Unholy Murder

Chapter Eight

Driving home, Jane felt nervous about her conversation with Father Chris. She knew it could land her in trouble, and she only had herself to blame if it did. She hoped he’d meant it when he said ‘trust works both ways’. It was that remark that had persuaded her to confide in him. Her only two previous encounters with a priest were at a friend’s wedding and the funeral of a murder victim she had attended in her official capacity. In both instances the priests had been in their sixties and rather dour. Father Chris seemed proof that not all priests were the same, with his warmth and humour.

It was obvious he still grieved the loss of his parents. She wondered if he’d left the Mediterranean island of Malta to become a priest because of their deaths.

Arriving home, she parked her Mini Cooper on the small driveway. As she got out of the car, Jane noticed a man in his late sixties walking past with a small Jack Russell terrier, which cocked its leg on her front wall pillar and peed on it. The owner looked embarrassed and was gently tugging the dog’s lead.

‘Naughty boy, Spud. I’m so sorry. I’ll get a pitcher of water...’

‘No need,’ Jane said. ‘I can do it.’

‘No, I insist. I won’t be two seconds,’ he said, hurrying to the house next door.

Jane removed her briefcase from the passenger seat, opened her front door and flicked the hallway light on. It lit up briefly, popped and went out.

‘For God’s sake, not again,’ she said to herself.

‘Everything all right, love?’ the neighbour asked, pouring some water on the pillar.

‘There’s a fault with the hallway light. It works fine for a bit and then the bulb blows.’

‘I can have a look at it if you like. Have you got a ladder?’

‘Sorry, I haven’t. Don’t worry, it’s pretty late and I’m sure you’ve better things to do.’ She switched on the living-room light which lit up a section of the hallway. ‘That will do me until the morning.’

‘It’s not nice entering a dark hallway. We don’t want you tripping over anything on your way upstairs,’ he said, noticing the storage boxes in the hallway Jane had yet to unpack. ‘I’ll just nip and get my ladder and tool kit.’

Jane really wanted to get on with her report but didn’t want to offend him. It wasn’t long before he returned with an old wooden ladder and a metal toolbox, from which he removed a torch.

‘Can you switch the main fuse off for me, please?’ he asked as he unfolded the ladder.

‘Certainly,’ she said, assuming it was somewhere in the hallway coat cupboard next to the kitchen door.

‘I think you’ll find it in the small floor cupboard next to the front door,’ he told her, turning the torch on.

‘Sorry, I haven’t had a chance to get to know where everything is yet.’ She opened the cupboard while he shone the torch on the fuse box.

‘I’m Gerry, by the way. I live next door with my wife Vi, that’s short for Violet. Would you hold this for me while I remove the bulb and light shade?’ He handed her the torch.

‘Pleased to meet you. I’m Jane.’

‘Welcome to Oakdene Avenue, Jane. How are you settling in?’ He removed the light bulb and handed it to her.

‘Fine, thanks. Still got a lot of unpacking to do, though. Sorry I haven’t popped round to introduce myself yet.’

‘I expect a young woman like you is very busy with her work. Are you in the police?’ he asked, as he removed the lightshade.

‘What makes you ask that?’ Jane asked.

‘I saw you at lunchtime in the Hillman Hunter when I was walking Spud. My grandson told me if you ever see a deep red Hunter behind you, it’s wise to slow down as it’s probably a plainclothes police car.’

‘Can’t argue with that.’ Jane smiled, as everyone in the CID knew the Hillmans stuck out like a sore thumb.

‘Do you work locally?’

‘Yes. I’m a detective sergeant at Bromley.’

‘Not far to travel for work, then.’

‘Thankfully, no.’

He unscrewed the drop cap and asked Jane for the torch so he could examine the wires inside.

‘As I suspected, the bulb’s blowing because there’s a loose connection in the cap, which is causing an arc to jump across the contact rather than flowing through it.’

‘Is it a big job to repair it?’ Jane asked, wondering how much it might cost.

‘No. I just need to reconnect the live wire.’ He got a small screwdriver from the toolbox and secured the wire. ‘Do you have a spare bulb?’

She held up the blown bulb. ‘This was the last one I had.’

‘I came prepared.’ He smiled, removing a spare bulb from his toolbox and fitting it in the cap. He switched the main fuse on and tested the hallway light, which lit up instantly. ‘There you go... nice and bright now.’

‘Thank you so much. Are you an electrician?’

