Will to Live Read online

  Kay straightened at Carys’s voice, and came face to face with a man in his seventies, his face ashen.

  ‘Elsa?’

  The woman thrust the blanket aside as the dog spun round and launched himself at the man. The woman fell into the man’s arms, and his eyes met Kay’s.

  ‘Can I take her home now?’

  ‘Yes.’ Kay handed one of her business cards to the couple. ‘Thank you, Mrs Flanagan. We’ll be in touch over the next day or so, but please – if you need to talk to someone, please seek help. You’ve witnessed a very traumatic event, and these things take time.’

  ‘Thank you, Detective.’

  Kay watched as the older couple moved towards the floodlit track and then turned as Sergeant Walker approached.

  ‘We’ve got the all clear,’ he said. ‘I’ll show you what we’ve got.’

  Kay and Carys followed him as he led the way towards a gap that had been severed in the fence line to allow the emergency services and investigating teams to access the railway tracks.

  A steady stream of disgruntled passengers was being discharged from the carriage at the far end, away from the carnage at the front of the train.

  ‘Where’s the driver?’ she asked as she pulled on the coveralls and plastic booties that were handed to her.

  ‘Giving his statement to one of my colleagues,’ he said. ‘We’ll have a copy of that over to you as soon as possible.’

  ‘Ta.’

  ‘Jesus.’

  Kay acknowledged Carys’s murmured comment as they approached the front of the train.

  Blood spatter covered the front wheels, a tangled mess of clothing and limbs strewn underneath.

  Kay checked over her shoulder.

  The first responders had erected shields at the start of the carriages, so none of the passengers would be able to see what was going on at the business end of the investigation.

  ‘Harriet’s here,’ said Carys.

  Kay greeted the head of the Crime Scene Investigation team and explained the known facts while the woman pulled a set of protective coveralls over her own clothes and tied her hair back.

  An astute and respected CSI, Harriet Baker had studied at Oxford before taking up residence in the Kent county town with her sales manager husband and had worked with Kay on a number of cases.

  Her face grim, she gestured to the photographer that joined her.

  ‘If we’re all ready, let’s take a quick look, and then I’m locking down this crime scene for processing. I’d prefer it if only one of you accompanied us,’ she said to Kay.

  Kay took one look at Carys’s pale face and wide eyes and knew she’d have to go.

  ‘Makes sense. Carys – if you could wait here, and then liaise with Harriet’s team for the rest of this evening?’

  ‘Yes, Sarge,’ said the detective constable, the relief in her voice palpable before she scurried away.

  ‘Someone changing their mind about committing suicide isn’t unusual,’ said Kay. ‘So, what do you need us for?’

  Walker beckoned to her and the CSI and then made his way to the rear of the locomotive via a demarcated path that had been erected above the troughing route caused by the ballast, the photographer trailing in their wake. He crouched beside the wheels and shone his torch onto the tracks. ‘It wasn’t suicide.’

  Kay gulped at the mess, but tried to focus on the task at hand. ‘What am I looking for?’

  In reply, Walker wiggled the torch beam across the far rail.

  ‘There. What’s left of his ankles is tied to the tracks.’

  Three

  Kay elbowed the door to the incident room open, balancing a pile of manilla folders she’d brought from her usual work desk, and trying not to let the strap of her handbag slip down her arm.

  ‘Here. I’ve got it.’

  She glanced up at the familiar voice. ‘Hi, Gavin – thanks.’

  She stuck her foot against the door so the young police officer could follow, his arms laden with stationery supplies and an assortment of textbooks, and then made her way over to a desk on one side of the room.

  Screens and computer hard drives had already been laid out at each desk by the IT team, and as PC Gavin Piper moved around the room plugging in keyboards and switching each of the machines on, the rest of the immediate team began to arrive.

  The door swung open and Ian Barnes appeared, a detective constable that Kay had known for years. After a brief sabbatical, he’d phoned Kay a few weeks ago to say he’d be returning to the station, and she looked forward to working with him once more. He could be abrupt, but Kay enjoyed his dry sense of humour.

