Free Gut Instinct by Linda Mather

but frustrated that it would take so long to get the results.  He knew that someone would have to sit and go through the database to find a match, but surely there was a simpler system than this.  
    Maybe they could break the system down into areas, and then they could start by looking in this particular area to find a DNA match, searching further afield if there was not one.  It wasn’t rocket science for goodness sake!
    Never-the-less, in terms of his case a t last they might be on to something. 
    For several years now they had been swabbing anyone that was arrested, even if it was a driving offence, they were building up quite a large DNA data base.  He had to accept that it would take time. 
    He just hoped that this bastard had been arrested for something.
    His gut told him that he had, so it was just a waiting game now.
    He had been surprised at his boss’s joviality they had two murders now and no suspect he would have expected him to be ranting, maybe he was getting calmer in his old age.
    He liked Michael, he was sixty and considering retirement, often police officers retired earlier than this, but Michael loved his job too much for that, however he was getting a little slower now and his aches and pains were starting to get to him , he had, had this discussion with Stephen already and he had said that his wife was nagging him to retire and to spend more time with their family.
    He and his wife had five children between them and something like eight grandchildren, so he was finding it difficult to keep on working and fulfil his family commitments.
    Stephen was secretly pleased as this would mean that he could apply for his job, fill his boots so to speak, and naturally leading the team into action to solve these murders wouldn’t do his reputation any harm.
    That would be the pinnacle of his career; he didn’t need to go any further, he had only ever had his sights on that goal.
    And getting a result for these murders would be a bonus.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Sixteen
     
    Friday 28 th March
    There was nothing else to do on a Friday night Stephen thought as he washed and shaved. 
    Tanya was having her usual ‘budd y night,’ although he had never met any of her friends, as she had never introduced them.  
    This annoyed him a little, was she ashamed of him, or was she ashamed of them he’d wondered.  He’d even thought that she might be seeing a married man that could only get out on a Friday or Sunday night.   But quickly squashed that idea out of his head, he couldn’t go down that road, it would do his head in.
    There again she had never met any of his friends either, maybe she had the same thoughts. Not that he had any friends, but he did have his work colleague s , and it was Bill’s fiftieth birthday do, next Saturday.  He could take her there, maybe then she would be more open to him meeting her friends sometime.
    Bill was the head of the drug squad , they’d known each other since their beat days, and even now with some cases their paths crossed.  Drugs and murder were like fish and chips these days. 
    ‘Yes’ he was pleased with himself; Tanya was a fine looking woman, he would be proud to have her on his arm.  He would ask her tomorrow.
    He was getting ready to go to Jason’s. He mi ght as well have a sniff around, he’d nothing better to do.
    They were all still waiting for the DNA results to come through, he had considered getting a few of his team down there tonight, but one they deserved a weekend off and secondly, he didn’t want a large police presence at this point as i t may drive t he murderer underground.
    Both girls ha d been to ‘Jason’s on the night of their murder his gut instinct told him there was a connection, but even if he learned nothing it filled in some of his time, lonely time, which was time when h is thoughts c ould work overtime about Tanya and what she was doing, those thoughts becoming darker and darker as the evening wore on. He must be getting