Definitely Dead, Kate Bendelow [books like beach read TXT] 📗

Mitton and DC Stevenson, who was the detective currently dedicated to Operation Chrysalis.

The hum of office activity was punctuated with the sound of erratic banging emanating from the custody suite downstairs: somebody clearly wasn’t happy.

‘Hi Maya,’ Nicola Warne called out from one of the two small side offices that were used as examination rooms. Maya walked in to see Nicola perched on a stool at one of the examination benches, surrounded by a large amount of property which had been packaged in police exhibit bags.

‘Been finding clues?’ Maya said, nodding to the bags.

‘Just a few! I’ve just finished a warrant for Operation Chrysalis. It’s all happening today.’ Nicola grinned. She was slightly older than Maya. Her brown hair was scraped back into a ponytail and she had a smudge of fingerprint powder under her left eye, reminiscent of Adam Ant.

‘I’ve just seen Connor and he’s filled me in. Which address have you been too?’ Maya asked as she reached out to wipe the smudge of powder from under Nicola’s eye. It streaked even further.

‘Eugh, black powder? It gets everywhere. Am I covered in it?’ Nicola used the camera on her phone to scrutinise her face as she continued. ‘I’ve been to Markita Milani’s place. She’s Nowak’s partner. He was arrested there. The place is packed to the rafters with designer gear,’ Nicola continued. ‘I’ve not finished yet. I’ve just come back for some refs and Kym has said I can have overtime to stay on and finish off. Andy is at Nowak’s house, he was pissing and moaning about having to do a bit of work as I’m sure you can imagine.’

Maya rolled her eyes in acknowledgement. At least if Andy was busy there, she might get through her shift without having to see him. Amanda finished on the phone and beckoned Maya over. She looked uncharacteristically flustered.

‘Maya, love, step into my office.’ She patted the chair next to her. ‘Glad you’re in. I feel like I’m spinning plates, but at least I can get rid of one action.’ Amanda repeated what Maya already knew, before flicking through an array of paperwork and producing a typed-up forensic strategy and handing it to Maya.

‘Nowak is in custody waiting to go. DC Stevenson will update you once he’s finished in Kym’s office.’

‘What’s with the closed-door meeting?’ Maya was curious.

‘Sensitive Chrysalis information. We’re anticipating a retaliation following the shooting. DC Stevenson seems to think something may happen in the next few days so he’s making sure the troops are aware. Obviously, because we suspect there have been leaks in the past, it’s all being kept on a need-to-know basis.’ Amanda tapped the side of her nose with her forefinger.

‘Are they positive that someone from the station has been leaking police information to the gangs?’ Maya was horrified. Corruption was a very disturbing thought; one she couldn’t countenance.

‘It seems the only logical explanation. From what I know, quite a lot of the Chrysalis jobs have proved fruitless. The cops always seem to be one step behind the suspects. In the last few months, we’ve been tipped off about drugs farms and the locations of firearms, but by the time the warrant has been executed, the scenes have been cleaned. It’s too much of a coincidence if you ask me and there’s no such thing as a coincidence in the cops.’

Just then Kym’s office door opened. DI Mitton headed back to her own office accompanied by the detectives. DC Sean Stevenson gave Maya a nod. ‘Give me five minutes to get someone to accompany you to custody,’ he called as he left the room.

He was an experienced detective, much to the surprise of anyone who first met him. He was blessed, or cursed, depending how you looked at it, with boyish looks. Visitors to Beech Field CID would catch a glimpse of Stevenson, with his overgrown ginger hair and freckles, and wonder with amusement, which of the exhausted saps in the office had been press-ganged into ‘bring your kid to work day’.

Kym emerged from her office looking hot and bothered. Her face was perfectly made up as always, but a soft sheen suggested she was struggling with the rising temperature.

‘Right, Maya. About Piotr Nowak.’ Maya nodded eagerly. ‘He’s a real nasty bastard so make sure you’re not left alone with him and watch your back. He’ll be taken into the medical room for body mapping with the Medacs nurse, so you can examine him in there. Make sure you hand everything over to the DC when you’re done and don’t get stuck with booking your exhibits into property. They can do it. We’ve got enough jobs running at the minute without doing their admin.’

Grabbing a biscuit from the packet next to the office kettle, Kym gave a half-hearted clap and marched back into her office. Maya started to get ready for her trip to custody just as the office phone rang again. She snatched it up quickly so as not to have to bother any of her colleagues with another call. It was the communications officer telling her that they had been shouting for any available SOCO officers over the air but had received no response.

‘Everyone’s tied up at the minute so probably didn’t hear,’ Maya explained as she clipped a battery into her own personal radio.

‘I know, it’s been a crazy day,’ said the nasal comms officer. ‘I’m sorry to add to your workload, but we’ve just had a sudden death come in too. Cedar Lane CID are covering it, but they’re asking for SOCO to be made aware.’

Taking details of the log number, Maya scribbled a quick note and passed it to Amanda. At times like this, when all staff were tied up on major scenes, assistance would be requested from a neighbouring division such as Alder Street or Cedar Lane. The mention of a sudden death made her think of Karl Gorman and the nagging thought that she had missed something. She shook her head, ridding herself of the notion. It was