The Inspector Walter Darriteau Murder Mysteries - Books 1-4 by David Carter (best finance books of all time .txt) 📕

the perfect set of freshly cleaned gnashers, ‘there was only one small filling.’

‘Lucky her,’ muttered Gibbons, stroking his chin.

‘She wasn’t that lucky, was she?’ snapped Karen.

‘Yeah, no, course sarge, sorry.’

‘However, the dentist has written a note to say that he would be amazed if the teeth in the body were not the ones that belonged to his client,’ and she tapped and swiped the screen again and brought up the dentist’s report, magnified it ten times so everyone could read it.

‘Are we really looking at some kind of honour killing?’ asked Hector.

‘We don’t know,’ said Karen. ‘But we aim to find out.’

Tapped the screen again, and the monster must have liked the feel of her fingers for it brought up a skypic of the State of Kerala, taken on a sunny day.

‘This is the Indian restaurant they own in Brook Street. As far as Indian eateries go it is very upmarket. Expensive and luxurious, Guv goes there a lot, don’t you?’ and she grinned and everyone turned and leered at the boss.

‘I wouldn’t say a lot, but quite often. I know the people there. Up to now they have been model citizens, which makes it all the more puzzling.’

‘How the hell did we get on to them in the first place?’ asked Hector.

Karen grinned. ‘You’d have to ask Guv about that.’

‘Get on with it!’ said Walter.

Karen began again.

‘As soon as this meeting is finished we are going down there mob handed. All family members are to be isolated in separate cars and brought back here for questioning. Jenny, have you sorted out separate rooms for them?’

‘I have, sarge, yes.’

‘Good, and a word of warning, look out for the younger one, Maaz,’ more screen taps and more action, and a huge colour pic of Maaz, twice life size, culled from the web site publicity guff, looking devilish, beamed out across the Incident Room. ‘He’s been in trouble before, spent some time in a mental institution. If he needs to bring medication with him, make sure he is allowed to do so. There is also a ceremonial sword we are interested in, some kind of family artefact, supposedly brought with them from India generations ago when Wazir, the old man, first came to this country. It’s in a display case behind the bar. We must have that for tests. No bare hand touching. Have we the necessary bags ready?’

Gibbons tapped a bag of equipment on the desk before him. ‘All here, present and correct, sarge.’

Karen nodded and continued.

‘I want one uniform at the front entrance to stop anyone else entering, one uniform at the back to catch absconders, another uniform to go in with us, the senior man, to ask and tell existing diners to leave immediately.’

The senior uniform bloke looked pleased with himself, even if he was going to be home very late.

‘Once we are inside I’ll make an announcement to that effect,’ said Walter. ‘Diners will not be charged for any food they may have eaten, but nor will they be allowed to finish their meals, and no further food will be served. Take all their names and addresses, with ID, and then they are to be escorted off the premises as quickly as possible,’ and he nodded Karen back into action.

‘Jenny will be videoing everything. Hector, you are to go in from the back as well, Gibbons will be at the front with us, and as soon as the place has been cleared the SOCO guys and gals can get to work.’

‘Six vehicles lined up?’ asked Walter.

‘Sure, Guv, three marked, three un.’

‘What happens if Sahira’s there too?’ asked Hector.

No one had considered that possibility.

‘Unlikely,’ said Walter. ‘We’ll have a party and I’ll pay for everything,’ and he nodded Karen to continue.

‘The Khan family will be interviewed separately by myself and the Guv as soon as we are back here, starting with the youngest. The interviews will be screened live on the monster for those that want to watch.’

‘Fantastic,’ said Jenny.

‘Count me in,’ said Hector.

‘Maybe later, Hector, but first I want you to stay behind at the State and interview all the other staff. Names, addresses, how long they have worked there, how long they have been in this country, how well they know or knew Sahira, and when they last saw her, all that stuff.’

‘I get all the good jobs,’ sulked Hector.

Walter jumped in. ‘It IS a good job! You may unearth information that we don’t have. Treat it seriously!’

‘Yeah, sure, sorry, Guv. Do you want me to check immigration papers as well?’

‘May as well,’ said Karen.

‘And don’t forget,’ said Karen, ‘we are investigating two murders here,’ and she brought back a pic of Luke Flowers. ‘We are seeking any link between Flowers and the Khans. Find out if he ever ate there, find out of he knew Sahira Khan, because that could unearth a motive, however misguided, for both murders. Go through the restaurant bookings; find out when Flowers last visited the place.’

‘Got you, sarge,’ said Hector.

‘And while you are looking for links with Luke Flowers,’ said Walter, ‘See if you can find any links to Neil Swaythling as well. We still don’t know what sparked this whole thing off.’

Karen saw the mention of him as something of a challenge, but a simple one, and a second later a colour pic of Neil was staring down at the evening gathering.

‘It goes without saying this operation is top secret. No mention of it is to be leaked anywhere, no TV, no press, no reporters, no nothing, until I say, is that clear?’ said Walter.

Everyone nodded and muttered, ‘Sure, Guv.’

‘I don’t want bloody reporters trampling all over the place. Mrs West will be back in later, so stay alert and be positive. She’ll be watching.’

‘Any questions?’ asked Karen.

The team looked round, stared at one another.

Hector had a question. He always did.

‘Will the Manchester boys be coming down?’

‘No!’ said Walter. ‘Mrs West was quite adamant about that. There is history there. The Manchester boys know nothing about this operation and that