Zilhouette Murders, page 10
Bella Harrison turned and went back to her seat and Peter Wicker sat back down.
“So Mr. Bates, can you confirm these opinions about the state of your marriage?”
“Yes I fucking can and those busy bodies and gossipers out there – he pointed to the front window – are telling a bunch of lies.”
Peter Wicker looked across at Ms Harrison who was staring at the floor.
“So there is no truth in this then Mr. Bates?”
Paul Bates took a deep breath.
“Did we have a perfect marriage? - No!
Were we intending to split up? Absolutely not!
We had a normal marriage. My wife worked and enjoyed her time going out with her friends and I did the same. Neither of us believed in monogamy and both of us had non-committal relationships with others, but we loved each other and provided support to one another when needed.”
Ms Harrison remained seated looking down at the carpet.
Peter Wicker was a little taken aback by this declaration by Paul Bates but composed himself and turned to Ms Harrison.
“Ms Harrison, I know you exchanged a text messages with Mr. Bates on Sunday. Can you please tell me what happened after these messages ended?”
“What do you mean? she asked.
“Well, did you come here?”
“No, this is the first time I have been here. I know Paul – Mr. Bates – was distressed and I offered to come over and keep him company and that’s all.”
“So you and Mr. Bates are not in a relationship”
“Relationship?” She looked at Paul Bates and then back to Peter Wicker.
“He’s my brother-in-law. I’m Honey Bates sister.”
This took Peter Wicker by surprise. He had not expected this and inside was cursing his DC for not discovering this.
“I apologise Ms Harrison.”
She nodded and weakly smiled.
“It’s Mrs. Harrison, Detective.”
Bella Harrison took a deep breath.
“You see detective, my sister was not the angel others have made her out to be. I know of at least three occasions when Paul required hospital treatment after being attacked by my sister; and how Paul has had to borrow a fortune to pay off the debt racked up by Honey to maintain her extravagant lifestyle.”
Peter Wicker felt a little embarrassed following these disclosures by Bella Harrison but couldn’t stop himself from attacking Paul Bates over his conduct during the interview at the station.
“Mr. Bates, I am very sorry to hear about the problems you have experienced and I am grateful to Mrs. Harrison for the information she has provided. What I don’t understand is why you behaved in such an uncooperative way during your interview at the station on Monday. If you had explained who Mrs. Harrison was, we could not have made certain assumptions about your relationship and had you described your relationship with your wife in the same way as your sister-in-law has done here.”
Paul Bates slowly lifted his head and looked at Peter Wicker who could see he was crying.
“I was scared detective. You have no idea what Honey was capable of. If she turns up unharmed - and I genuinely hope she does - I was in real danger from her had she discovered what I told you about her and our relationship.”
Bella moved across to comfort him and Peter Wicker decided this was the time for him to leave.
“I am very sorry for the misunderstandings Mr. Bates and I will ensure any future conversations we might have, are under taken with the benefit of this knowledge. I will keep you informed about our investigation and when we find your wife, I will ensure that you are one of the first to be told.”
“Thank you detective.” Paul Bates rose from his seat and shook Peter Wicker’s hand.
“I’ll show you out detective.” Bella Harrison moved in front of Peter Wicker and headed for the front door.
She watched him walk down the path back to his car and gently closed the door behind her.
Peter Wicker slumped in the drivers seat, put his hands on the steering wheel and simply said “Shit.” He grabbed his notebook and recorded the events which had taken place. After a few minutes used for reflection he started the car and headed back to the station to share this new information with his colleagues.
CHAPTER 21
Four days after Peter Wicker interviewed Paul Bates and his sister-in-law very little progress had been made with the murder investigation and DI Cummings and his team still had no information on the victim found at the Bates residence almost a week ago.
DI Cummings was talking with DS Peter Wicker when there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me Sir. We have information on a murder in Surbiton and, according to the uniformed officer who was first on the scene we only have a torso – no arms or legs.”
Davis looked at Peter and they both rose from their chairs and walked toward the office door.”
“Call Anton Schwartz, give him the address and ask him and his team to meet us there. Call the uniformed team there and tell them not to touch ANYTHING!”
David Cummings took a note of the address and he and Peter Wicker went down to the car park and sped off towards Surbiton. Peter called his DC Steven Warrington and told him to meet him at the crime scene.
“Steven, when you get there please take over the leadership of the uniformed officers. I want the area secured and no one is to enter the property until Anton Schwartz and his team have arrived on site.”
“I understand, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“OK Peter, we’re here.” David Cummings announced.
Both detectives got out of the car and walked towards a row of terraced properties. Standing outside was a uniformed constable and through the gate stood a woman dressed in a white all in one suit. Peter recognised her from the first murder scene.
“Pauline?”
“Yes detective, Pauline Fellows. Anton and Brian are inside I need you both to put on one of these suits, shoe covers, hair cover and a mask. You need to go upstairs.”
They both thanked Pauline and, as instructed, put on the clean suits and accessories and headed through the front door.
