Read Online Missing Believed Dead by Chris Longmuir - Free Book Online

enough and he stood on her toe.
    ‘Sorry,’ he said, ‘didn’t see you.’ He pushed back the hood on his white paper suit to reveal a bald coffee-coloured head.
    ‘I hope you were careful not to contaminate the crime scene when you were in there,’ the SOCO said without looking up.
    ‘Of course, I was careful,’ the man replied testily. ‘But it’s just as important to ensure the victim’s dead as it is to gather evidence.’
    The SOCO laughed. ‘I could have saved you the trouble and done your job for you, because I never saw anyone more dead than the guy in there.’
    Kate’s toe throbbed and her annoyance at being ignored showed in her sharp tone when she said, ‘Just when you’re finished.’
    The man glowered at the SOCO, and turned to Kate. ‘I’m Doctor Malik, and you are?’
    ‘Detective Inspector Rawlings.’ Kate held her ID up. ‘What do you have for me?’
    He wrenched the front of the paper suit open and shrugged one arm out of it before he answered her. ‘Well he’s certainly dead, but we won’t know what he died of until after the autopsy. There’s a syringe stuck in his arm though, I suppose it could be an overdose.’
    ‘Accidental?’
    ‘I doubt it, considering he’s tied to the floor of the van. Oh, and something’s been pushed into his eyes. I doubt he would have done that himself.’
    ‘His eyes?’ She moved towards the open doors.
    The SOCO put a hand on her arm. ‘You’ll have to wait until the crime scene’s been processed.’
    Kate shook the hand off and turned back to the doctor. ‘What’s in his eyes?’
    ‘How do I know? I’m not doing the autopsy I’m only confirming death.’
    Kate clenched her hands so hard her fingernails dug into the palms. ‘What about time of death?’
    Malik laughed. ‘Impossible to say with any certainty, but the autopsy might be able to pin it down.’
    ‘Would you care to hazard a guess?’ The ice in her tone was wasted on him.
    ‘Not really.’ He turned his back on her and started to peel off the paper suit. ‘But I think you’re looking at days rather than hours.’
    * * * *
     
    Bill snorted with disgust. ‘For fuck’s sake. What am I supposed to do with the blasted car if you won’t let me drive up to the next level?’
    ‘Sorry, sir. I have my instructions.’
    Bill turned off the ignition. ‘Well, I’m leaving it right here and if it’s in the way that’s too bad.’
    He got out of the car, slammed the door, and strode up the ramp. His bad mood did not improve when he spotted the new DI talking to Doc Malik at the back of a van. He groaned inwardly. Why did it have to be her? Why couldn’t it have been Sue?
    ‘You’ve arrived,’ she said.
    Bill did not have to hear her say, ‘At last,’ but he was damned sure that was what she was thinking.
    ‘Sorry, ma’am, I was in the middle of an interview when the call came.’
    ‘Well, now you’re here, you can get the CCTV tapes for the past week. As soon as I’m finished here I’m going to talk to the boys.’
    ‘Wouldn’t it be better to wait until they have a parent or responsible adult present?’
    Kate made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. ‘I’m perfectly aware of procedures,’ she said, ‘besides, if I’m not mistaken the officer from the Child and Family Support Unit has arrived.’
    Bill glanced over to the boys. His heart did a back-flip when he saw Louise. He had thought she was still off on sick leave after her experience in Templeton Woods in January.
    ‘Yes, ma’am. That’s WPC Walker. She worked with CID on our last big murder case,’ he said.
    Resisting the urge to go over and talk to Louise, he turned back to look at Kate who had said something to the doctor while he was slipping off his plastic overshoes.
    ‘That’s it,’ Malik said, straightening up. ‘I’ll arrange for the body to be taken to the mortuary, and once the autopsy’s been completed there should be more information about time and cause of