brother.’
‘So who?’
‘Ten-million dollar question, mate. A name that’s kept coming up since yesterday is Ally Riddle. You know him?’
Winter shrugged.
‘Young guy, maybe only twenty-five but a smart cookie. Been with the Quinns since he was in his early teens and fast-tracked through the organization. He’s been running a scrap yard of Malky’s off London Road for a few years now and there’s a helluva lot of money goes through there. Shows Quinn rated him highly. He never put McGurk or Lenny’s nose out of joint by bigging it up but word is it was well known Riddle was the coming man.’
‘He in the frame for killing him?’
‘Doubt it. He was much better off with Malky alive than the mess there is now. Might be too soon for him, too. And it’s stretching it a bit to think he did Caldwell as well. We’re keeping our eye on him though. Well, I say “we” but if I’m stuck with this one,’ he nodded towards the screen, ‘then it might be someone else’s job. Fuck that for a game of soldiers.’
Winter drank in Addison’s words and a game plan began to form in his head.
‘Biggest case round here in a long time . . .’ he began.
‘Like I haven’t noticed,’ Addison replied. ‘What’s your point?’
‘And it could get bigger yet. They really should have the top men on the job. Is that you?’
‘Damn right it’s me. There’s no way they should be running something on this scale without me being involved.’
‘So what you going to do about it, Addy?’
‘What do you suggest?’
‘Go see Alex Shirley. Tell him straight out that you want it. Direct approach never fails.’
Addison looked at him thoughtfully, chewing it over in his mind. Just as he was about to answer, there was a knock at the door and Cat Fitzpatrick strolled through, all flame-red hair and sparkling green eyes. The DI’s attention to the tapes was instantly forgotten and Rebecca Maxwell switched it off when she realized he was no longer watching.
‘I was told you boys were hiding in here. Got a minute?’
‘For you, Ms Fitzpatrick, I’ve got all the time in the world,’ Addison grinned.
Cat rolled her eyes and shared a mutual look of despair with the WPC.
‘Given how discerning you are, DI Addison, that’s very flattering to know,’ she replied with as much sarcasm as she could muster.
Addison took no offence whatsoever and misguidedly thought of it as flirtation.
‘You wanted to see my report as soon as I was done with it so here you go,’ Cat continued, handing him a folder. ‘Do you want details or highlights?’
‘Highlights.’
‘ Quelle surprise . My best estimate of time of death is half an hour either side of midnight. Cause of death was asphyxiation and the bruising to the neck indicates manual strangulation. There was also some internal haemorrhaging caused by the blow to the skull but that was not, in itself, fatal. The angle of the fingermarks suggests someone approximately six inches taller than the victim, so just under six foot. The body was, as you know, moved after death and that has been confirmed by lividity.’
‘That it?’
Cat smiled sweetly and shook her head, determined not to rise to Addison’s bait.
‘That’s it for now. You did ask for a rush job.’
‘Ah, don’t take offence, Cat,’ he soothed. ‘We’re going for a drink once we’re done here. Why don’t you join us?’
‘No offence, boys, but I’d rather not. Today has been rough enough without ruining it completely by drinking with you pair.’
‘She loves us really,’ Addison mouthed to Winter in a stage whisper.
Winter said nothing. Cat was about to answer instead when Addison broke in again.
‘You do love us, right?’
He was nothing if not persistent.
‘Boys, I love chocolate. I love Petit Chablis. I love Matt Damon. I love shoes. You two? I love cellulite more than I love you two. I’m dropping this back at the lab then I’m going home. You boys have fun though.’
‘Methinks
‘So who?’
‘Ten-million dollar question, mate. A name that’s kept coming up since yesterday is Ally Riddle. You know him?’
Winter shrugged.
‘Young guy, maybe only twenty-five but a smart cookie. Been with the Quinns since he was in his early teens and fast-tracked through the organization. He’s been running a scrap yard of Malky’s off London Road for a few years now and there’s a helluva lot of money goes through there. Shows Quinn rated him highly. He never put McGurk or Lenny’s nose out of joint by bigging it up but word is it was well known Riddle was the coming man.’
‘He in the frame for killing him?’
‘Doubt it. He was much better off with Malky alive than the mess there is now. Might be too soon for him, too. And it’s stretching it a bit to think he did Caldwell as well. We’re keeping our eye on him though. Well, I say “we” but if I’m stuck with this one,’ he nodded towards the screen, ‘then it might be someone else’s job. Fuck that for a game of soldiers.’
Winter drank in Addison’s words and a game plan began to form in his head.
‘Biggest case round here in a long time . . .’ he began.
‘Like I haven’t noticed,’ Addison replied. ‘What’s your point?’
‘And it could get bigger yet. They really should have the top men on the job. Is that you?’
‘Damn right it’s me. There’s no way they should be running something on this scale without me being involved.’
‘So what you going to do about it, Addy?’
‘What do you suggest?’
‘Go see Alex Shirley. Tell him straight out that you want it. Direct approach never fails.’
Addison looked at him thoughtfully, chewing it over in his mind. Just as he was about to answer, there was a knock at the door and Cat Fitzpatrick strolled through, all flame-red hair and sparkling green eyes. The DI’s attention to the tapes was instantly forgotten and Rebecca Maxwell switched it off when she realized he was no longer watching.
‘I was told you boys were hiding in here. Got a minute?’
‘For you, Ms Fitzpatrick, I’ve got all the time in the world,’ Addison grinned.
Cat rolled her eyes and shared a mutual look of despair with the WPC.
‘Given how discerning you are, DI Addison, that’s very flattering to know,’ she replied with as much sarcasm as she could muster.
Addison took no offence whatsoever and misguidedly thought of it as flirtation.
‘You wanted to see my report as soon as I was done with it so here you go,’ Cat continued, handing him a folder. ‘Do you want details or highlights?’
‘Highlights.’
‘ Quelle surprise . My best estimate of time of death is half an hour either side of midnight. Cause of death was asphyxiation and the bruising to the neck indicates manual strangulation. There was also some internal haemorrhaging caused by the blow to the skull but that was not, in itself, fatal. The angle of the fingermarks suggests someone approximately six inches taller than the victim, so just under six foot. The body was, as you know, moved after death and that has been confirmed by lividity.’
‘That it?’
Cat smiled sweetly and shook her head, determined not to rise to Addison’s bait.
‘That’s it for now. You did ask for a rush job.’
‘Ah, don’t take offence, Cat,’ he soothed. ‘We’re going for a drink once we’re done here. Why don’t you join us?’
‘No offence, boys, but I’d rather not. Today has been rough enough without ruining it completely by drinking with you pair.’
‘She loves us really,’ Addison mouthed to Winter in a stage whisper.
Winter said nothing. Cat was about to answer instead when Addison broke in again.
‘You do love us, right?’
He was nothing if not persistent.
‘Boys, I love chocolate. I love Petit Chablis. I love Matt Damon. I love shoes. You two? I love cellulite more than I love you two. I’m dropping this back at the lab then I’m going home. You boys have fun though.’
‘Methinks
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