Wrongful Death (13 page)

‘What’s his handicap?’

‘Don’t take the piss, Travis!’

‘Actually, I was about to take some red wine. Would you like a glass, or the Scotch is in the cupboard on the left.’

‘I give you a simple suicide case that needs a few casual enquiries and you turn it into a witch hunt against Donna Reynolds,’ Langton said as he removed the whisky bottle from the cupboard and poured himself a large glass, which he promptly downed in one before pouring another.

‘What did the Commissioner say?’

‘He called Walters, who took great delight in biting my head off because of your behaviour.’

For Anna, the mention of Walters’ name put a whole different perspective on Langton’s visit.

‘What did he say?’ she asked as she removed two clean plates from the dishwasher to avoid eye contact with him.

‘He wasn’t happy. He was tempted to scupper your trip to the FBI Academy until I persuaded him otherwise. What on earth made you accuse Donna Reynolds of murder?’

‘I didn’t.’

‘Well that’s not what Gloria Lynne said.’

‘I mean, I didn’t personally.’

‘Come on, Anna. I thought you were better than that. Don’t put the blame on Jessie. She’s only shadowing you.’

‘I’m not blaming her but she’s fixated on the idea that Donna Reynolds had Josh murdered. She makes everything fit her theory and has an extremely aggressive manner.’

‘I think she’s a bit more experienced than that.’

‘You’ve never worked with her. She’s more interested in her own opinion and proving herself right.’

‘Sounds like someone I know.’

‘You know full well I consider all aspects of the evidence before I voice my opinion. As you said to her, you need the team on your side, not against you.’

‘She told you I said that?’

Anna realized she had inadvertently revealed that she had eavesdropped on Langton’s conversation with Dewar.

‘Do you want some of this Chinese?’ she asked, trying to change the subject.

‘You listened in on our conversation, didn’t—’

‘Okay. Yes, I did, but it wasn’t deliberate.’

‘Just as well I was singing your praises then.’

‘Thanks for putting her straight about Ken.’

‘Why didn’t you tell her?’ Langton asked.

‘I don’t really know her, let alone like her, and my personal life is none of her business.’

‘Understandable, but I’ve always found her very pleasant.’

‘When she wants something to be to her advantage, she is. Look at all you’ve done for her,’ Anna hit back.

‘Do I detect a hint of jealousy?’

‘No. You detect someone who’s not prepared to be blamed for Dewar’s mess.’

‘She’s got a good track record,’ Langton pointed out.

‘In a classroom maybe, but I don’t think she’s very experienced at investigative street work. Not a clue about how to talk to people.’

‘She could just be nervous working in a strange environment.’

‘You need to sit down and listen to the interviews I taped with Delon Taylor and at Gloria Lynne’s house and rethink your opinion of her.’

‘You only have to put up with her for a few more days before we leave for Quantico. So do me a favour and give her a break.’

‘Patience as you know is one of my virtues,’ Anna said with a wry smile.

‘Good. While we eat this, you can tell me about the investigation so far. Warts and all.’

‘I thought we’d just covered Dewar,’ Anna said as she put the plates of food and a bottle of soy sauce down on the kitchen table.

‘Don’t push it,’ Langton said, and smiled.

Anna gave Langton a run-down on the investigation so far, going over the interviews with Delon Taylor, Marcus Williams, Donna and Gloria Lynne. Anna told him that although Gloria struck her as someone who was full of her own importance she was a very protective mother when it came to her daughters and Dewar’s line of questioning didn’t help.

‘Everything seems quite straightforward to me. If you’ve shown Taylor to be a liar then it should be case closed,’ Langton remarked, having listened to everything Anna had told him.

‘I’d like nothing more than to agree with you but Dewar has raised some valid questions that are as yet unanswered.’

‘Hang on a minute, you said earlier that she was coming up with wild theories.’

‘I said, I think she makes things fit the way she perceives them to be. You’ve always said to expect the unexpected, but never try and explain it until you find the evidence that proves or disproves a theory.’

‘So what’s the problem?’

‘I know Dewar’s interpersonal skills leave a lot to be desired. She likes to be confrontational, but I have to say she was very impressive during her crime scene re-enactment at the Reynolds flat.’

‘She should be. As a Behavioural Adviser crime scene analysis is her bread and butter.’

