Separated at Death (The Lakeland Murders) by J J Salkeld Read Free Book Online Page B

there at about 8pm. The CCTV from town was still being pieced together, but it already looked certain that she’d driven straight there from her dad’s house, with no stops or detours.
     
    So why had she gone to the woods? Hall had an idea. ‘Ian, do me a favour will you? When we get back to the nick would you remind me to get all the CCTV watched for a few minutes after Amy’s car goes through, and check all the registration numbers against everyone we’ve talked to. Any surnames that match, I want to know.’
    ‘You’re thinking the dad then? You think he followed her?’
    ‘No, I didn’t say that. Let’s not jump to any conclusions, but one possible explanation is that someone followed her in a vehicle, and persuaded her to go with them into Serpentine Woods when she stopped. Wouldn’t have to be the dad.’
     
    They were almost back at the station. ‘Do you want me to get someone to canvass the neighbours in the dad’s street then, see if any cars or people were hanging around?’ asked Mann.
    ‘Good idea, and not just the night before last. Anytime recently.’
     
    As they parked Hall felt calmer, and though optimism wasn’t his natural state of mind the initial PM findings were encouraging in a way. He’d have to brief the team, and of course Robinson would be perched on the edge of a table no doubt, but Hall felt in control. Without an immediate confession or a strong eye-witness there was never going to be an instant arrest, but everything pointed to the killer being already known to Amy. And that meant two things, both of brightened Hall’s mood. First, that the chances of rapid detection were much increased over a ‘stranger’ attack, and second that another killing was much less likely. Throw in the fact that a motive should turn up in due course and the situation looked more favourable still.
     
     
     
    The investigation had been split into its main elements the day before, and each officer-in-charge briefed Hall and the group. Door-to-door had generated nothing so far, and last night’s evening dog walkers had been canvassed too, again without success. They agreed to try again that evening.
     
    CCTV had already picked up Amy’s car twice, and established that she was driving through town at 8.10pm. A couple of beat officers were calling at garages, pubs and shops to try to pick up additional coverage. Mann mentioned that they should look at the cars after Amy’s, perhaps the next dozen or so, and it was agreed that these would be checked.
     
    The press officer from HQ, a former copper called Ray Hardy, and said that the first public appeals had aired last night, and the officer looking at the call-sheets just shook her head when Hall asked if there was anything interesting.
     
    Hall knew that he needed to set the tone for the meeting, so he worked hard to keep his comments positive, and he thanked each person briefly when they made their contribution. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Robinson nodding slightly when he did so.
     
    One of the old sweat DCs, Ray Dixon, had been through the list of local sex offenders, and anyone caught up to anything in Serpentine Woods. ‘We found a biggish haul of drugs up there last year, or rather someone’s pet Basset did, but otherwise nothing recent that could tie in. We had a flasher reported a couple of times, but that was years ago. And I’m working my way through the pervs parade: we’ve got half a dozen with an interest in young girls locally, and they’ve all been spoken too. All have alibis of sorts, but some are pretty thin. But then they do tend to live on their own.’
     
    That raised a couple of wry smiles. ‘Stay with it’ said Hall, ‘can you talk to all of them yourself, and see what you can do to eliminate them? We’re not ruling out a sexual motive, so Ian, would you mind helping out?’
     
    Mann didn’t look overjoyed, but nodded acceptance. So how about Amy’s laptop and phone asked Hall? A couple of civilian