‘No. I’m a retired cab driver. But I’ve learned a lot about electrics and plumbing doing up my house over the years. Sorry to say this, but your fuse box and wiring is very old. I’d say it was fitted when the house was built in the mid-Thirties.’

‘Is it dangerous? The last thing I want is for the house to catch fire.’

‘You’d be best to get a qualified electrician to look at it. Edith, who lived here before you, was in her eighties and didn’t bother to update anything after her husband died twenty years ago.’

Jane nodded. ‘The estate agent did mention an elderly lady lived here for nearly forty years.’ Jane knew the house had been offered at a well-below-market price due to its antiquated state. It would have been sensible to get a full survey done, but she couldn’t afford it.

‘Poor Edith got dementia before she died.’

‘In a care home?’ Jane asked.

‘No, she had a heart attack in the living room. I had a key for the place and used to check on her a couple of times a day. Walked in to find her slumped in the armchair and cold as ice. Mind you, she made it to eighty-two, so it wasn’t a bad innings.’

‘Funnily enough, the estate agent never mentioned that,’ Jane said, unhappy at the thought that someone had died in the house.

‘I bet you see a lot of dead bodies as a detective,’ he said cheerily.

‘Quite a few. It’s all part of the job.’

‘Rather you than me, dear. Right, I’d best be off and let you get some shut-eye. You must pop round for a drink and meet Vi,’ he said, before picking up the ladder and toolbox.

Jane opened the front door. ‘That would be nice, thank you.’

‘Any time you like... our door is always open.’

‘Goodnight, Gerry.’ As she closed the door, she wondered if she should have offered him some money for fixing the light, but thought he’d probably have refused. She decided to buy Gerry a nice bottle of wine and drop it off the following day.

She looked at her watch and sighed. It was nearly nine and she still hadn’t started her report.

Having washed and changed into her pyjamas, Jane went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. ‘God, this kitchen is old and tatty,’ she said to herself, looking at the dripping sink tap and skew-whiff cabinet doors. She needed something to cheer herself up and got one of Father Chris’s kwarezimal biscuits from the tin. Taking a bite, it reminded her how delicious the meal he cooked had been. It had certainly changed her mind about soup being a boring starter. She’d love to be more adventurous in her own cooking and couldn’t remember the last time she’d entertained someone at home, other than her parents. She’d only cooked meals for herself in her new home and wondered if she should invite someone over for a meal.

Jane set down her glass of wine and got her typewriter out of the cupboard, then sat down at the living-room table, opened her notebook, and started typing her report. Although she was a fast typist, Jane took her time, making sure her report was well written and contained all the relevant facts to assist DCS Barnes in making his decision about the next step in the investigation.

It was nearly two in the morning before she finished, feeling exhausted. She put the report in a folder and went straight to bed. Setting the alarm for six, she regretted not letting Boon deal with the arrest of Barry the builder, as it would have allowed her a couple more hours in bed before the meeting with Barnes. It wasn’t long before she was in a deep sleep.

When the alarm sounded, Jane felt nauseous and struggled to get out of bed. After a tepid shower, she put on a smart two-piece grey suit, a dark blue blouse with a bow at the neck and grey court shoes. Pushed for time, Jane had a quick breakfast of tea and toast then grabbed her briefcase, hurried out of the door and drove to the old convent building site.

Boon was already waiting in an unmarked car with two plainclothes crime squad officers when Jane arrived. He got out of the Hillman Hunter and went to speak with her.

‘Morning, sarge. You are looking very smart this morning. Anyone would think you’ve got an important meeting,’ he grinned.

‘I didn’t finish my report until two, so I’m not in the mood for any jokes. How many radios have you got?’

‘One in the car and a portable as well.’

‘Tell the two lads with you to park up the road out of sight. Bring one of the radios and jump in with me.’

‘I thought you wanted backup?’

‘I do, but the Hillman sticks out as a police car. If Barry sees it, he might turn round and drive off. I can park my car round the back of the workmen’s hut, then if Barry tries to leg it we can radio the others to block him off.’

‘But he might not even turn up for work.’

‘I know, but we need to speak to the site manager first to find out whether he has or not.’

‘OK, I’ll be back in a second.’ He rushed back to the Hillman to speak to his colleagues and quickly returned. Once in Jane’s car, he made a call on the radio.

‘Papa Romeo from DC Boon... this is a test call... are you receiving... over.’

