Free Dead Level (The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series Book 5) by Damien Boyd Page A

any of his shoes. Right size, but that’s it.’
    ‘He’s probably got rid of them,’ said Pearce.
    ‘Same for his clothes,’ said Harding.
    ‘What about the van?’ asked Janice.
    ‘Reported stolen yesterday at 5.32 p.m. Not turned up yet though.’
    ‘When was it stolen?’
    ‘Sometime in the previous forty-eight hours. That’s all he could say, apparently.’
    ‘Anything on the traffic cameras?’
    ‘We’ve got a white van getting on the M5 at junction 24 and going north at 2.12 a.m. but there’s no number plate visible.’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘Covered with mud, I expect. Either deliberately or . . .’ replied Harding. ‘We’re getting it enhanced now.’
    ‘So, he headed south to go north?’
    ‘Avoids all the cameras in the town,’ said Lewis.
    ‘What about further north?’
    ‘We’ve got him getting off at 21 then nothing after that,’ replied Harding.
    ‘What about his neighbours?’
    ‘Fully paid up members of the “see no evil, hear no evil” brigade,’ said Pearce.
    ‘Don’t they know this is a murder investigation?’ asked Janice.
    ‘Saw nothing, heard nothing. And they gave that answer before they even heard the question.’
    ‘Gits,’ said Harding.
    ‘What about the murder weapons?’ asked Janice.
    ‘Murder weapon,’ said Lewis.
    ‘There were two knives, Sir. One made the visible injuries and then a longer knife was inserted into a wound in her back. That’s the one that went into the heart and killed her.’
    ‘Have we had Poland’s report then?’ asked Lewis.
    ‘Not yet,’ replied Janice. ‘Jane went to the post mortem last night.’
    Lewis looked at Jane and nodded.
    ‘What do we think happened then?’ he asked.
    ‘His knife wasn’t long enough so he got another from the kitchen, perhaps?’ asked Jane.
    ‘He could have just cut her throat, surely?’
    ‘He’d stabbed her twice in the neck and it had made him sick, don’t forget.’
    ‘He’s not got a strong stomach, has he?’
    ‘No, Sir.’
    ‘What about motive?’ asked Lewis.
    ‘We’ll need to speak to the husband again. See if their paths have ever crossed but, apart from that, we don’t have one,’ replied Janice.
    ‘Burglary gone wrong,’ said Pearce.
    ‘There’s always that possibility,’ said Lewis. ‘Drives out to a rural area, picks a remote cottage he thinks is empty . . .’
    ‘Surely he’d take the cash out of her purse?’ asked Jane.
    ‘Not necessarily, if he’s smart,’ replied Janice. ‘Stolen goods might connect him to the murder and cash can be traced from serial numbers.’
    ‘Does he look smart to you?’ asked Jane.
    ‘No, but let’s go and find out, shall we?’

    ‘Well?’
    ‘No comment,’ replied Janice, throwing her empty coffee cup in the bin. ‘No bloody comment to every single question.’
    DCI Lewis sighed, loudly.
    ‘He didn’t even offer an alibi?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Who was his solicitor?’
    ‘Duty solicitor from Taunton. Harrison. It was a bit of a struggle to get him to come out at all, until he found out it was a murder.’
    ‘Twat.’
    ‘A fair assessment,’ replied Janice.
    ‘Was there any reaction to anything?’
    ‘Not really . . .’
    ‘Only when we asked him about the two knives,’ interrupted Jane. ‘He looked . . .’ she hesitated.
    ‘What?’ asked Lewis.
    ‘Surprised.’
    ‘That we knew or that there were two knives?’
    ‘I couldn’t tell,’ replied Jane, shaking her head.
    She noticed Mark Pearce standing behind Janice, so she nodded in his direction. Janice turned round.
    ‘What?’
    ‘They’ve found his van.’
    ‘Where is it?’
    ‘In a field off,’ Pearce looked down at a piece of paper, ‘East Dundry Lane. It’s south of the city.’
    ‘Burnt out, I suppose?’
    ‘Incinerated is probably a more accurate description. They’re emailing over some photos now though.’
    ‘We’ll get nothing off that then,’ said Janice.
    ‘Did they find anything at his flat?’ asked Lewis.
    ‘No, Sir,’