‘She went through the scene very methodically, even acted out being shot three times and let herself slump to the ground as if she was Josh Reynolds in his death throes.’

‘A tad dramatic, but her conclusion was?’

‘Dewar said if Reynolds shot himself there should have been blood spatter across the back of his right hand. There wasn’t any and the position his body ended up in didn’t seem natural.’

‘It’s not natural to shoot yourself in the head,’ Langton observed.

‘If Dewar’s right then the scene had to be staged to look like a suicide. I’ve arranged to see Pete Jenkins at the lab tomorrow morning to discuss her theory.’

‘Didn’t he attend the scene at the time of Reynolds’ death?’

‘It doesn’t appear that Pete was ever asked to and I suspect that once the post-mortem was over it was in effect case closed.’ Anna raised her eyebrows.

‘The original file would have been checked and signed off as suicide by one of the Homicide Directorate Superintendents,’ Langton said.

‘They can only go by Paul Simms’ report.’

‘Have you spoken with Simms?’

‘Meeting him for an early breakfast before going to the lab.’

As Langton got up and helped himself to what was left of the Chinese food, Anna looked at the kitchen clock. It was nearly eleven. She was really tired and had an early start in the morning. As a hint to Langton she gave a loud yawn and stretched her shoulders and neck.

‘I’d like to listen to the Donna Reynolds interview tape. If you’re tired, get off to bed and I’ll see myself out when I’m done,’ Langton said, offering her little choice in the matter.

Anna got the Dictaphone from her handbag, handed it to him and went off to her bedroom. She set her alarm and lay in bed mulling things over in her mind as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Anna was unexpectedly awoken by a hand on her shoulder. In panic, she wondered where she was and sat bolt upright.

‘Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,’ Langton said.

Although annoyed that he had done so, Anna was relieved that it was him.

‘You been here all night?’ she asked, thinking it was the early hours of the morning.

‘It’s only midnight. Bit of a humdinger, that interview at Gloria’s house. Dewar did push it to the limit and—’

‘Good night, Jimmy,’ Anna said, deliberately using Dewar’s name for him.

‘I hate being called that.’

‘Please. I just want to go back to sleep!’ Anna pleaded as she pulled the duvet over her head.

‘Well I just wanted to apologize for my earlier outburst. You were very polite with Gloria Lynne and tried to diffuse the situation. I shouldn’t have doubted you.’

‘Apology accepted,’ she mumbled from under the duvet.

‘I’ll be off then.’

Hearing the bedroom door close, Anna pulled the duvet back down as her mind went back to the time when they had lived together. Even then, he had an annoying habit of waking her in the middle of the night to discuss or seek her opinion on some aspect of a case that was irritating him. She was glad that the breakup of their relationship had never marred their respect for each other.

Since it was so early in the morning, Anna easily found a parking bay near the restaurant where she’d arranged to meet Paul Simms. Although she knew of the Wolseley and its famed breakfasts, she had never been to it before. It had been built as a showroom in the 1920s by the famous Wolseley car company, subsequently became a bank, and then in 2003 was turned into a café-restaurant that retained many of its original features and its Venetian-style design.

The restaurant was already bustling with customers as Paul Simms waved to her from his table at the far side of the room. He was smartly dressed in a light grey woollen pinstripe suit, lilac shirt and matching silk tie. When the handsome maître d’ bade Anna good morning, she told him that she was meeting a friend who was already seated.

Paul, as ever the gentleman, stood up to shake her hand and then gently pulled her chair back for her to sit down. The waiter flicked open Anna’s napkin, handed her the menu and poured her a glass of water.

‘Posh, isn’t it?’ Paul said.

‘It’s amazing.’

‘Glad you like it. It’s a bit expensive though.’

‘My treat, so don’t worry about it.’

Anna perused the menu and thought to herself that for a central London location with such stunning decor the food prices were not that extortionate, though the caviar omelette was out of her price range.

‘What do you fancy?’ Anna asked.

‘The maître d’. He’s drop-dead gorgeous,’ Paul replied with a cheeky grin as he peered over the top of his menu.

‘I thought so too,’ Anna said, imitating him with her menu.

‘I saw him first, girlfriend.’ He winked.

‘It’s good to see you, Paul. You always brighten up my day.’