‘Yes, signal loud and clear... control over.’

‘Received.’ He turned to Jane: ‘The late-shift detective left a note for you in the office message book. Dr Pullen rang yesterday evening and asked you to call her this morning.’

‘Did she leave a number?’

‘Yes, I jotted it down for you.’ Boon started to rummage in his trouser and jacket pockets. ‘I could have sworn I...’

Jane shook her head, ‘You’ve lost it, haven’t you?’

‘I’m sure it’s here somewhere...’

‘Don’t bother. I’ll call the office later for it.’

Approaching the site, Jane noticed the lights were on in the Portakabin and the white Transit van was outside.

‘Looks like the foreman might be here already,’ Boon remarked, as Jane parked next to the Transit.

‘It could be Dermot,’ Jane suggested.

‘Nah, he drove off in an Astra yesterday,’ Boon told her. ‘Isn’t that the man who lives in the old chapel?’

Jane looked towards the garden wall that led to the site. ‘Where, I can’t see him?’

Boon pointed. ‘Over there... he just came out of the builders’ hut with his dog.’

Jane saw he looked angry about something. But his expression instantly turned to a smile when he saw them getting out of the car.

‘Good morning, officers. How are you both today?’

‘Good morning. Everything all right? Jane asked.

‘I was just asking the site foreman what was happening about the coffin, as some of the residents are a bit concerned. He wasn’t very helpful. Are you able to tell me what’s going on?’

‘It’s still under investigation,’ Jane told him.

‘I see,’ he said with a frown. He turned and walked off towards the walled gardens.

Boon was about to knock on the Portakabin door but, to his surprise Jane just opened it and walked straight in. She saw Lee sitting at a desk, with his elbows on it, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

‘Morning, Mr Holland,’ Jane said.

Startled, he jumped up from his chair. ‘Christ, I nearly had a heart attack!’

‘Sorry, I should have knocked first.’

‘What can I do for you?’

‘We’re here for a couple of reasons. The first is to let you know we found the body of a nun in the coffin.’

‘Does that mean the whole site will have to shut down?’ he sighed.

‘I’ve yet to speak with someone senior in the Church to determine if the ground is consecrated or was ever used as a graveyard, but—’

‘So you are shutting us down?’

‘No, just suspending any digging work for now.’

He frowned. ‘But nothing else can be done until all the foundations are dug out.’

Jane could see he was distraught. ‘I’m sorry, but I’m just conveying what my senior officers told me. I’m sure things will be back to normal soon.’

‘Have you told Nick Durham about the nun?’ Lee asked.

‘Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to speak to him yesterday. Did you?’

‘Yeah. I spoke to him on the phone. I told him the coffin had been taken to the mortuary, gave him your details and said you’d be in touch. Naturally, he wasn’t happy about the situation.’

‘That’s understandable, but we have a job to do. I will speak to him personally, hopefully later today.’

‘What’s the other reason you’re here?’

‘We need to speak to Barry. Is he coming to work this morning?’

‘I don’t know. Dermot was going to tell him to be here for half seven as we’ve got a brick delivery coming in at eight.’

‘Do you have a home address for him? Just in case he doesn’t turn up. And what’s his surname?’

‘His surname is May.’ Lee went to a filing cabinet, removed a file with Barry’s details and handed it to Jane. She jotted down his address in her notebook and showed it to Boon.

‘Do you know where it is?’

‘Yes. Crundale Tower is on the Ramsden Estate in St Mary Cray. It’s mostly council flats and maisonettes. What’s Barry done?’ Lee asked.

‘Did he say anything to you yesterday about wanting to open the coffin?’ Jane asked.

‘Not at first. Dermot told me about the coffin, and I went out to look at it. Barry was worried about the site being shut down. He said if the coffin was empty there’d be nothing to worry about and we could just get rid of it. I specifically told him not to touch it.’

Jane looked out the window and realised the original position of the coffin couldn’t be seen from the Portakabin. ‘Was Barry with you from the time you called us to the time we got here?’

‘No. I went to call Nick Durham. Barry was sulking in the hut when I got back. He opened the bloody coffin, didn’t he?’

‘It appears that someone did,’ Boon said.

‘Well, I can assure you it wasn’t me or Dermot,’ Lee replied. ‘Is it even a crime to open a coffin?’

‘No, but it is to steal something from it,’ Jane told him. ‘We believe a silver cross may have been taken from the body.’

