Lorimer and Brightman - 08 - Sleep Like the Dead. By Alex Gray (2 page)

‘Name’s Kenneth Scott. His mate came to collect him for work at seven this morning. Nobody heard anything last night as far as we know,’ he offered, making eye contact with Ramsay to include him in the discussion. This was a team effort and though he was senior investigating officer Lorimer was well aware of the value everyone placed on the scene of crime manager who would coordinate everyone’s part in the case.

‘Lim,’ Rosie murmured, her gloved hands already examining the body. ‘He’s been dead for several hours anyway,’ she said, more to herself than for Lorimer’s benefit.

`Rigor’s just beginning to establish. May have died around two to four this morning.’ Rosie glanced up at the radiator next to the body. ‘I take it that’s been off?’

‘I suppose so,’ Lorimer answered, feeling the cold metal under the layers of surgical gloves. He shrugged. It’s still officially summertime, you know’

‘Could have fooled me,’ Rosie replied darkly, listening to the rain battering down once again on the canvas roof of the tent outside. ‘That’s two whole weeks since July the fifteenth and it’s never let up.’

Lorimer regarded her quizzically.

‘St Swithin’s day,’ she told him. ‘Tradition has it that whatever weather happens that particular day will last for forty days. Or else it’s more of that global warming the doom merchants have been threatening us with,’ she added under her breath.

9

Tut this fellow’s not boon warmed up any, has he?’ Lorimer said. ‘Nothing to change the time of death?’ The pathologist shook her blonde curls under the white hood. ‘No. Normal temperature in here. Wasn’t cold last night either so we can probably assume it happened in the death hours.’ Lorimer nodded silently. Two until four a.m. were regarded as the optimum times for deaths to occur, not only those inflicted by other hands. He had read somewhere that the human spirit seemed to be at its most vulnerable then. And villains seeking to do away with another mortal tended to choose that time as well. They’d find out more after Rosie and her team had performed the actual postmortem and forensic toxicology tests had been carried out. Until then it was part of his own job to find out what he could about the late Kenneth Scott.

‘It’s okay, take your time,’ he told the man sitting on the chair beside him. Paul Crichton was still shivering with shock, a mug of hot sweet tea clasped in his hands. The car had taken them back to police headquarters and Lorimer had insisted on using a family room, not one of the usual interview rooms. Here there were soft furnishings in unthreatening shades of beige and brown; Lorimer had chosen to seat them both in a couple of easy chairs, a low coffee table handy for the tea and biscuits he’d ordered up. Victims came in all sorts of guises; the dead man on the floor back there, his family and friends, this work colleague who’d had the misfortune to find him. He glanced at the young man again. What age was he? Late twenties, perhaps? His dark hair tumbled over his face as he drooped forwards, the call centre lanyard swinging into space. Maybe he wouldn’t find out much about Kenneth Scott at this interview, but it was always worth a try. Despite the horror of finding

their mate lying dead, some people had a strange sort of fascination with the whole scene of crime process. He’d noticed the man’s eyes following Rosie Fergusson as she’d left the house, bag in hand. But whatever questions were on his mind had remained unasked. Now it was the detective who sought information and Lorimer hoped that Crichton was in a fit state to give him the details he wanted to know.

‘How well did you know Mr Scott?’

Crichton licked his lips. ‘We’d been mates ever since he came to the call centre,’ Crichton replied. ‘Turned out he lived not all that far from me so we decided to car share. Cost of petrol,’ he added, attempting a shrug and failing, his shoulders still raised like twin hillocks of tension.

‘What can you tell me about him?’

‘Oh, he was a decent sort of bloke. Lived on his own. No kids. Least not any that I know of,’ Crichton gave a weak grin as though such a mild joke was permitted under the circumstances.

‘Girlfriends?’

Crichton nodded. ‘He had been seeing someone from work. A lassie name of Frances Donnelly. Don’t think it was anything very serious, though. Just the odd drink and that.’

Lorimer made a note of the name. She’d be near the top of his interview list. Women were often better at giving personal details in between tears of grief.

‘It’s obviously a huge shock to you, Mr Crichton,’ Lorimer continued, trying a different tack.

The man nodded his head. ‘Can’t believe it. Ken wasn’t the sort of person you’d expect anyone to harm. I mean…’ he tailed off, as though struggling to find the right words. ‘Don’t want to sound bad. But Ken was a really ordinary sort of bloke. Didn’t do drugs, never really got plastered either. Nice fellow, but . .

‘Not the type to keep dodgy company?’ Lorimer suggested.

