the organ.”
Considine scowled at her. “I resent that.”
“Just keep your mouth shut and don’t stop dancing, Stephen.”
Woods got out of the car and took off his hat. “So what’re you needing proper coppers for this time?”
“We’ve traced an IP address to a Brian Morton.” Vicky got out her notebook, waving it in the direction of the flats. “We understand he lives in the ground floor flat there.”
Woods grinned at his colleague. “This is the sort of muck detectives get up to while we’re doing the proper work.”
Soutar nodded. “So I see.”
Vicky narrowed her eyes at them. “We need to bring him in for questioning, that’s all. I just need you to help apprehend him.”
Soutar frowned. “You got a warrant?”
“Just had it approved, aye.”
Woods rubbed his hands together. “Lead the way then, Vicks.”
Vicky walked back to the street and traced the line of the road down the hill. The flat entrance was on Ann Street, a dark wood door with a ramp leading up. She pressed the buzzer for flat two, holding it for a few seconds.
“Yo?”
Vicky raised an eyebrow at Considine, who glanced away. “This is the police. We need access to your property.”
“Not without a warrant.”
“We’re in possession of a warrant to access this property. We’re looking for a Brian Morton.”
The line went quiet for a few seconds.
Vicky pressed the buzzer again. The door clicked open. She nodded at the door. “Come on.”
Inside, a man stood in the doorway to flat two, muscular arms folded. Navy jeans with a shirt and jumper combo. He pushed his glasses up his nose. “How can I help?”
Vicky flashed her warrant card. “Can we come in?”
The man shook his head. “Not until I see that search warrant of yours.”
Vicky handed it over. “Mr Morton, we’ve got reason to believe you’re involved in a kidnapping.”
He licked his lips. “This isn’t me.”
“Aren’t you Brian Morton?”
“I’m just visiting. That’s my brother.”
“What’s going on, John?” A buzzing came from the hall behind. A mobility scooter appeared with a morbidly obese man sitting on it, his jowls sagging, the fabric of his shell suit stretched tight.
“It’s the police, Brian.” John Morton lowered his head to his brother. “Have you been an idiot on the internet again?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
V icky sat in the interview room, staring at the lawyer. “Ms Nelson -Caird, your client needs to start co-operating with us.”
Kelly Nelson-Caird looked to be in her mid-thirties, her mouth seeming to lag behind her brain. She tapped a finger on the table. “Mr Morton hasn’t committed a crime, Sergeant.”
Vicky glanced at Considine, who was still silent as instructed. “If you’ll let him speak, I might be able to determine that for myself.”
“Very well.” Nelson-Caird snorted. “Can you please outline the offences you believe my client may have committed?”
Vicky laid her hands on the table and focused on Brian. He was heavily out of breath and sweat dripped from his lank hair, only adding to the stench. She didn’t want him to keel over there and then but he clearly knew something. “Very well.”
Nelson-Caird sat back and folded her arms. “Please continue.”
Vicky leaned forward on both elbows. “Mr Morton, we’ve brought you in for questioning because your internet account was used to access a message board called xbeast. In particular, it accessed a user forum called Animal Rites . Are you following me?”
Brian nodded, his mouth twitching.
Vicky massaged her left temple. “The message board in question had a video posted on it. The footage related to a crime we’re currently investigating. One of the users who posted a comment to the video was you.”
Brian shifted his head around, not letting it settle in one position . “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr Morton, please look at me.”
Brian angled his head slightly. “I said I don’t know what
Considine scowled at her. “I resent that.”
“Just keep your mouth shut and don’t stop dancing, Stephen.”
Woods got out of the car and took off his hat. “So what’re you needing proper coppers for this time?”
“We’ve traced an IP address to a Brian Morton.” Vicky got out her notebook, waving it in the direction of the flats. “We understand he lives in the ground floor flat there.”
Woods grinned at his colleague. “This is the sort of muck detectives get up to while we’re doing the proper work.”
Soutar nodded. “So I see.”
Vicky narrowed her eyes at them. “We need to bring him in for questioning, that’s all. I just need you to help apprehend him.”
Soutar frowned. “You got a warrant?”
“Just had it approved, aye.”
Woods rubbed his hands together. “Lead the way then, Vicks.”
Vicky walked back to the street and traced the line of the road down the hill. The flat entrance was on Ann Street, a dark wood door with a ramp leading up. She pressed the buzzer for flat two, holding it for a few seconds.
“Yo?”
Vicky raised an eyebrow at Considine, who glanced away. “This is the police. We need access to your property.”
“Not without a warrant.”
“We’re in possession of a warrant to access this property. We’re looking for a Brian Morton.”
The line went quiet for a few seconds.
Vicky pressed the buzzer again. The door clicked open. She nodded at the door. “Come on.”
Inside, a man stood in the doorway to flat two, muscular arms folded. Navy jeans with a shirt and jumper combo. He pushed his glasses up his nose. “How can I help?”
Vicky flashed her warrant card. “Can we come in?”
The man shook his head. “Not until I see that search warrant of yours.”
Vicky handed it over. “Mr Morton, we’ve got reason to believe you’re involved in a kidnapping.”
He licked his lips. “This isn’t me.”
“Aren’t you Brian Morton?”
“I’m just visiting. That’s my brother.”
“What’s going on, John?” A buzzing came from the hall behind. A mobility scooter appeared with a morbidly obese man sitting on it, his jowls sagging, the fabric of his shell suit stretched tight.
“It’s the police, Brian.” John Morton lowered his head to his brother. “Have you been an idiot on the internet again?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
V icky sat in the interview room, staring at the lawyer. “Ms Nelson -Caird, your client needs to start co-operating with us.”
Kelly Nelson-Caird looked to be in her mid-thirties, her mouth seeming to lag behind her brain. She tapped a finger on the table. “Mr Morton hasn’t committed a crime, Sergeant.”
Vicky glanced at Considine, who was still silent as instructed. “If you’ll let him speak, I might be able to determine that for myself.”
“Very well.” Nelson-Caird snorted. “Can you please outline the offences you believe my client may have committed?”
Vicky laid her hands on the table and focused on Brian. He was heavily out of breath and sweat dripped from his lank hair, only adding to the stench. She didn’t want him to keel over there and then but he clearly knew something. “Very well.”
Nelson-Caird sat back and folded her arms. “Please continue.”
Vicky leaned forward on both elbows. “Mr Morton, we’ve brought you in for questioning because your internet account was used to access a message board called xbeast. In particular, it accessed a user forum called Animal Rites . Are you following me?”
Brian nodded, his mouth twitching.
Vicky massaged her left temple. “The message board in question had a video posted on it. The footage related to a crime we’re currently investigating. One of the users who posted a comment to the video was you.”
Brian shifted his head around, not letting it settle in one position . “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr Morton, please look at me.”
Brian angled his head slightly. “I said I don’t know what
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