  He grinned as he approached her desk. ‘Long time, no see, Hunter.’

  ‘Good to have you back, Ian.’

  ‘Ah, you say that now.’

  She shook her head and smiled. ‘I bagged you this one,’ she said, pointing to the desk abutting hers. ‘That okay?’

  ‘Yeah – I can steal your stuff more easily.’

  ‘Great.’

  He threw his jacket over the back of his chair and stretched. ‘Where’s Sharp?’

  ‘In with Larch and the chief super. Should be here any minute.’

  Kay took the steaming takeout cup of coffee he held out to her, and leaned back in her chair. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Figured you’d need it. What time did you get home last night?’

  ‘About eleven.’

  ‘Adam around?’

  ‘Already asleep. He was still snoring his head off when I left this morning.’

  ‘Lucky bastard,’ said the older detective. ‘If I’d known I was going to be called in today, I wouldn’t have offered to pick Emma up from that bloody boy band gig in London at one o’clock in the morning.’

  Kay grinned and pulled out a chair from under the desk next to him. ‘You love it really.’

  He smiled and popped open the top of the Styrofoam cup. ‘Yeah,’ he conceded, and stifled a yawn before taking a sip.

  ‘Could be worse, Ian – she could’ve asked you to go to the concert with her.’

  He choked and punched his fist against his chest before speaking. ‘That’s not funny.’

  Kay laughed, reached across the desk and wiggled the mouse to bring the two computer monitors to life. ‘Have you seen Carys?’

  ‘Yes, she was in before you. On to her third coffee, I think.’

  ‘I’ve asked her to liaise with Harriet on this one. Thought it’d do her good.’

  ‘Good call. Much left?’

  Kay wrinkled her nose and put down her coffee. ‘I don’t envy Lucas and his colleagues at the best of times, let alone with one like this. As for the ambulance and fire service lads that had to clean up afterwards—’

  ‘I heard he was decapitated.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘At least it was quick.’

  ‘Apart from the fact he knew it was going to happen.’

  Kay turned her attention back to the files, sorting them into the trays next to her computer. No matter if she now had a murder case to solve, she would still have to try to stay on top of the myriad of crimes that needed to be followed up and processed. Nobody else was available.

  She didn’t look up when Detective Inspector Sharp entered the room, his pace business-like as he strode towards the whiteboard that Piper had set up ready for the investigation to begin.

  Instead, she finished arranging her desk the way she wanted it as a way to ready herself for the adrenalin and frustration that she knew the investigation would bring.

  ‘Right, gather round,’ said Sharp.

  Kay turned her seat to face the whiteboard, then swallowed.

  Detective Chief Inspector Angus Larch stood next to Sharp, his eyes boring into hers.

  Four

  Kay had managed to avoid Larch since the last murder investigation when they’d crossed paths. Upon solving the case and ensuring two nasty individuals were put behind bars for producing and distributing snuff films, Larch had grudgingly congratulated he
r for her efforts but since then, he’d continued to block and delay any attempt of hers to be promoted to detective inspector, citing a Professional Standards investigation she’d been subjected to the previous year.

  Common sense had won through in the end though, and the investigation had confirmed her innocence, something that she’d maintained all along.

  It had wreaked havoc on her health, though and she kept the secret of a subsequent miscarriage from her colleagues. Instead she and her other half, Adam, had kept to themselves, battled through, and carried on.

  Yet Larch continued to question her professional abilities at every opportunity.

  It appeared as though his role had taken a toll on him recently, however. Bags protruded under bloodshot eyes, and the broken veins that cast a spidery pattern over the bridge of his nose appeared more pronounced. Despite this, she had little sympathy for him.

  Two men stood by the whiteboard next to them, and Kay recognised one from the previous night. The other, she didn’t know.

  She dropped her gaze, twisted round to pick up her notebook, and concentrated on taking notes as Sharp began the briefing.