The hallway, lounge and kitchen looked empty and normal. From upstairs they heard a familiar voice.
“Is that you Peter?” asked Anton Schwartz.
“Yes Anton, I have DI Cummings with me, can we both come up?” They heard footsteps moving around and Anton appeared at the top of the stairs.
“There’s not a lot of room up here. Wait a couple of minutes for Brian to finish the photos and come up. OK?”
“Yes Anton, that’s fine but tell me, is this another victim, the same as the others?”
Anton lowered his face mask, and nodded his head slowly.
“I’m afraid whoever this is definitely had a run in with our killer. It’s the same.”
Just as he finished his sentence Brian appeared next to him.
“I have all the photo’s Anton and the things we have bagged are in the second case on the landing. I will wait downstairs for the detectives to look around then I can come back up if there is anything else to bag or photograph.”
“Thanks Brian, I’ll give you a shout.”
They both smiled and Brian squeezed past Anton and down the stairs. He acknowledged the two officers and continued into the lounge where he took more photos.
Both Peter and David started up the stairs and into the first bedroom. In front of them was a partly-made bed with a duvet and a dark brown cover lay half on the bed and half on the carpet. Occupying the space of the bed not covered by the duvet was the remains of a woman. Her face was twisted and drained of all life being ash-white and her eyes were open. They were blue, but the colour was dull and lifeless. This was not as bad as the top of her head which was scarred and skin was removed in parts exposing her skull. She had no arms or legs and on the floor below where she lay, was a mop of blonde hair attached to a scalp. The two men stood motionless, their expression frozen by the horrific sight which confronted them.
Eventually, Peter Wicker spoke. “My God Anton, what are we dealing with here?”
“A really sick one Peter but also, a very intelligent sick one. There’s not a drop of blood in the body, no blood anywhere in this room, on the stairs or anywhere else!”
Both men looked around as they heard Anton’s initial report.
“Do you have anything at all Anton?” asked David.
Anton took in a deep breath and slowly released the air from his lungs as he replied.
“Well, I can tell you a couple of things. This is not Gillian Murphy. There are a number of photos around of her at work in the local nursing home and we have found a passport and some other paperwork. I can also tell you whoever this is, was not killed here. Like before, the body has been skillfully dismembered and all the blood has been drained. Her hair has been removed, along with part of her scalp and the hair and scalp we have with the body I would guess is not hers – just like Honey Bates... BUT the most confusing part of this is that this person was killed some time ago and this body has been stored and frozen.”
As Anton explained his findings both men looked again at the pitiful sight of the poor woman who had been the fourth victim of this murderer and Anton’s early findings suggested the murderer had once again been careful and left nothing for them to help capture him.
“Anything else Anton?”
Anton smiled and brushed past them to the bedroom door which he closed revealing a ‘Silhouette’s’ chocolates carton nailed to the door and inside, written in red lipstick was the number ‘5’.
“There is this,” Anton said as he finished opening the door. “The same carton as was found by the others, but there are no prints and I guess no DNA.”
“Do you know who found the body Anton.”
“One of the uniformed constables broke into the property after a relative reported the owner missing.”
“Is the relative still here?”
“I think so. If you ask one of the uniformed constables I am sure they will find her.”
“Thanks Anton, I’ll go off and have a word. Will you stay here Peter, just in case Anton finds something?”
“Of course Sir, DC Steve Warrington should be here by now.”
“I’ll look out for him and tell him where you are.”
David Cummings left the room and made his way to the front door where he removed his white suit, overshoes, hair cover and mask and took a deep breath. He turned to a constable standing by the front gate.
“Do you know who found the body constable?”
“Er Yes Sir, it was constable Watson, he’s over there talking to the woman who I think is the sister of the lady who owns this house.” “Thank you. Please ensure no one gets into the house constable, at least not until Professor Schwartz has finished and the body is removed.”
“Of course Sir.”
David made his way over to constable Watson and as he arrived he introduced himself and showed his Warrant Card. The constable touched his helmet in recognition and then asked.
“How can I help you Sir?”
“I understand you were the first into the property constable, can you tell me how you came to be here?”
“Yes Sir. Well, this lady here is Gillian Murphy’s sister-in-law and she contacted the station after Gillian didn’t turn up for work for two days and was not answering her phone. She came to the house and saw the car parked as usual but there was no sign of anyone being in the house, so she came to the station to report Gillian as missing.” The lady standing next to the constable spoke.
“It wasn’t like Gillian to miss work without calling in and she would always let me know if she was unwell. I saw her at least three times a week so it was very unusual for her not to be around.”
The lady paused and looked up at David Cummings. “Is she dead?”
David looked at the woman in front of him. She was very distressed and trying to hold back her tears but they rolled down her cheeks from her wide open eyes.
“Excuse me, I didn’t get your name.”
“Susan Pouter.”
“Well, Mrs. Pouter at this stage I cannot confirm anything about what we have discovered inside, but I can tell you I don’t think your sister-in-law is in there. Now, I would be grateful if you could go down to the police station and give a statement to the sergeant there and I promise, if I hear anything about Gillian I will get the details to you. I would only ask you do not speak to anyone about this until we know more.”
