last time they saw Steven Baker was when he went into the trees to urinate. That was around 11.30pm on the Friday night. All of the evidence, forensics included, pointed to him dying around that time. DNA samples had been taken from the two women, but they had been ruled out as suspects.
What worried Buchan most was that the two murders were linked. Both victims had identical puncture wounds to the neck consistent with bite marks. The police made no mention of this to the media, saying only that they weren't ruling out that both murders were in someway connected. The last thing Buchan wanted was the red top newspapers filling front pages and column inches with lurid tales of a vampire serial killer on the loose in Melrose.
“Okay, boys and girls, settle down,” Buchan said to the detectives gathered in the incident room at Melrose Police Station. “Jane, if you could bring us up to speed with what's been happening.”
“Yes, sir,” said Jane Carver as she looked over the paperwork in front of her. “Two victims, both male, both murdered at night. Cause of death in both cases, exsanguination.”
“Exsanguination?” muttered one or two of the officers present.
“Loss of blood,” explained Jane. “Both victims had puncture wounds to the neck . . .”
“What sort of puncture wounds?” asked Detective Sergeant Joe Grant. The room erupted in laughter when Joe's grin revealed that he was wearing joke plastic vampire teeth with bloodied fangs.
The only person not laughing was Buchan. “For Christ's sake, Grant. This is a double murder investigation, not a children's Halloween party.”
“Sorry, sir,” said Joe, quickly removing the teeth. “Gallows humour.”
“Aye, well, I don't suppose Jim Scott's family would appreciate your efforts at stand-up. I don't want any more nonsense like that from anyone, is that clear? Please continue, Jane.”
“DNA found on both bodies points to their being one suspect, but that doesn't explain how someone the size of Jim Scott was strung up from rugby posts. There's no match at the National DNA Database and we're still waiting to hear back from Interpol.
“No further updates on Steven Baker beyond what we already know. His time of death is between 11.30pm and midnight on Friday the 8th of October. Uniforms will be visiting both the Ship Inn and Burt's Hotel this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to ask regulars if they remember anything that might be pertinent to our investigations.
“Jim Scott's death becomes more interesting by the day. He left Monte Cassino with friends shortly after 10.40pm on Saturday the 9th of October. CCTV has him walking alone down the High Street at 10.46pm and there's no suggestion of him being followed. He is presumed to have been walking in the direction of High Cross Avenue and his home in Darnick.
“It has also now been confirmed that the blood found at the public toilets in Abbey Street is that of Jim Scott. He must have taken quite a beating in one of the cubicles because his
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