Page 62 of One Left Alive
‘So more than enough time to murder an entire family if they’d been given enough to render them unconscious?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘I still don’t understand how you found it in the Potters then. They weren’t found for at least twenty-four hours and Olivia’s post-mortem wasn’t until the next day.’
‘I took samples of femoral blood and vitreous humour, which came back positive. I can also send hair samples to be analysed, but the results were conclusive without the need for that.’
‘Wow, that’s clever. Does that mean if we take a sample of Bronte’s hair you could send that off to be tested to see if it was administered to her?’
‘I can, yes. Though it would have to be taken by a CSI and submitted to protect the chain of evidence. I would imagine if her family were given it then she would as well.’
‘Unless you killed them or were an accomplice to their murder, but the murderer turned on you… Sorry, just thinking out loud. Thank you, Declan, this is great. I’ll let Ben know.’
She stood up. When she reached the door she turned around. ‘Are you really good friends with Ben?’
‘I’d like to think so, why?’
Was this any of her business? Probably not and she didn’t know whether to divulge the information or not. Ben might be angry with her.
‘I don’t know him very well, but the other night—’
‘He got hammered and thought about taking an overdose. How do you know?’
‘How do you know?’
‘You first?’ Declan smiled at her.
‘I needed to talk to him about this case and I went to his house; it was quite late. He was sitting at the kitchen table with a row of tablets in front of him. He said it was the anniversary of his wife’s death.’
‘Shit, I forgot all about Cindy’s anniversary. I usually take him to the pub, he tells me how he’s going to do it and I tell him not to bother because having to do his post-mortem is way beyond the realms of our friendship.’
‘Oh, so he wouldn’t have?’
‘I like to think not. He was devasted to find Cindy dead and blames himself, but he knows suicide won’t help anyone. Look how it’s left him.’
‘She killed herself. Oh God, I thought she’d died accidentally.’
‘No, it would have been better for Ben if she had. He wouldn’t be shouldering the guilt like he is. I’ll give him a ring. Thank you for reminding me.’
‘Please don’t tell him I told you. I don’t want him to think I’m interfering or gossiping.’
He smiled. ‘I won’t, it’s not interfering when you’re concerned. I can’t believe I didn’t remember; it was the day the Potters turned up. No excuse, but it was busier than it’s been in here in a very long time. I’ll let you out the main entrance.’
Leading her to the door she came through with Ben the other day, he held one open. ‘You take care, Morgan.’
‘Thanks, I will. You too.’ She walked back to her car, a whirlwind of emotions blowing in her mind.
Forty
Ben stood in front of the briefing room, which was full. As he looked around, the only person missing was Morgan. Dan was sitting next to Abigail at the front, his legs crossed, staring at his phone, and just looking at him made Ben want to take the phone from him and slap him with it. He’d never known anyone irritate him as much as he did.
‘Right, we are in what I would say is a bit of a mess. You already know about the Potter family; we are progressing that investigation. I still need a lot of work doing in regard to that case and several of you are going to be tasked with enquiries, so hang on after this finishes. Amy will go through what I need you to do. This morning a male was found brutally murdered at the offices of theCumbrian News. We believe this male to be Jamie Stone, the editor in chief of the paper.’
There were murmurs around the room; everyone knew him. Most people disliked him and the way he ran the paper. He loved to write stories that slated the local police and officers. Ben waited for them to quiet.
‘He hasn’t been formally identified yet, although the co-worker who found the body thinks it might have been him. I’m also pretty sure it is after a bit of a run-in with him outside the Potters’ the other day. She didn’t look long enough to make a positive ID. However, his car was parked outside on the double yellows and the engine was cold, so it had been there some time. No one else was in the building, so it’s highly likely to be him. Dan, can you go check out the home address and any other addresses on the list I’ll give you just to make sure he’s not in bed nursing a hangover?’
Dan rolled his eyes. Ben clenched his knuckles under the podium he was leaning against. The door opened and Morgan slipped through it, mouthing ‘sorry’. He nodded and continued, but not before noticing the look of contempt Dan threw her way. He was going to have to speak to the little git at some point and remind him about his attitude.
