Pop Goes the Weasel | страница 20

To her surprise it was a payslip. For a woman called Agneska Suriav, who was employed by a health club in Banister Park. It looked official – with National Insurance deductions, a PAYE Employee number – and was for a healthy monthly wage. But it didn’t make a lot of sense. Who was Agneska? A friend of Alexia’s? An alias of hers? It raised more questions than it answered, but it was a start. For the first time in ages, Charlie felt good about herself. Perhaps there was life after Marianne after all.

‘I want an absolute information lockdown on this until we know more. Nothing leaves these four walls without my say-so, ok?’

The team nodded obediently, as Helen spoke. DS Bridges, DCs Sanderson, McAndrew and Grounds, junior officers, data processors and media liaison were all crammed into the hastily requisitioned incident room. The investigation was coming to life and there was a suppressed hum of excitement in the room.

‘We are obviously looking for a highly dangerous individual, or individuals, and it is imperative that we move swiftly to bring them in. First priority is to ID our victim. Sanderson, I want you to liaise with forensics but also uniform – they are out canvassing witnesses in the area and checking for vehicles that might have belonged to the victim. I doubt there’ll be cameras on that street, but ask the supermarkets and businesses nearby. They may have something that can help us.’

‘On it,’ DC Sanderson replied. It was dull work, but often it was the obvious things that opened up a case. There was always the possibility of glory in the drudgery.

‘McAndrew, I want you to talk to the street girls. There must have been a dozen or more out in the area last night. They might have seen or heard something. They won’t want to talk to us, but things like this are bad for business so impress upon them that it’s in their interest to help us. They may be happier talking to a plain-clothes officer, so use the beat coppers to guide you, but do as many of the one-on-ones as you can yourself.’

DC McAndrew nodded, knowing her evening plans had just gone up in smoke. No wonder she was still single.

Helen paused for a second, then slowly and deliberately pinned the crime scene photos – one by one – to the board behind her. As she did so, she heard a faint but audible intake of breath behind her. Few of the officers present had seen a man turned inside out before.

‘First question – why?’ Helen said, as she turned back to face the team. ‘What did our victim do to provoke an attack like this?’