“So it’s not Gillian?”
“As I said Mrs. Pouter, we have not found Gillian inside. Now, please excuse me as I have some things to attend to. Thank you again for your help.”
David made a rapid exit from where Mrs. Pouter was standing cursing himself for talking to the witness about the crime scene and hoping she would not repeat what he had said.
“Excuse me Detective.” a voice behind him was heard.
He turned around and he was confronted by Annabelle Thornton from the local paper.
“Annabelle, how nice to see you.”
“What have you found inside Detective. I understand it’s not the home-owner, is that correct?”
“Now Annabelle, you know better than ask these questions here and now. Wait until a statement is made before jumping to any conclusions.”
“So, it isn’t Gillian Murphy you have found then?”
David Cummings smiled, turned and was about to walk away. “Annabelle, just wait for the statement and don’t speculate; there’s no point in staying here, you will learn nothing.”
“Well Detective, I have learned you have found a body and it’s isn’t Gillian Murphy so who do you think it is?”
David Cummings smiled. “No comment.”
He then turned and walked behind the taped off crime scene leaving Annabelle standing watching him walk away.
“Excuse me Sir, is DS Wicker inside?”
“DC Warrington, yes he is upstairs.” he was about to add DC Warrington needed a clean suit before going in when he saw Anton come out of the house and he was starting to clear up with the help from his two assistants.
He started to walk away from DC Warrington and called out to Anton Schwartz.
“Anton, all finished then?”
“Yes. I will take her back to the lab and start the post-mortem immediately. I should have my preliminary report for you in the morning – possibly tonight if we get lucky and get some DNA we can use. As I said, the body has been frozen for a while, but we will try.”
“Thanks Anton. What about the calling card?”
“Chocolate box? Well, as I said, like the others the killer was very clever not leaving any prints or DNA; but again, we will try to extract something and let you know.”
“OK Anton, I’ll let you finish up and will speak with you tomorrow. Thanks again.”
Anton and his colleagues made their way back to their vehicles just as a grey van pulled up in front of the house and two gentlemen in suits got out, They showed ID to the constable who stood aside and allowed them through.
“These guys are from my offices David, they are here to collect the body and take it back to the lab.” Anton advised.
One of the men went upstairs quickly and returned to the van with his colleague and the took a collapsible trolley from the rear of their van and wheeled it back to the house.
David watched as the took a bag from underneath the trolley and went upstairs again. Five minutes later they were seen loading the bag containing the remains they found in the bedroom onto the trolley and then they wheeled the trolley back to the van. Put the bag and trolley in their van, thanked the constable and drove away.
Peter Wicker came out of the house and toward his boss. “Everyone has finished Sir. They didn’t find anything else to give them a clue about whom this was but, I have known Anton get DNA from a pinhead – if anyone can Anton can.”
David smiled. “I hope so. By the way, your DC is here.”
“Thank you, Sir, I have seen him and he has started interviewing neighbours. I understand you have spoken with the relative who reported Gillian Murphy as missing?”
“Yes, I asked a uniformed constable to arrange for her to provide her statement to the on-duty sergeant as soon as she could.”
After Susan Pouter watched the two men in grey suits take the body away from Gillian’s house she knew there was no point in her remaining so she started to make her way to the local bus stop and go home.
There was a cold wind starting up so she wrapped herself inside her coat and quickened her walk arriving at the bus stop with minutes to spare. After boarding the bus she sat at the rear and almost immediately burst into tears. The magnitude of what had happened suddenly hit her and she couldn’t get the picture of Gillian out of her mind.
Although Gillian had separated from Susan’s brother they had remained good friends and spent a good deal of time together. Gillian worked in the local nursing home and she would tell Susan of the poor treatment the residents received but she needed the job so she pushed it to the back of her mind.
“Who could want to harm her?” she said out loud.
The two detectives made their way back to their car and drove off back to the station in silence, both deep in thought realising they were battling against a real adversary.
Tomorrow they will hopefully discover who was the victim they had found in Gillian’s house and then, deal with the question - where is Gillian Murphy?
CHAPTER 22
Susan Pouter walked into Guildford police station and told the receptionist what DI Cummings had told her. “Please take a seat, someone will be with you shortly.”
She sat down and picked up an old magazine from the table in front of her.
Susan Pouter lived on her own. She had been married but after seven years of putting up with living with a man she only loved for one she decided to leave him and began renting a small flat in West Byfleet and she was reasonably happy. Her estranged husband refused to divorce her and also refused to sell the jointly-owned property to pay Susan her share even though there was a Court Order issued against him to take action. Things were about to come to a head when the Court issued a Possession Order in her favour and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before she received her half of the equity. Gillian was completely on her side in this matter and Susan was going to tell her about the latest Court Order news but she hadn’t come into work or answered her phone calls. Her thoughts were interrupted by the side door opening and a constable standing in the door frame.
