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

might appear to have disappeared to the naked eye, the haemoglobin of the blood is very resilient. We use a brand called Bluestar which is mixed and applied using a spray bottle. Its purpose is to reveal traces of blood which have been cleaned away. When the Bluestar is applied to an area containing traces of haemoglobin, it gives a distinct chemiluminescent result.’

‘A what?’

‘Sorry, you’ve got me in geek mode. It basically emits a bright blue light, hence the name. Honestly, Maya, it’s amazing to see. It’s the sort of stuff they show on those shitty American forensic shows. The lab techs will darken the room to maximise the effect of the treatment and I’ll photograph the results. Derek will be able to ascertain from the volume of blood whether Johnson could have survived. It will also enhance any footwear marks in blood.’

‘I can’t wait to see it.’

They sat and finished their drinks, watching as the neighbours stared in their direction, curious at the presence of police vehicles. Maya felt sorry for the poor officer manning the scene tape. He looked hot and bothered and was being constantly harassed by people wanting to know what was going on and complaining that they had to use the opposite pavement to the one which had been cordoned off outside the flat.

‘Hey up, the cavalry’s here.’ Elaine nodded towards another, larger vehicle which pulled up adjacent to the scene.

The arrival of the laboratory staff caused even more of a stir. The vehicle they were in was a similar size to a large horsebox, marked with the police insignia. It was basically a mobile lab which contained everything they needed to process crime scenes. Maya had only met one of the lab technicians before, a quiet, bespectacled man named Ewan.

Ewan introduced his colleague, a petite, attractive Asian lady called Ushra. Maya and Elaine re-suited at the same time as Ewan and Ushra, and after they’d signed the scene log, gave them a tour of the flat, again commenting on the work they had carried out so far. The lounge quickly became crowded as Kym and Derek joined them in the small room and they all shuffled around to find a suitable position on a stepping plate.

Kym wedged herself between Maya and Elaine, seemingly keen to put a distance between her and Derek, who was gazing at her dreamily from above the confines of his face mask. Maya smirked to herself as she thought this could quite easily turn into a sketch from a 1970s sitcom, with Derek chasing Kym over the stepping plates and throughout the flat.

‘Okay.’ Ewan surveyed the room carefully. ‘Ushra and I will cover the windows with the black roll. Then I just need a few moments to mix the Bluestar while you remove the stepping plates.’

The roll was made of thick, rubbery tarpaulin, which was fixed to the window so the room could become completely blacked out. Once this was done, Maya removed the stepping plates, propping them up in the hall. Elaine made the necessary adjustments to her camera, which she then positioned on a tripod. Satisfied that the room was suitably prepared, Ewan gave the nod to Kym.

‘Ready to go?’

‘Yes please,’ said Kym.

Ewan prepared to methodically spray the Bluestar over the carpet. He started at the far end of the room near the window. There was a moment’s hesitation as the water dispenser wheezed, and then Maya was astonished to see a bright blue glow emerge from the carpet. Elaine snapped away, recording the dramatic results. The room remained silent as the luminol reacted and the light intensified.

‘Jesus,’ Maya breathed as a huge patch of blue staining emerged. The glow was reminiscent of a fibre-optic Christmas decoration. A pattern emerged which resembled the shape of a body, slumped in a prostrate position next to the couch. The heavier blue staining emitted from the head area. Drag marks were evident, leading from the side of the body to the centre of the lounge. Several footwear marks were also visible across the carpet.’

‘Very minimal blood spatter with little cast-off,’ Derek observed, and Kym murmured in agreement.

Gradually the light faded as Ewan finished spraying the room. Everyone remained silent for a moment. They were gathered at the door now and all equally stunned by the intensity of the staining they had just witnessed.

‘Obviously, I will need a copy of the photographs so I can conduct my interpretation, but I think it’s safe to conclude that no one could survive that amount of blood loss,’ Derek said.

‘The lack of blood spatter is leading me to initially conclude that perhaps the body was covered with something during the attack. I’d hazard a guess, having witnessed the extreme chemiluminescence from what appears to be the head area, that the victim has sustained a fatal head injury. The drag marks would suggest whatever he has been wrapped in has then been used to convey him to the dump site.

‘Once the rest of the flat has been examined, I suggest we repeat the luminol process throughout, and this will at least give us some indication as to whether the body has been removed via the front or back door.’

Derek tugged at his face mask, breathing heavily in the heat of the small flat. ‘Common sense dictates the rear door would have offered the murderer more privacy, but obviously we need that confirmation. It may also provide us with additional footwear marks, so we can interpret the number of people involved.

‘I’ve had a cursory look in the bathroom and noticed some diluted bloodstains in the bathroom sink, which will need marking up later. There’s no sign of a towel in there, so I assume our suspect, or suspects, have washed their hands and taken the towel with them. Obviously, I will return tomorrow and examine the rest of the flat further in accordance with your strategy, Kym. I’ll bring one of my subordinates to assist and speed up the process.’

‘Thank you for your input, Derek, much appreciated