Death in the Black Wood, Oliver Davies [short story to read TXT] 📗

It was only ten minutes’ drive back to the station, and we were soon across The Ness Bridge and heading down Castle Road. The River Ness was a modest waterway, less than a hundred metres wide as it ran through town, except for down by The Ness Islands where it widened a little. You could cross between those islands using a series of Victorian footbridges, and there was even a miniature railway that carried tourists and trippers up and down the pretty little park that split the river. The Highland Hospice people ran that and all the proceeds went into keeping their palliative care facilities running.

“Tesco only keep their CCTV footage for a month so we won’t get anything from there,” I commented. “Still it’s useful to know our man was hanging around there back then. I think we should probably pay the Sally Army another call with some stills from last night, once Shay’s cleaned up a couple of the best ones for us. One of them may recognise that jacket or those trainers. We should go and talk to that Eric guy who first took Dominic there too. We might get more out of him than Philips did last month.”

“Before or after we know what that pill Shay found in the jacket is?”

“Let’s wait until we have the results on that. From what Philips said in his report, the old guy’s a habitual user. Maybe he even introduced Dominic to his supplier?” As the new man in town, it was likely that Dominic had been looking for a reliable connection from the moment he arrived in Inverness. He might have been working up to approaching Eric on the night he’d saved him from getting beaten up by those young thugs. We knew that Dominic hadn’t been sleeping rough before he’d rented that room up in Merkinch. He’d been paying for a bunk in a succession of cheap hostels. The likeliest reason for him to be out late that night was that he’d been spending some hours during the daytime checking out the street beggars for likely people to approach.

Once we’d parked, Shay came over and stared at our extensive building complex while I got the kit bag and the bag with his samples out of the boot.

“Is Anderson in here today?” he asked.

“No idea.” I handed him the bag of samples, and he slung it on his free shoulder. “He comes and goes a lot and I never just bump into him, anyway. The Divisional HQ main offices are over at that end. Different entrance.”

Our Chief Superintendent’s other five areas only had Area Commanders in residence but Divisional HQ was in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. McKinnon controlled his area from Burnett Road while Anderson supervised all six from this place. Like I’d told Shay, I never saw Anderson, well not unless he summoned me. We might as well have been in different stations, miles apart. My little office suite was tucked away on the far side of the complex to the main administrative block. Shay followed us to our entrance and past the desk and down the hallway, head ducked in his habitual public manner.

“Have you managed to clean up any stills from last night yet?” I asked him.

“I’ve got three processing. They should be ready by the time I’m done here.” I opened our door, and we went in. Mills and Bryce were back from the airport and all four of my DCs looked suitably busy. Good. “They’d already be ready if I hadn’t shut my laptop down to come into town. So this is where you spend your days, huh?” He took in the room with a single sweeping glance. “I think I prefer my office.”

“Yes, well, we can’t all work from the comfort of home. Which desk do you want?”

“I’ll take that one.” The back corner, as expected. He went over to dump his bags, and I trailed after him.

“Toilets, break room, my office.” I pointed to the doors. “Have you eaten today yet?”

“A smoothie earlier.” He took his jacket off and slung it over the back of the chair. “Why? Are you offering me lunch? I didn’t pack you anything I’d want to eat.”

“We can order in for you if you like. I wouldn’t want you to faint after all your exertions on our behalf. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the team.” They’d all been sitting with their ears pricked since we’d walked in, trying not to look our way too often or too obviously.

“Just a sec. I’m going to nip in there first.” He disappeared into the loo, and I went to see how my DCs had been getting on. They gave me their instant, combined attention.

“As you may have guessed, Mr Baird and his boys are all rather busy today so Mr Keane kindly came to process our latest scene for us. He’s here to finish preparing the collected evidence ready to be taken over to forensics. Please don’t disturb him while he’s working. If he needs anything he’ll let you know.”

“Sir.” They acknowledged in almost perfect unison.

“Updates? You first, Walker.”

“The taxi that drove the Millers to the airport last Tuesday was booked by app so there was no phone call to listen to. The driver is coming in to see us at four o’clock. As you requested when I called, we’ve been phoning around the neighbours that weren’t in when McKinnon’s people went to see them earlier. Not much luck with that so far, but we do have two people with security cameras living near the Dawsons who are happy to let us look to see if they caught anything.” That was better than nothing.

“Alright, keep going with the calls for now and let me know when you’re done.” Shay reappeared and wandered over at that point. “Shay, meet DCs Walker, Collins, Mills and Bryce.” I gestured round at them all as I said their names. “Team, this is our Specialist Consultant, Mr Keane.”