Paul ordered the full English breakfast with poached eggs. He also asked for a pot of Earl Grey tea. Anna thought she’d be a bit more adventurous and opted for haggis with fried duck eggs and a Macchiato coffee.

‘Got a bit of a hangover,’ Paul confided. ‘I was out with Brian last night at the G-A-Y club in Soho.’

Anna smiled. ‘Celebrating the new house?’

‘Well, that and our engagement.’

‘Congratulations, Paul, I’m really pleased for you both.’

‘We’ve been together a year now and I’m still crazy about him. We want the full monty – morning suits, marquee in the gardens of a stately home. Our sisters have agreed to be bridesmaids. I’ll send you an invitation.’

‘Thank you, I look forward to it.’

‘So what’s the problem with Joshua Reynolds’ suicide?’

‘It’s more a case of someone causing problems by questioning your original investigation.’

‘Don’t tell me, bloody DCS Langton?’

‘No. An FBI agent called Jessie Dewar. She’s a behavioural adviser at their Academy in Quantico.’

‘What’s the FBI got to do with Reynolds’ death?’

‘Langton arranged for Dewar to be attached to my team on work experience.’ Anna paused before continuing. ‘She thinks Reynolds was murdered and the scene was staged to look like a suicide.’

‘That’s ridiculous. The Coroner and all the experts said it was suicide,’ Paul said, clearly upset by what Anna was telling him.

Anna was about to say more when the waitress interrupted them as she served their breakfasts.

‘When I spoke to you on the phone yesterday, you mentioned a prisoner making “spurious allegations”,’ Paul prompted her.

Anna outlined Delon Taylor’s background at the Trojan, why he was awaiting trial and his allegation that Reynolds might have been murdered by his partner Marcus Williams.

‘Then why didn’t the file come back to me to interview Taylor? That’s normal procedure, isn’t it?’

‘This is off the record, Paul, and just between us . . . okay?’

Paul nodded as he ate a mouthful of his breakfast. Anna sipped her coffee and explained that Langton had deliberately allocated her team the reinvestigation as he wanted to secure them the new office at Belgravia.

‘So why do you think Taylor is telling the truth?’

‘I don’t.’

‘Then why are we having this conversation? Why isn’t it case closed?’ a worried Paul asked, pushing his food round the plate in an agitated manner.

‘Dewar’s made some observations about the blood distribution at the scene and the suicide note on Reynolds’ laptop.’

‘So she’s a jack of all trades. Blood-distribution expert, a forensic linguist as well as a behavioural shrink! If she’s got a problem with my investigation, why can’t she speak to me face to face?’

‘I’m on your side, Paul, but . . .’

‘Have you told Langton and Dewar that?’

‘Of course. Look, both Langton and I have assured Dewar that you’re a competent and respected investigator.’ Wanting to be discreet in a public area, Anna showed him some small pocket-sized photographs she had in her briefcase of the Reynolds death scene. She explained Dewar’s observations on the blood distribution and the interviews they had had with Marcus Williams and Donna Reynolds.

‘I don’t know if Dewar’s right, Paul, but I need to make sure that everything is done by the book to support your original investigation. I’m seeing Pete Jenkins later this morning but I need to go over your actions concerning the scene before I do. I’m being straight with you and that’s all I ask in return.’

‘I’ll be as straight as I can be.’ He laughed nervously, giving a camp flick of his wrist.

‘I’m serious, Paul. If, God forbid, Dewar’s right, then it’s a question of damage limitation.’

‘My investigation report was signed off as suicide by Detective Superintendent Mike Lewis – you know him, don’t you?’

‘Yes, of course I do, but for the time being I don’t want him to know we’ve met and discussed the case. He’s got enough on his plate as his daughter was involved in an accident, so let me just try and iron all this out.’

‘Anna, I’m not sure what more I could have done at the scene,’ Paul protested. ‘I was guided by the pathologist Dr Harrow and by John Freeman the Crime Scene Manager.’

‘I noticed in Pete Jenkins’ report that he never attended the scene. Why was that?’ Anna asked, taking the opportunity to enjoy some more of her breakfast.

Paul explained that he had been advised by Freeman to call the pathologist and was present while the two of them discussed the position of the body, bullet injuries to the head and the blood distribution. Harrow had said that if the body was removed to the mortuary within a couple of hours, he would ‘as a favour’ handle it as a late-afternoon post-mortem as he was off on holiday the next day.