Silent Scream

Eleven

‘Righty, update folks. Kev, what do we know from Mispers?’

‘Professor Milton has just divorced for the third time. A bit like Simon Cowell, all his exes have nothing but good to say about him. No natural children of his own but step-father to five. No hostility noted.’

‘When did he go missing?’

‘Wednesday was the last time he was seen. His assistant at the college raised the alarm when he didn’t appear on Thursday morning. He hasn’t been in touch with any of his family members, which is apparently very strange.’

‘Anything to suggest he’s done this before?’

Dawson shook his head. ‘To hear the exes talk he’s a reincarnation of Gandhi; mild-mannered and gentle.’ Kev consulted his notes. ‘The latest ex spoke to him on Tuesday afternoon and he was excited that he finally had permission for the dig.’

‘I’ve been looking into that, Guv,’ Stacey offered. ‘The original application made by Professor Milton was two years ago. There've been more than twenty objections to the project; environmental, political, cultural. I ain’t got anything further on that yet.’

‘Keep trying, Stace. Bryant, do we know exactly when our victim spoke to the Professor?’

Bryant held out a piece of paper. ‘Courtney faxed me the telephone log. They spoke for twelve minutes on Wednesday at around five thirty.’

Kim crossed her arms. ‘Okay, so all we have so far is that our victim had a brief conversation with a university professor on Wednesday afternoon and now one of them is dead and the other is missing.’

A knock sounded on the door. A constable stood in the doorway.

‘What?’ she barked. She hated interruptions during briefing.

‘Marm, I have a gentleman at the desk who wants to speak to you.’

Kim looked at him as though he’d lost his mind.

‘I know, Marm, but he insists that he will only speak to you. He says he’s a professor ...’

Kim was out of her chair. ‘Bryant, with me,’ she said, stopping at the door. ‘Stace, find out whatever you can about this land.’

She headed out and took the stairs. Bryant almost kept pace with her.

In the reception she was greeted by a male with a full grey beard and a shock of wiry hair.

‘Professor Milton?’

He stopped wringing his hands long enough to offer a handshake. Kim took his hand briefly and then gave it back to him.

‘Please, come this way.’

Kim guided him through the corridor to interview room 1.

‘Bryant, place a call to Mispers so they don’t waste any more time. Is there anything we can get you?’

‘A sweet cup of tea.’

Bryant nodded and closed the door behind them.

‘A lot of people have been worried about you, Professor.’

She didn’t intend for the words to sound like a rebuke but she hated any waste of police time. Resources were scant enough.

He nodded his understanding. ‘I’m sorry, Detective. I didn’t know what to do. I only spoke to Mrs Pearson a few hours ago and she told me about your visit. She said I could trust you.’

Kim was surprised that the old harridan had formed that opinion of her.

‘Where have you been?’ she asked. It wasn’t the question that rolled around in her mouth but if Bryant had been beside her he would have urged caution. The male was clearly trembling and his hands had returned, like magnets, to each other.

‘Barmouth, at a bed and breakfast. I just had to get away.’

‘But on Wednesday you were over the moon. Mrs Pearson told us.’

He nodded as Bryant entered the room. His hands held a triangle of styrofoam. He sat and pushed one of the cups towards the professor.

Kim continued. ‘You spoke to a woman by the name of Teresa Wyatt on that day?’

Professor Milton looked confused. ‘Yes, Mrs Pearson mentioned that you asked about that but I’m not sure how it relates to what happened to me later.’

Kim had no idea what had happened to him later but she did know that Teresa Wyatt had turned up dead.

‘Can you tell us why Teresa Wyatt called you?’

‘Of course. She asked if I would be accepting any volunteers onto the project.’

‘What did you say?’

He shook his head. ‘No, I only accept volunteers who have completed at least one year at university. Ms Wyatt expressed an interest in the subject of archaeology but hadn't completed any study and certainly wouldn't have been able to before the project commenced at the end of February.’

Kim felt herself deflate. This was not a lead that would help them uncover a killer. It was a harmless conversation.

‘Was there anything else?’ Bryant asked.

