Death and Deception Read Free

after the phone call had come in from the school, Lizzie had been first on the scene. ( Author’s own words): Disregarding the trouble they might be in, the boys had legged it back to the school as fast as they could to report their horrific find. The eldest, Ryan Carr, had led Lizzie back to the body.
    ‘I knew Carly, sir,’ she said to Hellier. ‘I identified the body. She was a member of our Youth Matters group. She won ‘Exeter’s Got Talent’ at Christmas.’
    Dan glanced at her. ‘What’s that? Local talent show?’
    Singh snorted. ‘Bit more than that. The winner gets a recording session and the last two have gone on to get a contract. It’s quite well-thought of in the music industry.’
    ‘So she was that good?’
    ‘Yes, she was a good kid all round, really. Bit loud, bit opinionated, but a fantastic singer.’ She grimaced, close to tears. ‘It’s so sad, a young girl dead when she had so much to live for.’ She sniffed and blew her nose on a tissue.
    ‘ Sorry. I’ve asked the school nurse to sit with Jenna until her Dad comes to collect her. He’s a builder so he’s got to get back from Newton Abbot.’
    ‘Does she know what’s happened?’ asked Dan.
    ‘No, only that we have news about her sister, and she’s to wait until her father arrives.’
    ‘Right, good move, PC Singh,’ said Dan. ‘Could you ask Mr Braithwaite to drive Jenna home and tell him we’ll be round to talk to them as soon as possible?’
    ‘Yes, sir, of course.’
    Lizzie led them over a broken barbed wire fence towards a clearing where the Forensics team had set up shop.
    ‘It’s not great in the woods, sir,’ she said. ‘Someone’s been shooting crows and there are half a dozen dead ones on the ground. The maggots have been busy. The floor is mainly pine needles so no footprints to speak of. There’s loads of rubbish everywhere, too. T ypical kids’ mess - fag ends, tobacco pouches, sandwich wrappers. Forensics are all over it, and the pathologist is waiting for you.’
    Gould winked at her. ‘Good job, Lizzie.’
    Dan stared at the DCI. He’d winked … at a female PC. Jesus! What century did he come from? He shook his head as PC Singh handed them their protective clothing.
    Gould complained through the entire process, irritating Dan, who had got into his suit with ease. He felt obliged to wait for Gould to make yet another attempt to close the zip before they could head into the crime scene.
    They followed the path through the trees, pulling on latex gloves. Campbell Fox, the pathologist, was sitting on a log, writing up his notes.        ‘Aha! It’s the cavalry at last. I was ready to lie doon next to the wee lassie myself.’ He stopped and did an obvious double take. ‘Ian Gould! I thought you’d retired to Budleigh Salterton or another one of God’s waiting rooms.’
    Gould laughed and shook Fox’s hand.
    ‘It’s been way too long Cam, you old bear. Still fly-fishing? Still not managed to catch yourself a wife?’
    Dan studied the clearing and the position of the tent that protected the body. He wouldn’t approach until the pathologist gave him the nod, so he was trying to work out how the girl might have arrived at the wood. It was a nightmare of a crime scene, as PC Singh had said. He picked out a path through to the school playing fields, and one that seemed to lead to a narrow lane that ran alongside the school grounds. It was unlikely she would have entered via the school, too public. They were bound to have CCTV on the main gates, though, so he could check.
    The DCI and his mate were still standing there joking with a dead girl lying just a couple of feet away. Dan shook his head for the second time that day. He wanted to shout at Gould, Get your priorities right, man , but common sense compressed his lips into a flat line. He ignored their banter until he heard his name.
    ‘This is Detective Inspector Hellier,’ said Gould, ‘Dan Hellier. He’s leading on this case – his