Dead Man's Grip

113

‘The time is 8.30 a.m., Wednesday 12 May,’ Roy Grace read from his notes to his team in MIR-1. ‘This is an update on Operation Violin. To bring you up to speed on the latest regarding the unknown suspect, missing, presumed drowned, this is the start of the fifth day of the search of Shoreham Harbour by the Specialist Search Unit. One development yesterday was the recovery of a Toyota Yaris car from thirty feet of water at Aldrington Basin, close to the location where Ewan Preece was discovered in the white van. The vehicle bears the last known licence plates of the suspect. It is now undergoing intensive forensic examination.’

Duncan Crocker raised a hand. ‘Chief, we haven’t heard anything from Ford Prison regarding the death of Warren Tulley. Has there been any progress in that enquiry that could shed any light on our suspect?’

Grace turned to Potting. ‘Norman, do you have anything for us?’

‘I spoke to prison officer Lisa Setterington this afternoon, guv, and to the West Area Major Crime Branch Team, who are investigating. They are preparing to charge their original suspect, Tulley’s fellow inmate Lee Rogan.’

Grace thanked him, then went on, ‘We are continuing to maintain protection on Carly Chase and her family for the time being. I’m waiting for intelligence from the US which may help us to decide how long this should go on and in what form.’

This intelligence came sooner than Grace expected. As he left the briefing, his phone beeped, telling him he had a missed call and voicemail. It was from Detective Investigator Lanigan.

As soon as he got to his office, Grace called him back, mindful that it was the middle of the night in New York.

Lanigan, as ever sounding like he had a mouth full of marbles, answered immediately, seeming wide awake.

‘Something strange going on here, Roy,’ he said. ‘Might be significant to you.’

‘What’s happened?’

‘Well, it’s not like I’m shedding any tears, you know. Fernanda Revere’s brother, Ricky Giordino – son of Sal Giordino, right?’

‘The Mafia capo who’s doing a bunch of life sentences?’

‘You got him. Well, I think I told you, Ricky’s the guy we reckon would have hired the guy who’s been causing all your problems, right?’

‘You did.’

‘Well, I thought you should know, Ricky Giordino was found dead in his apartment a couple of hours ago. Pretty gruesome. Sounds like some kind of a hit. You know – wise guys on wise guys kind of thing. Strapped to his bed with his dick cut off – looks like he bled to death from that. Had it jammed in his mouth and held in place with duct tape. Also looks like whoever did it cut his balls off and took them with him.’

‘Before or after he was dead?’ Grace asked.

Lanigan laughed. ‘Well, with a guy like that, I’d want the best for him, know what I’m saying?’

‘Absolutely!’

‘So let’s hope it was before. Oh – and there’s one other thing – this is why I thought you might be interested. The perp left a video camera running at the scene.’