Read Online The Operator (Bruce and Bennett Crime Thriller 2) by Valerie Laws - Free Book Online
Authors: Valerie Laws
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That stuff I found out about his assets, he’s pretty well off. The
proceeds of not just one but two expensive houses, let alone other dosh.’
‘Yes the sale of his old mum’s house certainly
fattened his bank balance. Not much progress on that motive-wise though.
Because she’s started divorce proceedings, her solicitor was already on the
case. Wouldn’t let her answer anything much just yet. Clearly trying to find
out if we did have anything on her client. So we couldn’t even find out why
Tessa left Kingston, if indeed she did - he could have chucked her out for all
we know. Hard to work out her feelings about him. She just hid her eyes in a
tissue and said nothing.’ Will’s hair was vertical with frustration.
‘So I hear. Sally mentioned when she came out to
get coffee that things weren’t going so well. So I had a quick skim through the
neighbours’ statements the house to house crew collected, in case any of them
knew the grisly details of the split.’
‘Great, Hassan! You’re a star! And?’ He started
flattening his black hair again.
‘Nowt.’
‘Shit!’
‘Sorry. Everyone who mentioned her at all said
they’d seemed happy enough and then she just wasn’t there, they weren’t even
sure when she moved out. It was only sixteen days ago as far as I can tell but
that’s from her and her brief. Kingston was very private about his private life.
Some neighbours thought she’d had some kind of illness or breakdown and had
gone off for a cure.’
‘Hm, maybe rehab? Expensive addiction?’
‘Surely she can’t keep fending us off. Did you get
fingerprints? For ‘elimination purposes’?’
‘Yes we did get those. Not DNA though. And the
solicitor grabbed Tessa’s coffee cup before we could get any off that. Smart
woman. She and Tessa are obviously close, very different types but blood’s even
thicker than legal ethics.’
‘Blood?’
‘Oh yes I’ve kept the best till last for you mate.
They’re only bloody sisters! Tessa and Tara. Sounds like a burlesque act. She’s
staying with Tara at the mo, so there’s no chance of getting her alone.’
‘Wonder why this Tara’s so keen to keep Tessa from
saying anything about the split? I wonder if Tara’s sure she’s innocent, or
knows she’s guilty, or is worried she might have done it.’
‘If we had some actual evidence stronger than
tired old Golden Boy’s tired old theorising... Tara was at pains to point out
that Kingston changed the locks after Tessa did a runner. She doesn’t have a
key, allegedly. In other words she couldn’t have let herself in.’
‘Even if we find traces of her in the house, it’s
going to be hard to prove anything. She did live there after all. Traces might
have survived the cleaner’s efforts.’
‘She admitted to going back after the split a few
times, to pick up stuff. And get this, Tara and Tessa gave us this much - they
both went round there the afternoon of the night Kingston was killed, to pick
up some family photos and personal jewellery apparently. Tara drove her there,
so they can alibi each other. They saw him, he had to be there to let them in and
no doubt make sure wifey didn’t nick anything of his. Besides, that woman two
doors down saw Kingston alive later than they claim to have left, so it’s not
much use except to muddle up the forensics.’
‘And Johnstone put TOD at 11-3am, most likely towards
the earlier time limit. Anyway I’ll check that out, see if anyone saw Tara’s
car and when it was there. They might have gone later. Or she might have made
it up to explain any of her prints being in the house since cleaning. It’s a
quiet street though, and the houses are well detached from each other,
neighbours not likely to see cars without looking for them.’
‘Great, though I doubt we’ll make much of a hole
in their story. Get forensics to double check for traces of her anywhere
suspicious. But if Tara’s stopping her from committing herself to anything more
right
proceeds of not just one but two expensive houses, let alone other dosh.’
‘Yes the sale of his old mum’s house certainly
fattened his bank balance. Not much progress on that motive-wise though.
Because she’s started divorce proceedings, her solicitor was already on the
case. Wouldn’t let her answer anything much just yet. Clearly trying to find
out if we did have anything on her client. So we couldn’t even find out why
Tessa left Kingston, if indeed she did - he could have chucked her out for all
we know. Hard to work out her feelings about him. She just hid her eyes in a
tissue and said nothing.’ Will’s hair was vertical with frustration.
‘So I hear. Sally mentioned when she came out to
get coffee that things weren’t going so well. So I had a quick skim through the
neighbours’ statements the house to house crew collected, in case any of them
knew the grisly details of the split.’
‘Great, Hassan! You’re a star! And?’ He started
flattening his black hair again.
‘Nowt.’
‘Shit!’
‘Sorry. Everyone who mentioned her at all said
they’d seemed happy enough and then she just wasn’t there, they weren’t even
sure when she moved out. It was only sixteen days ago as far as I can tell but
that’s from her and her brief. Kingston was very private about his private life.
Some neighbours thought she’d had some kind of illness or breakdown and had
gone off for a cure.’
‘Hm, maybe rehab? Expensive addiction?’
‘Surely she can’t keep fending us off. Did you get
fingerprints? For ‘elimination purposes’?’
‘Yes we did get those. Not DNA though. And the
solicitor grabbed Tessa’s coffee cup before we could get any off that. Smart
woman. She and Tessa are obviously close, very different types but blood’s even
thicker than legal ethics.’
‘Blood?’
‘Oh yes I’ve kept the best till last for you mate.
They’re only bloody sisters! Tessa and Tara. Sounds like a burlesque act. She’s
staying with Tara at the mo, so there’s no chance of getting her alone.’
‘Wonder why this Tara’s so keen to keep Tessa from
saying anything about the split? I wonder if Tara’s sure she’s innocent, or
knows she’s guilty, or is worried she might have done it.’
‘If we had some actual evidence stronger than
tired old Golden Boy’s tired old theorising... Tara was at pains to point out
that Kingston changed the locks after Tessa did a runner. She doesn’t have a
key, allegedly. In other words she couldn’t have let herself in.’
‘Even if we find traces of her in the house, it’s
going to be hard to prove anything. She did live there after all. Traces might
have survived the cleaner’s efforts.’
‘She admitted to going back after the split a few
times, to pick up stuff. And get this, Tara and Tessa gave us this much - they
both went round there the afternoon of the night Kingston was killed, to pick
up some family photos and personal jewellery apparently. Tara drove her there,
so they can alibi each other. They saw him, he had to be there to let them in and
no doubt make sure wifey didn’t nick anything of his. Besides, that woman two
doors down saw Kingston alive later than they claim to have left, so it’s not
much use except to muddle up the forensics.’
‘And Johnstone put TOD at 11-3am, most likely towards
the earlier time limit. Anyway I’ll check that out, see if anyone saw Tara’s
car and when it was there. They might have gone later. Or she might have made
it up to explain any of her prints being in the house since cleaning. It’s a
quiet street though, and the houses are well detached from each other,
neighbours not likely to see cars without looking for them.’
‘Great, though I doubt we’ll make much of a hole
in their story. Get forensics to double check for traces of her anywhere
suspicious. But if Tara’s stopping her from committing herself to anything more
right
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