Chapter 61
Chalkie stood under the trees speaking with a uniformed sergeant. The old tarmac had given way to a compacted dirt track. A body lay on the rough verge shrouded by bushes.
“I want someone further up. Just around that bend, there’s a junction to the left. Stick them there. They can tell any walkers and cyclists to go straight down to the by-pass. It’s not that far out of their way.”
He turned to the Forensic Medical Examiner. “DCI Chalkie White. What can you tell me, Doctor?”
The FME stripped a glove off and they shook hands. “Nick Thomas.” He turned to look back at the body. “Well, he’s definitely dead,” he said with a smile. “Looks like a gunshot wound to the back of the head. No exit wound. I’d have thought death was immediate and happened about three hours ago but the pathologist will obviously tell you more. I’d say the weapon used was a revolver or semi-automatic pistol. A shotgun would have caused more damage and a high-velocity rifle round probably would have sailed through him.”
He smiled again. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be off. Got some visits to make at the Custody Suite.”
Chalkie dialled Thurstan on the Airwaves radio and smiled at Carol, the Crime Scene Manager, as she walked past with a ‘not another one’ look on her face.
“Hi, Thurstan, It’s Chalkie. I need a favour, mate. Can I borrow Degsy from you, short term? I’ve got a body, Southport way, out on the Moss.”
Thurstan hung his jacket up. “Yeah, I’m sure he’d be happy with that but what’s up with Johnny Black?”
“He fell out of a tree this morning, in his garden, broke his collar bone.”
“What the hell was he doing in a tree?”
Chalkie couldn’t suppress a smile. “You know what he’s like, tight as a gnat’s arsehole. Refuses to pay for a tree surgeon.”
Thurstan grinned. “Yeah, that’s Johnny. Anyway, I’ll get Derek to call you and you can give him all the details.”
“Thanks, mate. The annoying thing is it’s right on the ruddy border. Shame someone didn’t just roll him into the next field. Another twelve bloody inches and it would’ve been Lancs County’s problem.” He laughed. “I’ll be setting the control up at Ainsdale by the way.”
Thurstan sat down and began to rummage through his desk drawer. “Any witnesses?”
Chalkie had wandered away from the immediate scene and was standing next to the Scientific Support van. Carol passed him a small bottle of chilled water from a cooler box in the back.
“Yeah, two young lads discovered the body. They’d come to explore the woods. They were japing around and one pushed the other into a bush and that’s how they found him.” He gave the bottle back to Carol and indicated he wanted her to take the cap off.
“They may have seen the killer though. As they were coming up the track a bloke passed them, gave them a smile and a nod. White male, clean-shaven, shaved head, even older than me they said so he must be getting on.” He chuckled and took a swig of water. Once in the sun, it was getting hot and sweat was now trickling down his back. He wished he’d thought to bring his shades. “They said he reminded them of Bruce Willis. Anyway, could be something, could be nothing. The body wasn’t easily seen from the path so he could have been an innocent passerby. We’ll have to trace him though.”
Thurstan pulled a couple of files from his in-tray and dropped them on his blotter. “I’ll go and speak to Derek now. He should phone you within the next five minutes. Any clues who the victim is yet, Chalkie?”
“No. No identification on him just eighty quid cash and a day saver train ticket.”
He cancelled the call and clipped the radio back on his belt. Another sip of water and he looked at Carol, questioningly.
She smiled back. “He was shot on the path and then rolled into the bushes, if that’s what you want to know. The blood and the flattening of the grass confirms.”
“Could it have been caused by the lads when they were checking him out?”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve spoken to them. I know where they did and didn’t go.” She glanced back at the scene. “We can’t find any ejected casing at the moment so either they took it with them or they were using a revolver. There are some bicycle tracks, looks like a mountain bike rather than a road one, and some odd little indentations on the path; last night's rain didn't fully dry out because of the tree cover. One of my cycling colleagues tells me it’s a well-used route, so not that unusual.” She flashed him a smile and walked back to direct the activity at the scene.
Thurstan, meanwhile, flicked through the pages on the Niche system trying to find something he’d missed. Sammy sauntered in and sat down.
“You wanted me, Boss?”
The DCI glanced up then back at the screen. “Yes, Sammy. Where’s my list you were going to sort out from that gym over the water?”
“I’ve been on to them several times, Boss, but they were whinging about data protection so I sent them a section twenty-nine notice, Degsy signed it. Now they’re saying they have to pass it on to their data protection manager.”
Without looking up Thurstan replied, “Who’ll probably be some overzealous holder of several more titles whose knowledge was gained from an email and a management leaflet.”
He sighed. “Get on to them again. If I don’t get that list by tomorrow lunch time they’re going to get a visit.”
Sammy stood up. “Right oh, Boss. I left my phone on my desk. I’ll go do it now.”
Thurstan scrolled through the information on the screen then drained his mug. Cold. He muttered then took it across to the drinks stand for a refill. On his way back, Sammy caught him.
“Boss, they said ‘so what, you’ll have to wait. She’s not back in until Wednesday’.”
The DCI scowled. “Did they? Well, we’ll see about that! Tomorrow. Eleven o’clock. You’re driving.”