Lee was visibly shocked. ‘I know Barry can be an idiot at times but stealing from a dead nun is beyond belief. If it’s true, he’s never working here again... or any other site if I can help it.’

Boon heard the sound of a vehicle approaching and looked out of the window. ‘This looks like Dermot.’

Jane took him to one side. ‘Go and have a word, just to make sure his recollection of events is the same as Lee’s.’ She turned to Lee. ‘Is it all right if we wait here for a bit and see if Barry turns up?’

‘Sure, would you like a tea or coffee?’

‘A coffee, please. Just as a matter of interest, who was the elderly man who was with you earlier?’

‘He doesn’t work here, but he lives in one of the old convent flats.’

‘I know. But having spoken with him again this morning, I realised I don’t know his name.’

‘To be honest, I don’t either. I think he’s one of those nosey types who likes to know what’s going on.’

‘He seemed a bit angry when I saw him earlier,’ Jane said.

‘Probably because I told him to mind his own business when he walked in here asking about the coffin.’

‘Yes. Unfortunately, my colleague let slip why we were here yesterday.’

‘Milk, no sugar, wasn’t it?’ Lee asked.

‘Yes. Does Barry have access to a crowbar?’

‘The workmen have their own toolkits. He keeps his in his van.’

Boon was satisfied that Dermot’s account of events corroborated Lee’s version, and was about to go back to the Portakabin when they heard the sound of a vehicle. Boon turned to see a red minivan driving towards them.

‘Here comes the thieving bastard now,’ Dermot said.

The van suddenly stopped, then started to reverse back down the driveway.

‘Are you not going to chase after him?’ Dermot asked, surprised at Boon’s calmness.

Boon removed the radio from his pocket. ‘Papa Romeo five receiving, over.’

‘Yeah, go ahead,’ his colleague in the Hillman Hunter replied.

‘Block the red minivan that’s attempting to leave the building site.’

‘Received, Boony, we already got eyeballs on him.’

Boon ran to the Portakabin to tell Jane.

Barry saw the Hillman approaching in his rear-view mirror and hit the brakes hard, stalling the engine. Pulling up behind him, the two crime squad officers jumped out of the police car. Barry locked the door and tried to start the engine. One of the officers tapped the driver’s side window with his truncheon.

‘Get out of the car or I’ll break the bloody window!’

‘All right, all right!’ Barry shouted.

He flung the door open, hitting one of the officers and knocking him off balance. The other officer dragged Barry out of the car, forced him face down on the muddy ground and handcuffed him. Both officers then lifted him up by his arms and escorted him up the dirt path to where Jane and Boon were waiting.

‘Barry May, I’m DC Boon. I’m arresting you on suspicion of theft. You do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be given in evidence.’

‘I want to make a complaint about these two assaulting me!’ Barry growled.

‘You were resisting arrest and they restrained you,’ Jane said calmly.

‘Did you open the coffin and take a cross from the nun’s body?’ Boon asked.

‘What! No way. Dermot said he wanted to open the coffin, so you best fuck off and ask him.’

‘You really are a piece of shit,’ Boon said, shaking his head. He put Barry in the back of the Hillman and then got in next to him.

‘Where you taking me?’ Barry asked.

‘To search your premises.’

Barry grunted. ‘Where’s your fucking warrant, then?’

‘We don’t need one as we’ve arrested you on reasonable suspicion of theft,’ Boon told him.

Jane found a toolbox in the back of the minivan and removed a small crowbar. She knew Lloyd could do some tests to see if it matched the indentations on the coffin. She then followed the Hillman to Crundale Tower in her car.

‘Is your wife or any other family at home?’ Boon asked Barry.

‘My wife will have gone to work by now.’

‘Any kids?’

‘Yeah, two girls. Katie drops them off at her mother’s and she takes them to school.’

‘My colleagues and I are going to search your premises from top to bottom.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t open that coffin or steal any bleeding cross, so you won’t find nothing.’

Boon shrugged. ‘Have it your way.’

Arriving at Crundale Tower, Boon got out and went over to speak to Jane.

‘I think he might have got rid of the cross... maybe pawned it or sold it to someone. If we don’t find it, we’ll have to release him.’

‘We might find a pawn ticket — or even the missing knife,’ Jane said hopefully.

‘I haven’t mentioned the knife to Barry. I thought if we find a crucifix, he might roll over and tell us what else he took from the coffin. The search could take an hour or two; me and the crime squad lads can do it if you want to head off to your meeting.’

