No Smoke Without Fire. Paul Gitsham

thought dry latex powder was discouraged in condoms because it causes allergies?”

      “It is, but you can still find it in some cheap rubber gloves. If I were a betting man, I would suggest that our killer wore a couple of condoms at least, in case of accidents, has a shaved pubic area and used a cut-up rubber glove and sticky tape to ensure that he left no trace where he made contact with her.”

      Warren winced. This was a sick person and, it would seem, clever and well prepared.

      “Anything else on her?”

      “We have found some fine powder on her coat that seems to come from brown cardboard and a couple of fibres that may or may not be significant. We’ll look at the database and see if the fibres are interesting.”

      “She spent the day unpacking cardboard boxes,” offered Warren.

      “That could account for the cardboard powder,” mused Jordan.

      “Was she murdered and raped in situ?” asked Warren.

      “It looks that way. Skin lividity indicates that she died in that position and wasn’t moved post-mortem — gravity pooled her blood just the way we’d expect. Her coat has two muddy patches that line up with indentations on the forest floor, suggesting that he knelt on her coat as he penetrated her. As I said before, the bruising indicates that she was alive at the time, but probably unconscious or compliant. I couldn’t say whether she died during or after the rape. Hopefully the toxicology tests will show that she was unconscious throughout.”

      Warren nodded soberly. It was a small mercy, but he’d take it, he decided.

Chapter 8

      Next stop for Warren was the office of Detective Superinten Grayson to discuss their plans for the upcoming press conference. As always, Grayson had his dress uniform hanging on the back of his office door and Warren knew that he wouldn’t miss an opportunity to wear it in front of the cameras. Looking closely, Warren thought the man’s jowls seemed suspiciously shiny and his hair seemed even smarter than normal. The bugger’s had time for a bloody shave and haircut, Warren realised. For a second, he felt self-conscious — he hadn’t had a haircut for over a month and his early morning shave was some hours behind him — but then he shrugged mentally. If past form was anything to go by, he would barely say a word anyway and would almost certainly be edited out of the bulletin that was broadcast. He was only there because he was the named officer in charge of the investigation. One or two of his answers to more technical questions might be quoted in the broadsheets, space permitting.

      The press conference would be a fairly formal, by-the-book affair. Since the family had informed everyone that needed to know about Sally’s fate, she would be named and her parents would both be present to make a plea for information. It had been decided that details of her death would be kept to a minimum to stop cranks and lunatics from wasting the police’s time with seemingly plausible stories full of authentic detail. No mention would be made of the rape. At the end of the conference, Detective Superintendent Grayson would attempt to remind young women about being vigilant at night without sounding overly alarmist.

      The conference was scheduled for six p.m. Just early enough for the editors of the six-thirty local news to squeeze it into the end of their bulletin. Depending on what else was happening in the world, the story might make it onto the seven p.m. national broadcasts. It was a definite for the late-night news and the next day’s papers.

      Grayson had ordered a police car to take them down to the main headquarters at Welwyn and they had a few minutes to spare. Truth be told, Warren would far rather have driven himself. It might not be strictly legal, but Grayson had enough pull for the police driver to put the lights and siren on. Previous jaunts down the A1(M) with the detective superintendent had left Warren feeling decidedly shaken. Lights or no lights, one hundred miles per hour plus in rush-hour traffic was far outside Warren’s comfort zone and it was all he could do to stop his feet trying to stomp on an imaginary brake pedal. Grayson usually read the newspaper or fiddled with his BlackBerry smartphone.

      As Grayson used his mirror to check his appearance Warren enjoyed the last few mouthfuls of his coffee. One benefit of being called to the boss’s office was his expensive filter-coffee machine and selection of fine roasts.

      “I’ve got a bad feeling about this one, Warren,” mused Grayson.

      Warren was forced to agree. “It’s looking more and more like a stranger killing. That immediately rules out half of our usual lines of investigation.”

      “Worse, it increases the chance of him striking again.”

      Again, Warren had to concur. Most murders had a reason, the victim or victims killed for a purpose or as a consequence of an event. That reason might not be fathomable to normal-minded people, but it did mean that the murders were limited. Once the perceived slight had been avenged or the goal accomplished, the killings stopped. With a stranger killing that might not be the case; the act of killing might be the reason and didn’t necessarily lead to a resolution for the killer.

      As he returned his empty mug to its saucer and grabbed his coat off the chair back Warren felt a heavy weight settle onto his shoulders. A slight ache started in his stomach. They were signs he’d grown to understand — this case was going to be a nasty one.

Chapter 9

      Warren and Grayson survived the headlong dash along the motorway and were soon in the room Herts and Beds used for major press conferences. An announcement earlier in the day about the finding of the body ensured that the room was pretty much full.

      The aim of the conference was to formally identify the victim as Sally Evans and to appeal for help from the public, although as usual the press had managed to identify and name Evans some hours before. Mercifully her family and key friends had been notified before the press spilled the beans, but Warren always worried that one day some over-eager journalist was going to cause a lot of distress by breaking such news on air.

      Key to the conference would be the presence of Sally Evans’ parents and her best friend, Cheryl. Between them, they would deliver a carefully written direct plea to the murderer or those that might know him to search their consciences and contact the police. Darren Blackheath was too upset to attend the conference — or maybe he was avoiding Sally’s father. There was definitely more to that story, Warren mused. Hovering in the background were the force’s press officer and a trio of family liaison officers, there to support the victim’s family and friends during the coming months.

      Sally Evans’ parents had insisted on delivering a direct appeal to the public for information but after Bill Evans and then his wife choked up it fell to Cheryl Davenport to finish reading out the moving tribute to the murdered woman. Although it saddened him, Warren knew that the added drama had probably bought them a few extra seconds on the news and a couple of extra lines in the newspaper, which could only be a good thing. The press briefing packs included an uncropped version of the main picture that they were using, with Sally and Cheryl both laughing at the camera. No doubt at least one picture editor would use this to emphasise the human tragedy.

      As he’d predicted, Warren had been introduced then promptly forgotten about. This early on in the investigation, he had little to offer the press and so a well-groomed John Grayson had answered the few perfunctory questions.

      Finally, barely two hours after leaving Middlesbury, the two officers were back at the station. Grayson didn’t even enter the lobby, practically stepping from the back seat of the police car into the driver’s seat of his Mercedes, muttering something about his golf club’s awards ceremony. He left with a squeak of tyres and not so much as a backward glance. Warren sighed and glanced at his watch. Ten past seven. Turning, he headed back inside.

Chapter 10

      Warren had barely