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be able to persuade you to reconsider.” She gazed at him from under her eyelashes then flicked her hair as she left, leaving him irritatingly wanting more.
“I didn’t know you were calling,” Wednesday said, interrupting his trance.
“I was driving near when the call came in about another body in the woods. I thought I’d save time and pick you up.”
They jumped into his car and sped towards the crime scene. Scarlett occupied their minds in different ways, but neither brought her up for discussion.
He parked on the edge of the woodland where they saw flickering flashes of blue lights through the array of established and sapling trees.
Beneath their feet, a thick covering of autumnal leaves stuck to their boots with the morning dew. The air smelt musty, like an attic in an old house, and once again, Wednesday could sense the grim odour of death cloying the atmosphere.
Drawing nearer to the scene, they saw a young male officer bend over next to a rotund tree trunk and vomit onto an earthy mound. His pallid face turned towards them as they approached; his watery eyes full of revulsion and horror.
Edmond Carter and Marcus Drake were already at work on the grim task. Within seconds, Wednesday’s and Lennox’s eyes were drawn to the wretched scene before them.
Hanging from a solid gnarly tree branch was the semi-naked body of a teenage girl; her body a mass of cuts and bruises in what looked like whip- and baton-like markings. A deep gash had been sliced across her abdomen so some of her intestines were hanging out like Christmas garlands. Her mouth was bulging, clearly stuffed with something then sealed with black masking tape. Her protruding eyes screeched a silent scream of terror.
They stepped onto the plastic stepping-stones to preserve the scene. A harrowing look was etched on Edmond’s grey face as he turned towards them.
“Nasty one, this,” he said as he took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his brow and the top of his bald head. “With luck forensics may get prints from the black tape.”
“Do we know who she is?” asked Wednesday, trying not to let the feeling of nausea take over her body.
“The dog walker who found her recognises her as Claudia Edwards. Poor girl attended the same school as her granddaughter; Markham Hall. Apparently her parents are in London for a couple of days, we’re trying to locate them through the Met.”
Wednesday could see the dog walker talking to a constable just beyond the cordon. She wore a green Barbour wax jacket and matching hat, from under which her grey hair sprouted out erratically. Her rich black Labrador lay at her side with its chin on her muddy boots. She had a ruddy complexion, watery pale blue eyes, and looked in her early sixties. As the detectives approached, the constable took a step back.
“This is Mrs Rhodes who discovered the body.”
Wednesday nodded and introduced herself and Lennox. “We understand you recognise the girl.”
“Yes, from functions at the school. She was on speaking terms with my granddaughter. I wouldn’t class them as close friends. I remember she always wore her school kilt rather too short. But you know the girls of today.”
The woman’s face had a frozen look of abhorrence etched on it as she answered the questions. She swayed from side to side and held her finger under her nose in an effort to filter out the stench.
“Do her parents go away often?” continued Wednesday.
“Yes, it’s common knowledge. I believe they go to London for a long weekend about once a month.” She shrugged her shoulders, until she caught sight of the pendulum body to the left of her once more, making her face turn ashen.
No matter how short her kilt was, she didn’t deserve this, Wednesday thought to herself.
“Please leave your contact details with the officer as we may need to speak with you again,” she said as she gently directed the woman further away from the scene.
“The common denominator appears to be the school, doesn’t