She looked at her watch, it was a quarter past eight. ‘I’ve still got a plenty of time. I’ll stay for an hour then drive to Orpington.’

Boon used Barry’s key to gain entry to the flat. Jane told the crime squad officers to search the bedrooms and made Barry sit in an armchair in the living room.

Jane looked around the room. ‘We’ll start in here, then do the kitchen. Make sure you look inside the cushions, as well as down the sides of the—’

‘I know how to do a proper search, sarge,’ Boon interrupted.

The high-pitched sound of a woman’s screams suddenly filled the flat.

‘Stay with Barry,’ Jane told Boon and hurried to the main bedroom.

A buxom, dark-haired woman in her late twenties was sitting up in bed tightly clutching a white bed sheet under her chin. She looked terrified, her eyes wide open and her body shaking.

‘Please don’t hurt me?’ she pleaded, close to tears.

‘It’s all right, love, no one’s going to hurt you... we’re police officers not burglars,’ the crime squad officer informed her, holding up his warrant card. ‘Are you Barry May’s missus?’

She still looked worried. ‘Yes, has something happened to him?’

Jane stepped between the officers and the woman. ‘There’s no need to be alarmed, Mrs May. Your husband is fine and here with us.’ Jane waved to Boon to bring Barry to the bedroom.

‘What’s going on, Barry?’ his wife asked, seeing the handcuffs.

‘These idiots think I nicked some jewellery and want to search the house for it. I’ve told them they’re wasting their time,’ he said.

‘No work today?’ Jane asked Mrs May.

‘I swapped shifts with a friend.’

‘Are the children in their bedroom?’

‘No, they’re with my mother. I dropped them off earlier and came back to bed for a bit of peace and quiet.’

‘I’d like you to get dressed, please, then we can search your bedroom,’ Jane told her.

‘What, with them in here?’ she asked, nodding towards the male officers. ‘I ain’t got no clothes on.’

Jane told her colleagues to go to the living room with Barry and start the search. She then closed the door.

‘Sorry, Mrs May, but I need you to stay in here while I search your bedroom... it’s normal procedure.’

‘This is ridiculous,’ she sighed. ‘Can you hand me the dressing gown on the back of the door.’

Jane lifted it off the hook and threw it on the bed. Katie didn’t move.

‘Do you mind turning around while I put it on?’

Jane sighed as she turned. ‘Please, Mrs May, just get a move on so I can search the room.’

‘You can turn around now,’ she said a few moments later.

Jane noticed Mrs May was holding the dressing-gown collar tightly around her neck.

‘Do you have a jewellery box?’ Jane asked. She noticed Mrs May’s hand tremble slightly as she pointed to the dressing table.

‘It’s in the top right drawer.’

Jane removed the jewellery box and looked inside. There were some cheap rings, bangles, and a chain with a K pendant. Jane held it up. ‘Is this yours?’

‘Yes. K for Katie.’

‘And this is all your jewellery?’

She nodded and pulled the dressing-gown collar up.

‘Are you wearing a necklace of any sort just now.’

‘No,’ she replied nervously.

‘I’d like you open your dressing-gown collar, please,’ Jane said.

‘Do I have to?’ Katie started to cry.

‘I understand you’re trying to protect your husband... but please don’t put me in a position where I have to arrest you on suspicion of handling stolen goods and forcibly search you.’

Katie let out a sob. ‘I swear I didn’t know it was stolen. He said he found it on the building site.’ She removed the chain from her neck and handed it to Jane.

Hanging from it was a silver cross measuring about two and a half by one and a half inches with a Sacred Heart engraved on it, along with a small cross and circle of thorns.

Jane removed a small exhibits bag from her pocket and placed the cross and chain in it. ‘Thank you for being honest with me,’ she said.

‘Please don’t tell Barry what I told you,’ Katie said, looking desperate.

Jane sensed fear in her voice and now the dressing gown was loose below the neck, she noticed two large bruises above Katie’s left breast. ‘Did Barry do that to you?’ she asked, pointing to them.

Katie closed the dressing gown. ‘It was an accident... he didn’t mean to.’

Jane wasn’t convinced. ‘Have you got any other bruises?’

‘No,’ she replied nervously.

‘Can you show me your arms, please.’

Katie started shaking as she pulled the dressing gown tighter around her body.

