When the Evil Waits by M Lee (top fiction books of all time txt) 📕

at the crime scene or DNA on the body, so it means we are left with the witnesses. And because we were swamped by all the calls from the photofit, I think the investigation became inundated with too much information. I want us to go back to basics.’

‘I agree,’ said Emily.

‘We have two crime scenes: the place where David Carsley was kidnapped and the place where the body was found. The closest witness to the kidnapping was Daniel, the boy’s brother. He noticed a man talking to David before he disappeared.’

‘And we have the photofit,’ added Chrissy.

‘Right. I want to talk with him again. There may have been something Turnbull missed in his initial questioning.’

Emily sat quietly for a moment before speaking. ‘I was with Daniel when he gave the description to the artists. He seemed pretty confident of the man he saw.’

‘And since then? How was he in the house when you were there?’

‘Quiet, reserved, missing his brother. He didn’t like to be alone.’ She paused for a moment. ‘I think he was blaming himself for his brother’s disappearance. You know his dad asked him to look after his brother before they went out to play in the park.’

‘What a horrible responsibility for a ten-year-old,’ said Chrissy quietly.

Ridpath breathed out. ‘I’d like to question him again, see what he says. I can visit the house this afternoon.’

Chrissy was chewing the end of her pen. ‘It strikes me…’

‘Go on…’

‘It strikes me that nobody has really interviewed the other children.’

‘What other children?’

‘The ones Daniel was playing basketball with in the park.’ She took out Daniel’s statement. ‘See, he says he was playing the game while David was in the playground. He could have been playing basketball on his own but I doubt it. And besides, why not with his little brother?’

‘Good point. We need to check out if there were other boys with him. I also want to go and see the park – we can go to the house afterwards and have a chat with Daniel.’

‘He’s pretty fragile, Ridpath, he’s been through a lot.’

‘It will be a chat, Emily, not an interrogation.’

‘I’ll come with you. He knows me and might be more open if I’m with you.’

‘Good idea.’ Ridpath tapped the second point on his list. ‘Chrissy, I want you to check up on the father. Where he used to work, what he’s like, his history. Why did they move down from Scotland?’

‘It’s all in the file, Ridpath, Turnbull already did the work.’

‘Go over it again, find out if he missed something. Or if there’s anything that’s not in the file. I keep wondering why Turnbull was so keen on interviewing the father last night.’ He stopped, remembering something Dr Schofield had said. ‘Check up if there have been any complaints by the neighbours or to the local nick. The pathologist said there was bruising on David’s upper arm which wasn’t recent…’

‘You don’t think…’

‘I don’t think anything, Chrissy, but we need to check it out.’

‘OK, will do.’

He moved down to the third point. ‘This leads me to the mother. I want to go and see her. Find out why she left the family and what she’s doing now. It’s not common to leave two young kids with the father. Did you meet her, Emily?’

The detective sergeant shook her head. ‘Turnbull and one of the new guys handled the interview.’

Chrissy handed over the address. ‘You want me to call and arrange a time?’

‘Nah, I’ll call and arrange to meet her this evening. The fifth area we need to look at is the place where the body was found.’

‘Chorlton Ees.’

‘Right.’ Ridpath scratched his head. ‘Why there? Why dump the body there? What’s so special about that area?’

‘It’s out of the way. Not that many people around except a few dog walkers, and lots of cover to hide a body.’

‘And yet the body was displayed.’ Ridpath opened the case file. ‘“Arms spread out facing upwards. Like Jesus on a cross.” Why go to all the trouble of displaying the body if you don’t want it to be found?’

‘But the discovery was by accident. The man’s dog found it.’

‘And now we know he wasn’t alone when he discovered it.’

‘What’s going on in your head, Ridpath?’

‘I don’t know. I’m looking for anomalies. The body was displayed but hidden. Why? It may be nothing, but we need to check it out.’

‘Anything else, Ridpath?’

‘Two other things, Emily. Can you check any other CCTV cameras in the area of Wythenshawe Park or Chorlton Ees? Not traffic footage, but any house with security cameras, or a shop or a bank. Anything which might show us something different.’

‘It’s a big area. You want me to check everything?’

‘Start with Wythenshawe Park and the surrounding streets.’

‘Wouldn’t the local canvas have picked up any CCTV?’

‘It should have done, but I don’t see any mention of checking for cameras other than those on the roads and the ones in the park.’

‘The boy was kidnapped from the park. Why check anywhere else?’

‘But we don’t know that, Emily. He vanished from the park but we don’t know if he was kidnapped from there.’

Emily made a moue with her mouth. ‘I’ll have a walk around later. See what I can find.’

‘Good. Finally, Chrissy, can you get me the name of the SIO on the case in Merseyside? I want to have a chat with him. See if his perp’s alibi is as airtight as we think it is. Won’t be the first time, we’ve had crossed wires with Merseyside.’

‘And won’t be the last,’ said Chrissy. ‘I’ll message you later, Ridpath.’

‘Right, are we all clear?’

They both nodded before Emily said, ‘You know Turnbull’s going to hear about you sniffing around his case, don’t you?’

The image of David Carsley’s cold body lying on the even colder steel table flashed into Ridpath’s mind. ‘That’s the least of my worries, Emily.’ He stood up. ‘Let’s get going to Wythenshawe. I’ll wait for your messages, Chrissy.’

‘What about my bike?’ said Emily. ‘Somebody’s bound to nick it if we leave it here.’

Ridpath smiled.