The professor paused. ‘She did ask where about we would be commencing the dig, which I found a little strange in the context of the conversation.’

Yes, Kim thought. That was a little strange. ‘What happened later?’ she asked, recalling his previous comment.

Professor Milton swallowed. ‘I got home from work and Tess didn’t greet me as she usually did.’

Kim looked at Bryant. Dawson had said the professor was single again.

‘Ordinarily she sleeps in the kitchen, next to her water bowl but as soon as I put my key into the lock, she’s there, wagging her tail.’

Ah, that made more sense, Kim thought.

‘But not Wednesday. I called her as I walked to the kitchen but she didn’t come. I found her next to her bed.’ He swallowed. ‘She was convulsing on the floor. Her eyes were glassy and staring and for a few seconds I didn’t even see the note.

‘I scooped her up and drove to the vets as quickly as possible but it was too late. She’d gone by the time I got there.’ He wiped his right eye.

Kim opened her mouth to ask about the note but Bryant cut her off.

‘So sorry to hear that, Professor. Had she been unwell?’

Professor Milton shook his head. ‘Not at all. She was only four years old. The vet didn’t need to examine her. He could smell the antifreeze on her breath. Apparently, dogs love it because it tastes sweet. The chemical had been poured into her water dish and she’d drunk the lot.’

‘You said there was a note?’ Bryant prompted gently.

His eyes reddened. ‘Yes, the bastard stapled it to her ear.’

Kim winced. ‘Do you recall what it said?’

He reached into his jacket. ‘I have it here. The vet removed it afterwards.’

Kim took the note. Forensically it would be of no use now. The Professor had handled it, and so had the vet.

She unfolded it and laid it out on the table. It was simple black type on white paper and read:

‘KILL THE DIG OR WIFE NUMBER 3 WILL BE NEXT’

‘I didn’t even go back home. I’m ashamed to admit that I was terrified and still am. Who would do this, Detective?’ The professor drained the last of his tea. ‘I don’t even know where I can go.’

‘Mrs Pearson,’ Kim offered. She’d seen the expression on the woman’s face when she’d spoken of the Professor. That little bulldog wouldn’t let anyone near him.

Kim stood and took the note while Bryant shook the man’s hand and offered to get him a ride to wherever he wanted to go.

Kim clutched the note and headed back to the office. She couldn’t help but feel that somewhere out there was one humungous can of worms and that she’d just been handed the can-opener.

‘Okay, Kev, I think we’re gonna need fresh coffee. Stace, what did you find out about that land?’

‘It’s about an acre in size and sits right next to the Rowley crematorium. It’s at the tip of a council estate built in the mid-Fifties. Before the housing development it was the site of a steelwork factory.’

Bryant entered the room on his mobile phone. ‘Thank you, Courtney. You’ve been a wonderful help.’

‘What?’ Bryant asked as six curious eyes landed on him.

‘Courtney?’ Kim asked. ‘Is there something I need to drop to your wife?’

Bryant chuckled as he removed his suit jacket. ‘I’m a happily married man, Guv. My wife said so. And anyway, Courtney is mending a broken heart courtesy of Joanna, the English teacher that was coming on to you the other day.’

Dawson turned, his eyes wide. ‘Really, Guv?’

‘Down boy.’ She turned to Bryant. ‘Why the call?’

Bryant raised an eyebrow. ‘Following your logic of past, present and future I asked Courtney if she had access to Teresa Wyatt’s employment history. She’s faxing it over.’

‘Put that girl on the Christmas list. She’s saving us a fortune in warrants.’

Kim turned back to Stacey, trying to visualise the piece of land. ‘Hang on, are you talking about that field right next to the crematorium? The one where the travelling fair sets up?’

Stacey turned her monitor and pointed. An image from Google Earth filled the screen. ‘Look, there’s something fenced off at the road edge but otherwise it’s just a waste piece of land.’

Kim’s gut was now churning out of control. Every sense she possessed was on high alert.

‘Stace, look up the name Crestwood and get me everything you can. I have some calls to make.’

Kim took a breath as she sat at her own desk. A few pieces of the puzzle began to slide into place. And for the first time in her life, she hoped she was wrong.