‘Exactly,’ Crichton nodded eagerly, ‘Couldn’t say he was a boring sort either, cos he was nice, you know? We talked about the footie on our way to work, mostly. And work itself, I suppose. There was nothing bad about him.’ ‘Did he ever talk about his previous marriage?’ ‘No,’ Crichton shook his head. ‘Subject never really came up. I only knew he’d been married when there was a whip-round for one of our young guys getting hitched. I remember Ken saying he’d tried that once himself.’

Paul Crichton leaned forward, cupping the mug of tea in both hands. ‘It was as if he’d made a big mistake and didn’t want to be involved like that ever again.’ He looked sideways at Lorimer. ‘Know what I mean?’

Lorimer merely smiled. Too many marriages ended unhappily nowadays and he was only grateful that his own had lasted the distance. But it would be worth finding out about the ex and asking questions.

‘How long ago was it that he’d been divorced?’

‘Sorry, haven’t a clue. He was living on his own all the time I knew him. About eighteen months, I suppose since he joined the centre. So it must have been before that.’

‘And you have no idea who might have wanted him dead?’ Paul Crichton shuddered visibly. ‘Hell, nor he muttered. ‘It must have been a mistake. I mean, you hear of that don’t you? Didn’t the IRA shoot folk by mistake?’ Crichton had leaned back, relaxing a little, Lorimer noted, this new idea releasing him from the shock that had gripped him. The words would flow now, a reaction after the strain that had gripped him so tightly. ‘That must be it, don’t you think? A Me of mistaken identity!’ he finished, sitting up straighter as though he’d scored a point.

‘That is always a possibility that the police must consider, Mr Crichton,’ Lorimer told him blandly. Yet it wasn’t something that happened often in this city. Still, if Crichton wanted a lifeline to rescue him from the awfulness of his experience, he could have it.

‘I take it the car sharing scheme was pretty much a regular thing?’

Crichton nodded. ‘Week about. This was my week, Ken’s would have been next week. We always had the same shifts. We even had the same week off on holiday. This was our first day back.’

‘Do you know if Mr Scott was away anywhere?’ Lorimer tried to keep his tone as neutral as possible. This might be leading somewhere and he didn’t want Paul Crichton becoming overexcited.

‘I was in the Canary Islands with my girlfriend. Fuerteventura.’ He shrugged. Ken said he might go up north to see some mates. No idea whereabouts, though.’

but someone else from work might know?’

‘Suppose so. Don’t have a lot of time to chat at that place. Talk enough on the calls to IT support as it is,’ he added. There was something rather defensive about Crichton’s tone and Lorimer noticed he was digging his fingernails into the soft flesh of his palms. He was trying to hold it all together; not show any signs of the emotions churning his stomach. There was just one last detail Lorimer needed then he’d let the poor bloke go.

‘Your workmates were aware that you travelled together week about?’

Crichton’s eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘I suppose so. It was no big deal. Loads of folk car share these days. Cost of petrol,’ he repeated in case the police officer had missed it the first time. Lorimer ignored the slight. The man was still in the aftermath of shock.

‘Okay, I think that’s us done for now, sir. If you can leave us your contact details that would be appreciated. Anything else you might think of, give me a ring,’ Lorimer drew a card out of the box on his desk and handed it over. ‘Don’t suppose you’ll feel like going to work now?’ Crichton shook his head. ‘Think I’ll phone in sick,’ he said. ‘Pick up my car later on.’

‘I’ll find someone to drive you home, sir. But I’d be grateful if you don’t mcntion the incident to anyone at the call centre until the police have had time to contact the management there first.’

Lorimer stood up and offered Crichton his hand. It was like shaking hands with a wet fish, the young man’s hand was so sweaty and cold. A sudden vision of Ken Scott came to mind, his limbs dead and cold, rigid now with the onset of rigor.

A nice, ordinary bloke, his mate said. Perhaps. In Lorimer’s line of work there were often hidden depths to the most ordinary appearances. Maybe there had been more to this victim than Paul Crichton could ever have imagined.

‘No sign of the ex-wife, sir,’ Detective Constable Annie Irvine shook her head, an expression of annoyance on her face. ‘We have her last known address but there’s no sign of any car ownership, so no joy there.’

‘Employer?’

Irvine made another face. ‘Hasn’t signed on and there’s no trace of tax being paid for the last few years.’

‘What about full-time education?’

`Ah,’ Annie’s mouth took a little time to close as she pondered this option. ‘She’s well into her thirties, but I suppose . .

‘New life after marriage? New directions?’ Lorimer suggested. ‘It happens, you know’

‘Oh, and talking of new things, there’s that new detective constable in with His Nibs right now, sir. Omar something,’ Annie risked a smile as she left Lorimer’s room.

