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‘We’re in here,’ a call came out from the garage.
It was accessed from a door in the hallway next to the kitchen. Artificial white light from floodlights filled the freezing cold room. An Audi was parked in the middle, shelves full of oddities lined both sides. At the top of the room, three steps made from MDF led down to the garage. From a hook in the ceiling hung the lifeless body of Joe Lacey.
Standing on a stepladder next to the body was a blue-suited Adele Kean. ‘Good evening, Matilda.’
‘Evening, Adele,’ Matilda replied, looking directly at the hanging man. He had a white pillowcase over his head. The rope resembled the one used to hang Brian Appleby, and Matilda counted thirteen turns in the noose. This was definitely no coincidence. She swallowed hard and forced down the bile rising in her stomach. It wasn’t the sight of a hanging man that made her feel sick, it was the thought of a killer striking again.
‘His feet aren’t touching the floor; would the drop be enough to kill him?’ Matilda asked, remembering her conversation with Simon Browes at Brian Appleby’s post-mortem.
‘His feet are only eight inches off the ground. He could have been strung up rather than pushed off the top step. At a guess, I’d say asphyxiation.’
‘Who found him?’
Sian entered the garage, took one look at the hanging body, then down to her notepad. ‘According to the first responder, it was the victim’s son, Jason. He’s only five. In fact, today is his fifth birthday.’
‘Bloody hell, he’s not going to forget this birthday in a long while.’
‘The mother, Karen, was out with all three kids. Joe was getting the house ready for a birthday party. They came home, Jason comes rushing in and finds him hanging.’
‘What time did they leave this morning?’
‘About ten o’clock. Ish.’
‘And what about when they came back home?’
‘Around five o’clock.’
‘Adele?’ Matilda asked.
‘You know I don’t like time of death questions.’
‘After ten o’clock this morning?’
‘Yes. I’d say anything from noon until the time he was found. That’s a guess. Listen to what the neighbours say and go with that,’ she warned.
‘Thank you, Adele.’ Matilda smiled. ‘Where are the family now?’
‘Karen’s sister lives three doors down; they’re in there. The kids are distraught,’ Sian said.
‘How’s the mother?’
‘Quiet, by all accounts.’
‘OK. We’ll leave them for tonight. Get an FLO to stay with them. I want them all interviewed first thing in the morning.’
‘Are you happy with what you’ve seen, Matilda? Can we cut him down and take him to the mortuary?’ Adele said.
‘Yes, sure.’
‘Can someone help me take the weight of this man, please, so I can unhook the rope?’ Adele called out to anyone who would listen.
‘Two seconds,’ Lucy Dauman said placing the pillowcase carefully into an evidence bag.
Matilda turned away from her friend. She led Faith by the arm to the other side of the garage. ‘Faith, you’re good with computers, have a look online for anyone who thinks people like Joe Lacey or Brian Appleby should have served longer sentences.’
‘You think they’re linked?’
‘I do. Keep this to yourself for now, until we find something that connects them.’
‘Will do.’
‘Aaron,’ Matilda called out to the DS as she saw him pass the doorway at the top of the steps. ‘Get Kesinka and Ranjeet out here to knock on a few doors. I know it’s dark but it’s still only early evening. I want to know if anyone saw anything suspicious, not just today either. Has anyone been hanging around lately?’
Aaron nodded and walked away, pulling out his mobile phone. He seemed distracted, probably thinking of his heavily pregnant wife. Matilda had no idea how he was feeling, but even she was starting to wish Katrina would hurry up and have this bloody baby.
Matilda stepped back from the scene of activity and watched as Adele Kean, Lucy Dauman, and a scene of crime officer slowly lowered Joe Lacey to the ground. He was sealed inside a padlocked body bag. Matilda unzipped the forensic suit and took her mobile out of her inside jacket pocket.
‘Sian.’ She signalled her sergeant over to her as she searched for a number. She lowered her voice. ‘Do me a favour, go and visit George Appleby and find out where he was from lunchtime onwards.’
‘You don’t think …?’
‘Right now, I don’t know what to think.’ She put the phone to her ear and waited for her call to be answered.
Matilda went back into the house and nodded at PC Harrison standing next to the front door, who noted on his clipboard that she’d left the scene. She looked around at the sea of onlookers and neighbours who were standing behind the police tape straining to see any action. Ghouls.
‘Ma’am, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I thought you’d like to know we’ve found a body, another hanging,’ she lowered her voice. ‘I think we may have a vigilante operating in Sheffield.’
Chapter Fourteen (#ulink_2ddc6638-2c66-5311-bc40-c566e517c51d)
‘Out of everyone in this room, who is the most sympathetic among you?’ Matilda asked as the briefing into Joe Lacey’s murder began. All eyes turned to look at Sian.
‘Why do I get the feeling I’m being set up here?’
‘I need someone considerate and sensitive to interview the Lacey children.’
‘That leaves out Rory,’ Scott said, to much laughter from around the room.
‘Thank you, DC Andrews, for volunteering to accompany Sian,’ Matilda said.
‘You should learn to keep your trap shut,’ Rory laughed.
‘Rory, you’re coming with me to the post-mortem.’
‘But I’m still recuperating from my attack,’ he said, putting on a sickly voice and, for some reason, a cough.
‘Never mind. Adele and Lucy are both highly trained should you have a funny turn. You couldn’t be in better hands. Now, Kes, how did you get on with the door to door last night?’
‘We’re going back this morning to finish off,’ she said, tucking her shoulder-length black hair behind her ears. ‘A couple of the neighbours said they saw Karen going out with the kids, then Joe left on his own about half an hour or so later. He came back after a couple of hours, but that’s it. Nobody seems to have seen anything else.’
‘OK. Finish the rest of the street off then start over. After a night’s sleep, they may have remembered something else. Do we know the point of entry?’ Matilda asked.
‘There are scratches on the lock on the back door,’ Aaron said. ‘It was closed but unlocked when Forensics were going through the house. Maybe a lock-pick of some kind.’
‘This is someone who knows what he’s doing, then. Rory, get the rope from the Brian Appleby murder. I want to see if it’s a match for the one used on Joe Lacey. Also, try and find where it came from.’
‘Really? You can buy rope anywhere.’
‘It’ll keep you nice and busy then, won’t it? Faith, any joy with the forums?’
Faith looked tired. Her hair wasn’t as neat as usual, and Matilda was sure she was wearing those same clothes yesterday. ‘I’ve only just started, ma’am.’
‘What were you doing yesterday evening? It was still only early when we found Joe Lacey.’
‘I know, but I didn’t think it was worth coming all the way back to the station.’
‘I’m sorry?’ Matilda looked shocked. ‘This is a murder investigation. There’s no such thing as regular office hours when a body is discovered. Every minute counts. You should have made a start on the task I’d set you.’
‘I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll get right on it.’ She lowered her head to her desk. The eyes of everyone else in the room were fixed on her. She blushed with embarrassment.
Matilda’s gaze was locked on Faith while she continued talking. ‘Aaron, track down Rebecca Branson’s family. I want to know where they were yesterday and if they knew where Joe Lacey was living. Now, does anyone have anything to add, any questions?’
‘Are we linking the Brian Appleby murder with Joe Lacey?’ Christian Brady asked.
‘Not officially, but you have to admit, there are similarities. For now, let’s concentrate on finding out who killed Joe Lacey. Once we have a suspect we can try and find a link with Brian Appleby. Right, as you are all aware, the details of Brian’s murder were leaked to the press. If this happens again there will be serious trouble. We only talk about the case in this room. No gossip in the canteen, nothing on social media and don’t say a word to family and friends. Is that clear?’
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