CHAPTER 7
Pete Jenkins at forensics was, as usual, friendly and offered coffee, but Anna declined, saying she would have to move fast to get over to the station in Chalk Farm. When she showed him the bullet, their heads were close as she eased back the piece of tissue. "I think it's blood," she said."Soon be able to tell you. Where did you find it?""The air vent.""Whoops. Someone's gonna get rapped over the knuckles; probably me." He took a small swab stick and prepared for a blood test."How long will it take to confirm whose blood it is?""Not long. Do you want to wait?""I should get moving.""You free for dinner tonight?"She hesitated, then smiled. "Can I talk to you later—see what I've got lined up?""Sure. I can cook—do you like Italian?""Yes. I do.""Well, why don't we say my place at eight, unless something crops up?"Again she hesitated, but he was so easygoing, she couldn't understand why she was being so unsure. She agreed that they would talk later."This is my address." He jotted it down. When he had finished working on the bullet, he promised he would get it over to ballistics.Cunningham was holding forth when Anna joined the team. She broke off to look at her watch. "Nice of you to join us, DI Travis.""I'm sorry, ma'am.""So am I. 1 am not going to say everything again, so catch up, will you? We go over to the mortuary in an hour. "Anna raised her hand. Cunningham gave her a dismissive glance."I went back to the murder site last night," Anna announced, then explained how she had been constantly thinking about the statement from Mrs. Webster. She told the team about the discovery of the bullet, and that forensics was working on it and would be in touch that morning.Cunningham remained, arms folded, staring at the floor, until Anna had finished. She then looked up and gave her a strange, direct stare. "Good work.""It is possible the bullet clipped the man we are trying to identify, the one standing behind Frank Brandon," Anna went on. "If it is someone else's blood, then—""Yes, that's obvious, Travis, but let's not get too excited until we hear back from the lab. Right now it's just speculation." Cunningham walked off.Just speculation! Anna's mobile phone rang; the caller was Harry Blunt. She hurried into her office."Listen, Anna, this may be nothing, but I've been thinking—you know, about Frank. Sort of feel bad about him; he was a pain in the arse, but he was an okay bloke. You liked him, didn't you?""Yes, I did.""I'm not too far from you—want to have a coffee?"Anna checked her watch. She wasn't due to go to the mortuary with Cunningham for another hour. "Sure." They arranged to meet in the nearest Starbucks.Harry was already tucking into a doughnut and giant latte. He grinned when he saw her, his mouth full, and held up a small black coffee. "You can get your own cream if you need it," he said, chewing, as she perched beside him."Black is fine; I've not got much time.""Nor have I. I'm gonna interview a bloke we think chopped up his wife, so I wanted to get something to eat before we drag him in."Anna smiled—typical of Harry."Fucker used a meat cleaver; we got bits and pieces of her all over London. You want one of these? I got three." He proffered a doughnut and she took one, as she hadn't had time for breakfast."Okay, I was in Oxford Street getting the wife her birthday present, and 1 bumped into Frank s ex; she works in Selfridges on the perfume counter. To be honest, I didn't remember her. I'd met her a couple of times but, if you recall, old Frank used to put it about. Anyways, her name is Connie—lovely looking, great figure, big tits. You know old Frank liked them top heavy.""1 didn't," Anna said."Well, we had a bite to eat one night—me, Frank, and Connie—and so she recognized me—calls me over, right?" Harry demolished his doughnut and started on the next. "First, she is showing me all these offers on perfume. I said I was looking for the wife's birthday, so she only sprays me so I smell like a whore's bedroom, then suddenly she says she's really desperate to contact Frank."Anna listened as Harry, between mouthfuls, explained that, at first, he was wondering how he was going to tell Connie that Frank was dead. Then she showed him an engagement ring—nothing too flashy, a nice little three-diamond job. Frank had apparently told her that he would have to be away for a few months; he had got this blinding job, driving some big shot around. Part of the deal was, he was to be on duty twenty-four/seven, so it meant that he wouldn't be able to see her until the job was over. He might also have to travel abroad. Frank had then asked her if she would stand by him; they would get married when it was over. Connie had agreed."She tells me that Frank buys the ring: they were living together, right? Then, a week later, he goes off to work. He said he would have his mobile on and she could call him if something urgent cropped up, but to wait for him to contact her. He was worried that if he didn't come up to scratch, they'd fire him. She never heard nothing, so she called a couple of times, but it was dead." Harry finished the second doughnut. "Anyways, 1 am just about to tell her that so was he, when she says that he'd been working for a chauffeur firm. She'd called them; said he had been wheeling around in a flash Merc. Now, that would have been when I saw him. Remember, I said 1 saw him in a flash Merc in the West End?"Harry rummaged in his jacket pocket and took out a crumpled card.
"She said he was working for this bloke but, when she called him, there was no answer." He passed over the card. Chauffeur Hire, Dotmy Petrozzo, and a mobile number. "She said he worked for big-money blokes in the City; I tried the number and got nothing."