Nameless Kill by Ryan Casey Read Free Book Online Page B

the Nicola Watson case, where all signs pointed towards her being strangled until Jeeves confirmed she’d actually drowned. He didn’t want to recognise this. Not an admission of his incompetence at wound identification. Not that it was his frigging job anyway.
    “I may be wrong,” Jeeves said, “but these wounds on her neck, they…‌in your language, they look to me like she’s had a collar tied around her neck very tight. And for a very long time.”
    Brian bit at his bottom lip. Tried not to inhale the smelly, sour stench from the body. “So she was a prisoner of some sort? A slave?”
    Jeeves shrugged again. “That’s for you to find out.”
    He let go of the curtain. Rubbed his soggy gloves against one another as the pair of them rose back to their feet.
    “You look at a loose end, McDone,” Jeeves said.
    Brian sighed. “Truth is, Jeeves, I’m struggling here. No witnesses. Not a record of a girl of her age on missing persons.” He withheld the information Brad had slipped about the mole for now. “I’m really counting on forensics to come back with some DNA. Some blood, semen‌—‌anything like that.”
    “My money would be on the clothing, personally,” Jeeves said.
    Brian nodded. The sheep’s wool. The pink hat. “For somebody to leave the girl like this. All dressed up like this. I dunno. If you were trying to dispose of a body‌—‌trying to drown somebody‌—‌why would you go to the efforts of dressing somebody up like this? Risking exposing yourself by a clothing match, you know?”
    Jeeves didn’t respond to this. He just stood there, staring at Brian, as the forensics continued to wade through the water looking for whatever it was they were looking for.
    “Do you believe in ritual murder, Brian?” Jeeves asked.
    These words took Brian by surprise slightly. He lowered his hood and frowned. “I believe in murder, and I believe in spiritual babble as an excuse for murder. Why?”
    Jeeves let out a “hmm”. “Just seeing these antlers like this. And this strange clothing. Looks to me like something one of these ritual obsessives might do. I don’t know. You’re the detective.”
    Brian waded back through the water and towards the ridge, feeling like he hadn’t learned a whole lot in this meeting. “Thanks, Jeeves. I’ll make sure Brad gets in touch with you about moving the body. Keep me posted.”
    “Sure will, McDone. We’ll identify this girl. Fingerprints, dental records, DNA profiling‌—‌she’ll exist. Best of luck.”
    Brian stared at his feet as he walked up the path running alongside the stream. Avenham Park was empty, even though it had turned into just as sunny a day as yesterday. News of the murder was spreading. Journalists, over-dressed in long black coats, were gathered around the police tape doing all they could to get a shot. Doing all they could to learn just a little bit more information about this mystery murdered girl.
    Truth be told, they probably knew just as much as the police.
    Brian sighed as he exited Avenham Park and made his way down Church Street. He’d have to get back to the office. Get back and file all the information‌—‌or lack of information‌—‌he’d learned. This fucking case. One day in and he was looking forward to his holiday already. Wasn’t too fussed about having to hand it over to Brad after all.
    He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he got further into the grim, red-bricked streets that were just behind the posh houses lining Avenham Park. He’d have to organise a press conference too. Release some real information to the public. Reach out for any word on missing girls of her age. He’d have more when Jeeves was able to have a proper look at her body. He’d have more when forensics finally pulled their fingers out of their arses and got back to him with real information, hopefully soon.
    As he turned the corner of the street, perfectly willing to walk back to the station even though he was out of breath