“Oh, sure. But wait, whoisthe guy from the park? The police have been so tight lipped about everything.”
Blake didn’t look up as he photographed the coat from several different angles. “We’re holding a press appeal tomorrow. Ten o’clock.”
With that, he handed the coat back to Paul and strode out of the store.
Mark, Caitlin and the inspector stared at him in disbelief from across the table.
“So, sorry, you’re telling us you found all this out whilst you were on your lunch break?” Mark said, drumming his pen on the table.
Blake sighed. “No, I found out about Reuben and Leo yesterday, Sal today. I had no inkling thatRuwasReubenuntil Wallace gave us the results of the Falkington rape. As for Leo, I wasn’t even sure if he had any significance. I’m still not, to be honest.”
“So, let me get this right,” the inspector said, pen poised over his notepad. “Reuben is linked to Maginty through the Falkington rape, that much is fact. And now you’re saying it might be the same person that’s linked to Maya?”
Blake nodded. “Yes, boss.”
“And Leo is potentially linked to Zayne Stewart through the pregnancy, and Sal Maverick waspossiblyharassed by Green? This all sounds very fucking circumstantial, Blake.”
Blake spread his hands across the desk. “I know, but it’d be a pretty fucking big coincidence, wouldn’t it? They’re associates, they were all wronged in some way, and now we have three dead men.”
Caitlin let out a breath. “And Maya? Where does she factor into all of this?”
Blake swallowed. “I have no idea. But think about it. We’ve had no DNA links on any of the bodies, except Reuben Atkinson. DNA that was processed by another lab. CCTV was removed from the Stewart scene, something that only someone who knew him might do. There was evidence of an intravenous sedative on two of the bodies—didn’t Maya do her undergrad in fucking medicine? She’s both forensically and criminally aware. It wouldn’t take a big leap in logic to assume she prepped them all beforehand. Took measures to ensure their DNA would never be found.”
“There was evidence of multiple assailants on Robert Green’s body,” Caitlin said, spinning a pen between her fingers. “The two knife tips? I mean, come on, look at Zayne Stewart’s body forChrist’s sake. One hundred and two stab wounds? Even an alpha would struggle to keep that up.”
Blake nodded enthusiastically, tapping the desk with his knuckles. “And the fact that there was no forced entry at his flat. Deadbolt still secure on the door, meaning it had been locked on the way out? Someone with a key, surely?”
The inspector was turning paler and paler by the second. “Enough,” he said, holding up a hand. “Caitlin, check the database for anyone local with the first name Leo, mid-twenties.”
Caitlin nodded. “Yes, boss.” After a moment, she hummed and pursed her lips. “On local systems we have… hm. Oh, one Leo Chantry. Interviewed in 2022 for credit card fraud, and… ah. Prostitution. Looks like he was selling ‘heat experiences’ to alpha’s. Bit fucking risky, that.”
The inspector leaned forward, impatience crossing his sour expression. “And? Was he taken into custody? Did he have his swabs and fingerprints taken?”
Caitlin shook her head. “No. Says here he was dealt with on a voluntary basis, attended the station at a pre-arranged time. He had his photograph and measurements taken, though. Blake, what did you say Maya’s friend looks like?”
“Pem described him as having blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles, roughly five feet seven.”
Caitlin grinned and spun the laptop round. They all went quiet. “Well,” she said, crossing her arms. “It looks as though Mr Shit and Mrs Fan have been formally introduced.”
The inspector sat back, lacing his fingers together. “Right. Mark, I want you to bring Mr Chantry in. Treat him as a witness, bells and fucking whistles, got it? Make him feel like a fucking king, and that there is absolutelynosuspicion about his involvement. Say we’re concerned about his safety. Keep details of the case to a minimum, but find out where the fuck he’d beenin the lead-up to Stewart’s murder. I want to know what kind of relationship they had, who else knew and whether it was his fucking baby.”
Mark grimaced. “Boss… come on. Respectfully, omegas? Do we seriously thinkomegashad something to do with this? They’re just not built like that. A beta, maybe, but not fucking omegas.”
Blake glanced at Mark, then back at the inspector. “I can do the interview, boss.”
The inspector let out a sigh. “With all due respect, Blake, what is your relationship with the scene examiner, Pember McArthur?”
Blake coughed. “He’s my neighbour.”
“Mhm. And are you in an intimate relationship?”
“Boss, I really don’t think that?—”
The inspector quietly held up a hand. “It matters, because if details of our strategy moving forward are shared with Mr McArthur, he could then share that information with Miss Sharma. I trust you implicitly, Blake. But I don’t know him.”
“Boss, I can assure you, Pember is absolutely?—”
“Until we formulate a strategy, I can’t risk either of you unintentionally compromising the case. Once myself, DS Vaughan and DS Matthews have come up with a plan,thenyou can continue to manage the investigation.”