  ‘Let’s make a start.’ He waited while the assembled team drew closer. ‘Before we begin, I’d like to introduce Sergeants Dave Walker and Robert Moss from British Transport Police. Given the nature of this death, and their combined knowledge of the location, we’ll be sharing resources on this one. Introduce yourselves after the briefing, make them welcome.’

  His comments were met with a chorus of mumbles of agreement while the two BTP officers found seats and faced the whiteboard.

  ‘Right, Hunter – bring us up to speed with the events of last night.’

  Kay stood and wandered over to the front of the room, and provided an overview of the known facts before concluding. ‘We’re treating this death as suspicious, as our eyewitness says the victim called out for help, and he was unable to move from the railway line before the train hit him. When attending the scene, Sergeant Walker and his colleagues noticed that the victim’s ankles had been tied to the tracks.’

  A shocked silence filled the room.

  ‘DCI Larch and I met with the Chief Superintendent prior to this meeting to discuss the media strategy,’ said Sharp. ‘At the present time, we’ll be reporting it to the public as a possible suicide, and inform them that police enquiries are continuing. Until further notice, we won’t be alerting them to the fact we are investigating a murder. We don’t want to let the perpetrator or anyone else involved know we’re on to them.’

  ‘You’ve got to admit, it’s the perfect disguise for a killer,’ said Kay. ‘Any victim of this type of murder would be considered another suicide statistic.’

  ‘We’re not saying all of the suicides on that stretch of track are murder victims, Hunter,’ said Larch.

  Kay bit her lip. The man’s voice appeared raspy as if he was coming down with a cold or had been talking too much. She took a deep breath. ‘I realise that, sir, but I do think it’s worth bearing in mind.’

  ‘I think it’s a good idea.’

  Kay twisted around in her chair to see Carys staring at Larch, her chin jutting out, then turned back.

  ‘This was too well thought out,’ she said. ‘It gives me the impression whoever the killer is, he’s done it before.’

  ‘I’m inclined to agree with Hunter,’ said Sharp. ‘The last thing we want to contemplate is a killer having gone unnoticed for so long, but we can’t rule it out. Not at this stage.’

  Larch glowered at Kay, but she refused to look away. Finally, he sighed. ‘Well, it’s your reputation on the line, Sharp. I’ll let you get on with it.’

  He stalked from the room.

  Sharp waited until the door slammed shut behind the detective chief inspector, then gestured to Carys. ‘Initial findings from Harriet?’

  The detective constable opened her notebook and cleared her throat. ‘The victim was decapitated. The force of the train hitting him severed his head, which was found in the undergrowth next to the locomotive.’

  A collective groan filled the room, and Kay noted a few mutters of thanks from those who were spared from having to attend the scene.

  ‘There’s not much left of the victim’s body. We have the remains of the legs – the parts Sergeant Walker’s team found tied to the track. His other limbs are badly damaged.’

  Sharp nodded. ‘To be expected. Hunter – when does Lucas think he’ll be able to let us have his initial findings?’

  ‘This morning,’ said Kay. ‘He knows we’re counting on him to help us identify the victim, so he’s trying to accelerate the post mortem. Lucky for us, it’s been a quiet couple of days elsewhere.’

  ‘What about the surrounding area – vehicles, reported sightings of suspicious activity?’ Sharp aimed his question at the BTP officers.

  ‘None yet,’ said Walker. ‘Your CSI team cordoned off the area opposite where Mrs Flanagan says she was standing. They’ve found partial footprints in the dirt below the level of the railway tracks, and the undergrowth has been trampled, so they’ll take samples from there as well.’

  ‘We’ve drawn up a schedule of nearby residents and pubs, that sort of thing. We’ll work with uniform to gather as many statements as possible over the next few days,’ said Kay.

  Sharp checked his watch. ‘Okay, well as we’re in limbo until Harriet gives us something to work with, let’s get on with what we’ve got. We’ll get admin to work with BTP and pull out the records of all other suicides along that stretch. Given the nature of this one, we’re going to have to check whether this is a one-off or not. Barnes, head over to the Flanagans’ house and speak with Elsa. See if she can recall anything new from last night. After that, go and speak to the other dog walker – the one with the Yorkshire Terrier. It was lighter when she was walking her dog, she might have seen someone near the tracks.’