Lorimer nodded. His day was so full of distractions from the important matters like the sudden death of an ordinary man; he’d clean forgotten that this was the starting date for a new member of his department. Detective Constable Omar Adel Fathy had come with the highest recommendations from his previous division in Grampian Region. He’d passed out of Tulliallan with the best results of his initial training too, Lorimer remembered from reading the fellow’s CV. A fast tracker, Detective Superintendent Mitchison had told him, pointedly. It was a matter of pride to the Superintendent that his CID team were mostly university graduates; and a matter for scorn that DCI Lorimer had chosen to drop out of his own university course to join the police force. He’d have to see Fathy sooner or later, he supposed, but he hoped Mitchison would keep him for now.

Lorimer’s hopes were short-lived.

`Ah, Detective Chief Inspector Lorimer,’ the nasal tones of the Detective Superintendent greeted him from the doorway and Lorimer gave an inward groan even as he stood up to receive his visitors.

Detective Superintendent Mark Mitchison strode into the room, ushering in the man by his side.

Lorimer’s first impression of Fathy was how much of a contrast he presented to the super. DC Omar Adel Fathy was a slightly built young man, bright and quick in his movements as he came forward to shake the DCI’s hand. Northern Egyptian, Lorimer guessed, from the darkness of the man’s skin. Nubian blood somewhere judging by that gracefully sculpted head, he thought, recalling the statuary he had seen during his history of art years,

though this particular man lacked the height he associated with those elegant people. Beside him Mark Mitchison looked washed out, his conventional handsomeness faded by contrast. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you, sir,’ Fathy told him, giving the merest hint of a bow as he spoke. But it was not an obsequious sort of gesture, more an innate courtesy. The direct way he looked Lorimer in the eye, a smile hovering around his mouth, was instantly appealing to the DCI. Here was someone he could work with, he thought. Someone who’d not suffer the sort of bullshit that Mitchison doled out on a daily basis. ‘Detective Constable Fathy comes with a glowing report,’ Mitchison drawled and Lorimer was heartened to see that this utterance had the effect of making the Egyptian frown slightly in embarrassment. ‘Good,’ Lorimer said. ‘You’ll be ready for anything then? Like a new murder case, hm?’

Fathy’s grin was answer enough. ‘I’ll leave you gentlemen, then, must press on,’ Mitchison nodded to them both. ‘Door’s always open if you need to talk, Fathy.’ Then he was gone. Lorimer exhaled in relief. His immediate boss was the only thorn in his flesh in a job that he loved. When his previous super had retired the word on the grapevine was that Lorimer himself would step into his shoes, but that hadn’t happened, and, apart from a couple of secondments as acting superintendent, Lorimer still hadn’t gained the expected promotion. It was only a matter of time, his wife Maggie had reassured him. But Lorimer wasn’t so sure. The fast trackers with university degrees like the man before him were the ones destined for greater things, he believed. ‘Sit down, Fathy. That’s the correct pronunciation, is it? Fa-thy?’

‘Yes, sir. The TH is hard, almost like a V sound. Of course many will call me fatty,’ he grinned, showing perfect white teeth. Lorimer returned the smile. The officer’s spare frame gave the lie to that. ‘This murder inquiry, sir?’ Fathy continued. ‘May I be included in the investigation team?’ ‘Possibly,’ Lorimer told him. ‘The actions have already been given out but I think you might be able to accompany DC Irvine, at least for today. Hopefully we’ll have it wrapped up soon,’ he raised his eyebrows in a rueful gesture. It was every officer’s hope that a murder case would be quickly solved. The longer it took, the harder it was to find the perpetrator. Fathy’s answering nod seemed to indicate that he understood exactly what the DCI meant and Lorimer wondered just what sort of cases this young man had tackled in his brief career. Later, on his own, Lorimer had the opportunity to check on DC Fathy’s past experience. It was just as Mitchison had said. A bright and able police officer who had taken part in some fairly high profile investigations. Yet he had asked especially for a transfer to Strathclyde Police. No particular reason had been given and Lorimer had a sudden uneasy feeling that it might not have been just to enhance the young man’s promotion prospects. Had he been unhappy in Grampian? And if so, why? There were often jealousies within the police force, officers jockeying for the few senior positions available. Had someone resented Fathy’s obvious potential? Or had he been too pushy? He was very keen to play a part in the new case. But perhaps as the new boy he should be trying to keep his head down for a bit and settle in. Lorimer stared out of the window, wondering. He’d taken an instant liking to the handsome Egyptian. It would be a pity if he failed to fit comfortably into his team.