'And?'
'And I've just been informed that your wife's fingerprints
were recovered from the handle.'
8
Bolt knew that neither he nor Mo was welcome at the Jack Calley crime scene. DCI Lambden made an effort to be polite after
all, there were some tenuofls links between the NCS case
;and his own, so he had to at least accept the presence of two
men from that investigation - but it was obvious to all concerned
that it was, indeed, an effort. Lambden didn't see where the
"torture angle fitted in either and was initially dismissive of it as a
iact«r in the murder of Jack Calley. 'We don't know that it's got
T
anything to do with anything,' he said carefully. 'It might be that
he burned himself by mistake. It's too early to jump to any
conclusions.'
In Bolt's mind, there were two reasons for Lambden's
reticence. One, the DCI was a bit of a plodder and had been
caught out by the violence of this case. The second was professional
rivalry. Bolt, this NCS big boy, had waltzed in, been on
the scene for five minutes, and had made a potentially major
discovery. And like most people, Lambden didn't like it.
Fair enough. Bolt could see his point. He wouldn't have much
liked it either.
'My guess,' he told Lambden and the other assembled officers,
'is that we'll find evidence in the house that he was tortured. The
marks on his wrists suggest he was tied up recently. The suspects
overpowered him inside the house and then subjected him to
some sort of torture, presumably to get information. He escaped,
they chased him up here, and, because they were unable to
continue the interrogation out in the open, they finished him
off.'
'And if he was tortured, what do you think it has to do with
your case?'
This was a good question, and one that Bolt had been thinking
about ever since he'd got up here. 'Maybe nothing, but we have
to remember he was the solicitor of the Lord Chief Justice, who
committed suicide in unusual circumstances less than forty-eight
hours ago. Now, suddenly, he's been killed by at least two men
and it looks like a professional job. This wasn't a robbery, we
can be sure of that, and it's very unlikely to be a case of
mistaken identity. The killers spent time with this man; they
knew who he was. Which means he was targeted specifically. It
may well be he's got lots of enemies, I don't know. Like you, I
know nothing about him, but I don't like the timing, coming so
close after our man's topped himself.'
Lambden didn't say anything for a moment, then nodded
slowly. 'We're going to be checking Calley's background and
movements very thoroughly, and obviously we'll let you know
our findings if there's any relevance to your own investigation.'
He turned to one of the other overalled officers. 'Do you want
to empty his pockets, Bill? Put everything in an evidence bag.'
Bill, an older detective with a bushy moustache, did as instructed
while Lambden turned back to Bolt. 'Is there anything else you
need to see?' he asked.
'We'd like to take a look in the house if we can.'
The DCI didn't look too pleased at this, but knew better than
to make a fuss. 'Of course, but please don't get in the way of my
men down there.'
Bolt didn't rise to the bait. 'We'll be on our best behaviour,'
he said.
As he turned to head back to the house, he saw Mo watching
Bill intently as he emptied the front pockets of Jack Calley's
jeans. Bill removed a credit card wallet, a set of keys, a crumpled
ten-pound note and some loose change.
'Did you find a mobile near the body, sir?' Mo asked
Lambden.
The DCI shook his head. 'There wasn't one here. If it's not in
his pockets, I'm sure it'll be back at the house.'
'It'll be very useful to find out who he's been calling these past
few days,' said Mo, with as much as diplomacy as he could
muster, 'and who's been calling him.'
'We'll be dealing with that in due course.' I Once the two NCS men were on the way back to the house,
Mo gave a concise description of DCI Keith Lambden. 'The guy
has no vision,' he said. And then,
'And I've just been informed that your wife's fingerprints
were recovered from the handle.'
8
Bolt knew that neither he nor Mo was welcome at the Jack Calley crime scene. DCI Lambden made an effort to be polite after
all, there were some tenuofls links between the NCS case
;and his own, so he had to at least accept the presence of two
men from that investigation - but it was obvious to all concerned
that it was, indeed, an effort. Lambden didn't see where the
"torture angle fitted in either and was initially dismissive of it as a
iact«r in the murder of Jack Calley. 'We don't know that it's got
T
anything to do with anything,' he said carefully. 'It might be that
he burned himself by mistake. It's too early to jump to any
conclusions.'
In Bolt's mind, there were two reasons for Lambden's
reticence. One, the DCI was a bit of a plodder and had been
caught out by the violence of this case. The second was professional
rivalry. Bolt, this NCS big boy, had waltzed in, been on
the scene for five minutes, and had made a potentially major
discovery. And like most people, Lambden didn't like it.
Fair enough. Bolt could see his point. He wouldn't have much
liked it either.
'My guess,' he told Lambden and the other assembled officers,
'is that we'll find evidence in the house that he was tortured. The
marks on his wrists suggest he was tied up recently. The suspects
overpowered him inside the house and then subjected him to
some sort of torture, presumably to get information. He escaped,
they chased him up here, and, because they were unable to
continue the interrogation out in the open, they finished him
off.'
'And if he was tortured, what do you think it has to do with
your case?'
This was a good question, and one that Bolt had been thinking
about ever since he'd got up here. 'Maybe nothing, but we have
to remember he was the solicitor of the Lord Chief Justice, who
committed suicide in unusual circumstances less than forty-eight
hours ago. Now, suddenly, he's been killed by at least two men
and it looks like a professional job. This wasn't a robbery, we
can be sure of that, and it's very unlikely to be a case of
mistaken identity. The killers spent time with this man; they
knew who he was. Which means he was targeted specifically. It
may well be he's got lots of enemies, I don't know. Like you, I
know nothing about him, but I don't like the timing, coming so
close after our man's topped himself.'
Lambden didn't say anything for a moment, then nodded
slowly. 'We're going to be checking Calley's background and
movements very thoroughly, and obviously we'll let you know
our findings if there's any relevance to your own investigation.'
He turned to one of the other overalled officers. 'Do you want
to empty his pockets, Bill? Put everything in an evidence bag.'
Bill, an older detective with a bushy moustache, did as instructed
while Lambden turned back to Bolt. 'Is there anything else you
need to see?' he asked.
'We'd like to take a look in the house if we can.'
The DCI didn't look too pleased at this, but knew better than
to make a fuss. 'Of course, but please don't get in the way of my
men down there.'
Bolt didn't rise to the bait. 'We'll be on our best behaviour,'
he said.
As he turned to head back to the house, he saw Mo watching
Bill intently as he emptied the front pockets of Jack Calley's
jeans. Bill removed a credit card wallet, a set of keys, a crumpled
ten-pound note and some loose change.
'Did you find a mobile near the body, sir?' Mo asked
Lambden.
The DCI shook his head. 'There wasn't one here. If it's not in
his pockets, I'm sure it'll be back at the house.'
'It'll be very useful to find out who he's been calling these past
few days,' said Mo, with as much as diplomacy as he could
muster, 'and who's been calling him.'
'We'll be dealing with that in due course.' I Once the two NCS men were on the way back to the house,
Mo gave a concise description of DCI Keith Lambden. 'The guy
has no vision,' he said. And then,
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