‘I’m on your side, Katie. I can help you... but I need to know if you have any other injuries.’

Tears began to trickle down Katie’s face as she slowly opened the dressing gown, let it fall open and stood with her hands covering her crotch.

Jane gasped as she saw the extent of bruising on Katie’s arms, legs and stomach. They were clearly the result of punches, grab marks and kicks to her legs, deliberately inflicted in areas where Barry thought other people wouldn’t see them. Katie pulled the dressing gown around her.

‘This is wrong, Katie, so wrong. You can’t let him treat you like a punch bag. If you make a formal allegation of assault against him, he will be charged. I’ll ask the court for him to be remanded in custody pending trial...’

‘I can’t... it would only make things worse.’

‘What about the children? Has he ever hurt them?’

‘He’d never do that. Barry’s loves his children.’

‘Believe me, as they get older, he will treat them in the same way. You also need to know we believe he forced a coffin open and stole the cross and chain from the body of a dead nun.’

Katie looked horrified and her legs started to buckle. Jane managed to grab her and sit her on the bed before she fell over. The tears rolled down her cheeks.

‘How could he do that then give it to me?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll tell him I saw the cross when you got out of bed; that way, he won’t know about our conversation and take it out on you.’

‘Thank you... but he’ll still be angry with me.’

‘Have you thought about leaving him?’

Katie choked back a sob. ‘Is there anywhere you can go?’

‘My parents live down the road,’ she managed to say. ‘I’m sure they’ll take us in until I can find somewhere else.’

‘Will you be safe there?’

‘I don’t know for sure, but it’s the only place I have to go.’

‘Barry will be taken to the station for interview. It will give you time to pack some belongings for yourself and the children.’

‘How long can you hold him?’ Katie asked, pulling a small suitcase out from under the bed.

‘Depends on whether or not he admits to stealing the cross, but at least eight to twelve hours. That should give you plenty of time to get out of here. If you want to press charges about the assaults...’

‘Let me think about it.’

Jane didn’t want to force her. She got a pen from her pocket and picked up a piece of scrap paper from the dressing table. ‘I’ll give you my details. Ring me and let me know you’re OK. If you change your mind and want to press charges, I will personally arrest him and deal with the case.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You know where I am if you need me. There’s one other thing. Did Barry say if he found anything else yesterday?’ Jane asked, thinking about the missing knife.

‘No. He only mentioned the cross.’

Barry was sitting back in the armchair yawning as he watched Boon and the crime squad officers search the living room.

‘We haven’t found anything, sarge,’ Boon said as Jane walked in.

‘I said you wankers were wasting your time,’ Barry sneered.

Jane removed the cross from her pocket and briefly held it out for Barry to see.

‘As luck would have it, I just found this around your wife’s neck.’ She put it back in her pocket.

Barry shrugged. ‘So what, lots of women wear a cross... not just nuns.’

‘I asked her where she got it. The strange thing is, she didn’t want to tell me. Did you give it to her?’

‘It ain’t a crime to give your missus a present.’

‘I’ll take that as a yes,’ Jane said.

‘Take it how you like, love.’

‘You opened the nun’s coffin yesterday and stole the cross, didn’t you?’ Boon said.

‘I already told you, Dermot wanted to open the coffin. You should nick him and search his fucking gaff. I wanna speak to my missus!’ Barry demanded, getting up from the armchair.

Jane pushed him hard in the chest so he fell back into the armchair, then pointed a finger at him. ‘The only place you are going is to the station for interview. Take him down to the car,’ she told the crime squad officers.

She waited until they were alone in the flat, then told Boon about Katie and her bruises.

‘He’s a real low life.’

‘Barry mustn’t know what his wife told me. Do everything slowly with him so she has plenty of time to pack some bags and get out.’ She took the exhibits bag with the cross in it from her pocket. ‘Take this to the SOCO. Get him to photograph it and print some enlargements for me.’ Boon held it up and looked at it, and was about to put it in his pocket when Jane stopped him.

‘Hang on a sec... there’s something on the back of the cross.’ Boon handed it to her. ‘Stupidly, I didn’t think to look on the other side when his wife handed it to me.’

She looked closely. Engraved on the back was 20.02.58 and the initials MB.

‘Those numbers must relate to a significant date. It could be when she became a nun. This is an important find, Boony. It could help to identify the body and narrow the time frame of the murder.’ She was looking forward to showing it to Father Chris and asking his opinion on the significance of the engraving.