back Sam wouldn’t have any physical signs. So let’s say this scrote either beat the kid or abused him and there are no physical scars, the way the boy acted at school says that there were definitely emotional ones. What if he’d been taking things out on the other kids and someone finally hit back?”
Craig nodded. It was a good point and something they hadn’t explored with the principal.
“It’s possible. Annette, what time are you flying tomorrow?”
“Early evening.”
“Good. Follow that up with the social worker in the morning. Liam, dig deeper on Sam’s behaviour. Find out what he was like with his classmates…”
Liam shook his head. “He was small for his age. If he was going to abuse anyone it would have been the younger kids. I’ll ask around a bit.”
Craig smiled. Liam knew what he was doing.
“OK. So that’s Annette and Liam on victim three, Jake and Ken on number two and Carmen and the other teams on victim one.”
He was just turning to Davy for the background report when he saw Liam swipe at something. When a loud “Ow!” followed he realised that it had been Andy. He was rubbing his arm and scowling.
“What the hell was that for?”
Liam was unrepentant. “For getting chocolate all over my chair. For the love of God would you stop eating!”
It was rich coming from a man who grazed all day. Craig quietened them both with a glare. Andy was on the periphery of the group so he’d barely noticed him before.
“Liam, you can’t go around hitting people, not even when they’re your own rank. Sorry, Andy, I almost forgot you were here.”
Liam muttered. “I wish I could.”
Craig needed to allocate the chocaholic D.C.I. to something but the only unpaired officer was Carmen and two hours with her could see Andy becoming their fourth death. He had an idea.
“Ken. Would you mind pairing with Carmen tomorrow on victim one and Andy can accompany Jake on canvassing.”
Andy’s frown made him raise an eyebrow; instead of bitching about canvassing he should have been grateful for his narrow escape. He’d brought Carmen’s enmity on himself and better that he got bored than was yelled at by her. Ken’s grin was even more disturbing; any man who enjoyed being bossed around by Carmen both on and off duty had to have a screw loose, but then Ken was used to giving the orders in the army so it was probably a relaxing break.
Craig turned back to Davy before anyone could object to the arrangements. “What have you got for us on background?”
Davy tapped his central screen, deferring Craig’s interest in the tattoo.
“OK, as we’ve s…said, only the third victim has been I.D.ed, so that’s ongoing. Sam Beech lived on the Demesne so I’ve asked Sergeant Boyd there to prepare a report. If there was something going on in the home he might know.”
Reggie Boyd was a fiftyish country man who was almost as tall as Liam; but where Liam had a voice like a fog horn Reggie was so quietly spoken that people strained to hear his words. Add in a lilting Donegal accent and quaint language, and everything he said sounded like a bedtime story; it made his visits to briefings very soothing. But Boyd was also a damn good local bobby who’d know everything there was to know about a Demesne Estate resident like Sam Beech.
Craig nodded approvingly. Davy wasn’t a cop but he thought like one; which reminded him, they needed to have a chat about his PhD topic soon. He was starting it part-time in September with the force paying, so it was in both their interests if his research focused on something that would be useful to the squad in years to come. Craig motioned him on.
“We’re still w…waiting for the tox-screens and other forensics but Des may have a partial print from one of the cling-film sheets. It will take another day to come through.”
Craig’s spirits lifted. He’d forgotten about Des’ fuming cabinet.
“As far as CCTV goes, w…we’re bang out of luck. There’re no fixed
Craig nodded. It was a good point and something they hadn’t explored with the principal.
“It’s possible. Annette, what time are you flying tomorrow?”
“Early evening.”
“Good. Follow that up with the social worker in the morning. Liam, dig deeper on Sam’s behaviour. Find out what he was like with his classmates…”
Liam shook his head. “He was small for his age. If he was going to abuse anyone it would have been the younger kids. I’ll ask around a bit.”
Craig smiled. Liam knew what he was doing.
“OK. So that’s Annette and Liam on victim three, Jake and Ken on number two and Carmen and the other teams on victim one.”
He was just turning to Davy for the background report when he saw Liam swipe at something. When a loud “Ow!” followed he realised that it had been Andy. He was rubbing his arm and scowling.
“What the hell was that for?”
Liam was unrepentant. “For getting chocolate all over my chair. For the love of God would you stop eating!”
It was rich coming from a man who grazed all day. Craig quietened them both with a glare. Andy was on the periphery of the group so he’d barely noticed him before.
“Liam, you can’t go around hitting people, not even when they’re your own rank. Sorry, Andy, I almost forgot you were here.”
Liam muttered. “I wish I could.”
Craig needed to allocate the chocaholic D.C.I. to something but the only unpaired officer was Carmen and two hours with her could see Andy becoming their fourth death. He had an idea.
“Ken. Would you mind pairing with Carmen tomorrow on victim one and Andy can accompany Jake on canvassing.”
Andy’s frown made him raise an eyebrow; instead of bitching about canvassing he should have been grateful for his narrow escape. He’d brought Carmen’s enmity on himself and better that he got bored than was yelled at by her. Ken’s grin was even more disturbing; any man who enjoyed being bossed around by Carmen both on and off duty had to have a screw loose, but then Ken was used to giving the orders in the army so it was probably a relaxing break.
Craig turned back to Davy before anyone could object to the arrangements. “What have you got for us on background?”
Davy tapped his central screen, deferring Craig’s interest in the tattoo.
“OK, as we’ve s…said, only the third victim has been I.D.ed, so that’s ongoing. Sam Beech lived on the Demesne so I’ve asked Sergeant Boyd there to prepare a report. If there was something going on in the home he might know.”
Reggie Boyd was a fiftyish country man who was almost as tall as Liam; but where Liam had a voice like a fog horn Reggie was so quietly spoken that people strained to hear his words. Add in a lilting Donegal accent and quaint language, and everything he said sounded like a bedtime story; it made his visits to briefings very soothing. But Boyd was also a damn good local bobby who’d know everything there was to know about a Demesne Estate resident like Sam Beech.
Craig nodded approvingly. Davy wasn’t a cop but he thought like one; which reminded him, they needed to have a chat about his PhD topic soon. He was starting it part-time in September with the force paying, so it was in both their interests if his research focused on something that would be useful to the squad in years to come. Craig motioned him on.
“We’re still w…waiting for the tox-screens and other forensics but Des may have a partial print from one of the cling-film sheets. It will take another day to come through.”
Craig’s spirits lifted. He’d forgotten about Des’ fuming cabinet.
“As far as CCTV goes, w…we’re bang out of luck. There’re no fixed
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