Page 25 of Silent Scream
He shrugged. ‘Or it could just be the one in the sink covered in blood.’
‘He was murdered with his own damn bread knife?’
‘Detective, I wouldn’t like to commit myself too early but,’ he lowered his voice and leaned towards her. ‘I’d hazard a guess that foul play was involved.’
Kim rolled her eyes. Great, today everyone was a comedian.
‘Method of entry?’
‘Patio door left open to let the cat in and out.’
‘Good to see the “Secure Home” campaign was successful.’
Kim stepped closer to the patio door. A technician stood outside, dusting the handle. She studied every inch of the area.
Her gaze paused and she crouched down.
She assessed the back garden; a mixture of gravel and slabs. A clean fence lined the perimeter.
‘Keats, who from this team was at Teresa Wyatt's house the other night?’
He glanced at the technicians present. ‘That would be just myself.’
So, it was just the two of them.
‘Are you wearing the same shoes?’
‘Detective, my footwear ...’
‘Keats, just answer me.’
He paused for a few seconds, now moving towards her. ‘No, I am not.’
And neither was she.
‘Look,’ she said, pointing.
He squinted at the object, which was no more than an inch long.
‘Golden Conifer,’ he observed.
Their eyes met as they both realised the repercussions of the discovery.
‘Whisky’s a bit of a puzzle, Guv,’ Bryant said, appearing beside her. ‘Our guy was a recovering alcoholic. Been on the wagon for about two years. The wife states that the bottle wasn’t in the house this morning and he would never have left the house dressed like that. Also, he’s got the same money in his wallet as he did when she left the house. She still checks.’
Kim stood and took an evidence marker from the tech bag. ‘Why would the killer bring the whisky?’
Bryant shrugged. ‘Dunno, but he had congestive heart failure so the whisky would probably have been enough.’
Kim was puzzled. The murderer had brought a bottle of alcohol, somehow aware that it would probably prove fatal to Tom Curtis, but had almost beheaded him anyway. It made no sense.
‘Our killer could have just delivered the bottle and left the scene but that wasn’t enough. Why?’
‘Sicko wanted to send a message?’
‘Either the killer knew of his heart condition but wanted to add the personal touch ? or it was a tool to subdue him, to make the job easier.’
Bryant shook his head as Kim’s mobile phone rang.
