‘His phone was seized by the search team, I think a laptop too, but I’m not sure about anything else. All this time we were focusing on Sally but what if it’s Tim who is the link? He brought the killer home with him, we need to find out why, what their connection is to each other. Come on, Morgan, we’re going back to the house. And so we don’t miss any more angles, Amy and Cain can go and speak to David’s colleagues at the university, see what he was like, if he had any problems with students or staff. But the most important question right now is who is this mystery guy?’
NINETEEN
They drove down Hest Bank Road, both feeling more positive now that they had a lead. Even if it turned out that the guy with Tim wasn’t involved, at this moment he was the last person to see him alive, he’d surely know something.
‘If we get stills, we could go to Tim’s school and ask his friends if they know who he is, and we need to go there anyway, so this could be a huge help in identifying the man.’
‘This is why I love working with you, Brookes. I’ve been so focused on Sally because she was killed last. Why do you think he saved her until the last though?’
Morgan shrugged; she was driving. She glanced at him then looked back at the road as the car crawled towards the Lawsons’ house, which was still taped off with blue and white police tape. A lone PCSO was sitting in a car parked in front of the drive. Despite all the excitement about the man with Tim, she still had a feeling that there was something significant about Sally’s death having been last, only she had no idea what it could be.
She said her thoughts out loud. ‘Could he have been a school friend of Tim’s? He looked older in the video, but it wasn’t very clear. What if he had some strange crush on Sally, or maybe she didn’t like him and told Tim he wasn’t to hang around with him? It seems extreme, but this killer is clearly extreme. Something upset them to the degree that he felt that murdering her family was acceptable. She must have really pissed him off. Or maybe it was simply because she came home last; he might have killed them in the order they arrived home. He could have fallen out with Tim, killed him then realised he had to kill his parents if he wanted to get away with it. But, then the hands, why the hands? There has to be some meaning to it somewhere, buried deep, we need to uncover it.’
‘Deep, that’s deep but I think you’re right. If he’d had a falling out with Tim, wouldn’t he have killed him and then got the hell out of there? I mean what kind of person kills an entire family to right one wrong, if there even was any wrongdoing?’
They got out of the car and headed over to the PCSO on guard. Tina dangled one hand out of the car window, a keyring containing a bunch of keys attached to it.
‘Afternoon.’
‘How’s it going? Have you seen anyone loitering around?’
Morgan noticed the empty mug on the passenger seat. Tina shook her head.
‘Nothing, there’s been a bit of traffic with residents coming and going. That old lady who lives in the bungalow is a feeder. She’s brought me cakes, biscuits and two mugs of coffee. In fact before you go, can I use the toilet?’
Morgan smiled at her. ‘Nip off now, Maggie will let you in to use her loo.’
Tina got out of the car and stretched. ‘Thank God, I’d have wet myself if I had to hold it in much longer.’ She strolled towards Maggie’s house, with the empty mug in one hand and her hat in the other.
‘You know, we should ask Maggie if she saw the guy with Tim, if she recognises him. He might be a regular at their house.’
‘We will, let’s go inside first though and see what we can find. Then you can go speak to her. I’m too scared of that angry pug.’
‘You’re such a wimp at times, boss.’ She laughed and shook her head.
‘I know, I’m not hardcore like you.’
They walked around to the back of the house, which wasn’t fire damaged, and once again, in the muted afternoon light, Morgan was struck by how perfect the garden was. It must be nice to have the time to appreciate what you had by spending balmy summer evenings cooking and eating outside.
‘You like this garden an awful lot, don’t you?’ Ben said.
She nodded. ‘It’s nice, great for entertaining your family and friends, don’t you think?’
He laughed. ‘Definitely nice, if you have family and friends to entertain. We have each other and are married to the job, but if you’d like something like this, I’d get someone in to build it.’
She looked at Ben, then shook her head. ‘Maybe when we’re older, retired, maybe have some family and friends. I don’t suppose we’d get to use it much now, but it’s just nice to look, you know, and imagine what your life could be like.’
He was unlocking the bifold door but turned back. ‘Would you like a family one day?’
She shrugged. ‘I don’t know, not something I’ve ever given much thought to. I mean it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, is it? Sally and David had the perfect family life, or at least they did from the outside, and now they’re all dead. How cold and cruel is that? Maybe we should stick with each other for the time being.’
He laughed. ‘You’re right, I wasn’t offering to get you up the duff, Morgan, it was just a thought.’
‘Up the duff? You have such a way with words.’
He pulled open the door, stepping inside, and he didn’t answer, though she didn’t expect one. They were here, once again, at the awful scene of the crime, looking for clues that only they could find.
‘Do you want to take Tim’s bedroom? You’re closer to his age, you might have a clue what to look for. And I’ll check Sally and David’s?’