  ‘Guv.’

  ‘Carys, head over to Harriet’s lab. Find out if they’ve got anything from the victim’s clothing, anything at all that might give us a head start or help us identify him before her report comes in. Kay, you’re on the post mortem – if Lucas says he’s going to do it this morning given the circumstances, let’s not keep him waiting. Debbie – liaise with uniform and go through the other statements from last night from local residents and coordinate the schedule Kay mentioned. Identify the gaps, see if anyone noticed anything unusual, and find out who we need to talk to again. Establish a pattern for enquiries and liaise with me early afternoon to update me.’

  ‘Yes, guv.’ The young police officer lowered her head and wrote in her notebook, her brow furrowed in concentration.

  Kay smiled. Debbie West was another rising star, and an asset to the investigation.

  Sharp checked his watch. ‘Afternoon debrief at four o’clock, people. Don’t be late.’

  Kay waited until the team dispersed, then made her way over to where Carys sat.

  ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hi, Kay.’

  She pulled out a spare chair and scooted it closer to the detective constable’s before lowering her voice.

  ‘Listen, I know you want to make a good impression, but trust me – taking on Larch in my defence isn’t a good idea.’

  The other woman’s smile wavered. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I appreciate the gesture but, please – don’t do it again.’

  She managed a smile of her own to soften her words, and moved away.

  It was better for everyone if she fought her own battles.

  Five

  ‘Sarge?’

  She aimed the key fob at the car and then caught up with Gavin. ‘What?’

  ‘I’ve never been to a post mortem.’

  Kay led the way across the car park to a side door to the building. She held the door open, then put up her hand to stop him. ‘Shallow breaths. Think about the investigation, not what you’re about to see.’

  He swallowed. ‘Sarge.’

  She headed towards a re
ception desk and signed them both in. Taking the coveralls that were handed to her, she handed one set to Gavin and walked towards a set of double doors.

  ‘You can use the male locker room to pop these on,’ she said. ‘Leave all your personal belongings in one of the lockers, there should be plenty free.’ Kay pointed over his shoulder. ‘Toilets are there, if you need them.’

  ‘Thanks. I think.’

  Moments later, he joined her at the double doors, and she gave a thin smile.

  ‘Let’s get this over with.’

  ‘Morning, Hunter,’ said Lucas, as they entered the room. ‘Sharp said you’d be on your way.’

  ‘And he said to convey his thanks for getting this one done so quickly.’

  ‘Well, there’s not much left of him, so it made sense to get him out of the way first. We’ve made a start, as we needed some specialist help that was only available first thing this morning.’

  Kay introduced Gavin and moved around the examination table. ‘Found much?’

  Lucas gestured to the limbs that had been set out on the table. ‘Not much from these, unfortunately. No tattoos, no scars – and no sign of surgery, so we can rule out finding anything like steel plates to trace him.’ He moved the mangled hand to one side.

  ‘You’ll email photos of his face to us, so we can get a couple of admins to start going through the missing persons database?’

  ‘I’ll arrange to have them sent over as soon as we’re finished here.’

  ‘It’s not much to go on, is it? Feels like this case is going to be a long slog.’

  ‘Not necessarily. We had a bit more luck with the skull, look,’ said Lucas. He rolled the severed head over so the mouth faced them.

  Kay concentrated on what he was showing her, refusing to look at the victim’s eyes.

  Lucas used his thumbs to prise open the mouth, while his assistant tilted the overhead light to shine into the cavity. ‘When a person is decapitated, the loss of blood is so sudden, rigor mortis doesn’t set in. We wouldn’t be able to do this for a few days otherwise. Here, you can see he’s had some significant dental work done over the years. His back molars are extremely worn down, as if he’s grinding his teeth. Evidence of stress, that sort of thing. But it’s recent wear and tear. Also, he’s had two teeth removed at some point. You see these two here? They’re false, pinned in under surgery.’