Free Eye of the Raven by Ken McClure Page B

during the struggle. I want to know what the lab found under her nails.’
    ‘ Maybe nothing,’ said Santini.
    ‘ If they were broken when she put up a struggle, as your own pathologist seemed to suggest at the time, there’s a good chance that something would have been recovered – skin, hair, blood, fibres?’
    ‘ The DNA evidence on its own was irrefutable,’ said Santini. ‘A one hundred percent match. There was no call for anything else.’
    ‘ I know,’ said Steven. ‘But I’d feel happier to see a piece of corroborating evidence. It would also prove beyond doubt that Hector Combe’s assertion that Julie Summers scratched his face was nonsense.’
    ‘ Of course it was nonsense,’ snapped Santini.
    ‘ Then corroborating evidence should make everyone happy,’ said Steven calmly.
    ‘ But it shouldn’t be necessary!’ exclaimed Santini. ‘What in God’s name don’t you accept about the evidence against David Little?’
    ‘ Nothing,’ replied Steven. ‘It seems irrefutable.’
    ‘ But you still want more?’
    ‘ I just want to take a look at the forensic samples taken at the time and then I’ll be on my way.’
    Santini looked down at his desk top for so long that Steven wondered if he had a crystal ball installed in it. Eventually he said quietly, ‘That may not be possible.’
    ‘ I’m sorry?’ said Steven.
    ‘ There aren’t any samples,’ said Santini quietly. ‘Ronald Lee, the forensic pathologist at the time, screwed up. The samples were lost.’
    ‘ Lost?’ exclaimed Steven.
    ‘ Destroyed, incinerated, thrown out with the discards, something like that. I’m not sure of the exact details.’
    ‘ How long have you known this?’ asked Steven.
    ‘ Not long, I assure you. I called the head of the forensics lab when DI McClintock told me yesterday why you were here and he went into the lab last night to look out the samples. I just wanted to smooth the way so that you could see what you wanted to see and then be on your way without anyone getting wind of what you were up to. He called me just after eleven last night and broke the news.’
    ‘ But this suggests that the lab must have kept this a secret at the time,’ said Steven.
    Santini nodded and said, ‘Presumably Superintendent Chisholm and Inspector Currie were told and they informed the Procurator Fiscal’s Office of the situation.’
    ‘ And then they all colluded in one great big cover-up,’ said Steven.
    ‘ It was a very difficult time for the force,’ began Santini. ‘The press were on our backs and the public were baying for an arrest. The investigating team had screwed up big time over the Mulvey boy and were being pilloried left, right and centre for perceived incompetence. I’m sure it was a case of the force simply not being able to afford another public scandal over a lab mix-up. It’s not as if anyone falsified evidence.’
    ‘ They just lost it,’ said Steven.
    Santini swallowed and continued. ‘They did have a DNA match and it was perfect. The Fiscal obviously decided that a conviction could be obtained using that alone and he went ahead with the trial. He was proved right.’
    Steven said quietly. ‘I take it that this is the real reason Ronald Lee got his marching orders with the others?’
    Santini leaned forward and said, ‘Yes.’
    Steven shook his head as he thought about it.
    Santini said, ‘I’m asking you as a colleague to let sleeping dogs lie. Hector Combe could not have committed that crime. We got the right man. You know that.’
    Steven nodded.
    ‘ Well?’
    ‘ Even if the samples were discarded, I presume they were logged at the scene of crime?’ said Steven.
    ‘ I suppose so.’
    ‘ I’d like to see the log.’
    Santini took a deep breath as if trying to keep his equilibrium and exhaled slowly. ‘I’ll ask,’ he said. ‘Anything else?’
    ‘ I’d also like to see the medical officer’s report on David Little when he was arrested.’
    ‘ We should have that here.