Bloody Valentine Part 4

'Is there anything else you can tell us?' Ben looked at his watch.

'The heart was removed from the body by someone with a basic knowledge of anatomy.'

'Doctor, nurse?' Amy asked.

'Butcher or chef, someone used to cutting up animal carca.s.ses. Almost anyone with a reasonable knowledge of human anatomy. So you can include artists, keep-fit instructors, hospital technicians ...'

'In short, about half the population,' Ben complained.

'I'm a pathologist, not a fortune-teller. I can only examine evidence,' Patrick lectured.

'You have our mobile numbers?' Amy checked.

'I do. I'll be able to tell you more if you send me the corpse the heart was taken from.'

'We'll do our best.'

A technician handed Amy, Ben and Sergeant Reece protective clothing as they entered the foyer of Barnes Building. They covered themselves in the white suits, bonnets and overshoes before snapping on gloves.

Constable Mich.e.l.le Green was waiting for Amy and Ben at the desk. 'Sergeant Reece is with the suspect, ma'am. He was found in the apartment on the second floor.'

'He's still there?'

'Yes, ma'am. The doctor's with him. Sergeant Reece is waiting for you. Lift straight ahead of you. Only one of the four is operational. Forensic are working in the others.'

'Has the suspect been identified?'

'All I know is that he's a resident, ma'am.'

Chapter Eleven.

The lift was covered in fine grey fingerprint powder. White-suited technicians were swarming over the corridor. A suited constable was standing guard outside the apartment door.

'Ma'am, sir. The duty pathologist is examining the corpse. I've been ordered to warn you to step inside carefully.' He opened the door for them.

A woman rose from the floor where she'd been kneeling beside the body.

'Preliminary report?' Amy was abrupt, shaken by the size of the pool of blood standing proud around the corpse.

Sergeant Reece left the bedroom. 'Ma'am, sir. The porter has identified the victim as Bruno Gambrini. He occupied this apartment with his partner, Adrian Wills. Both are chefs who work for Jack Barnes. Mr Wills, who was also identified by the porter, was found slumped over Mr Gambrini's corpse. He was holding a carving knife and his clothes are stained with Mr Gambrini's blood.'

The pathologist took over. 'Serrations on the knife match the wounds in Mr Gambrini's abdomen and neck. Rigor mortis hasn't set in, so death was within the last three hours. There are two stab wounds. One to the abdomen, one to the neck. The one to the neck severed the jugular before hitting the spine. There are bone fragments on the knife and at the entry point of the wound, which were probably left when the knife was withdrawn. Mr Gambrini died from blood loss, probably within a minute of his jugular being severed. No organs have been removed.' The pathologist called to the technicians. 'You can move the body out now.'

'You'll notify me of the post mortem results?'

'You should have them by the end of the day, ma'am.'

Sergeant Reece stood back. 'The suspect is in the bedroom, ma'am, sir.'

Amy and Ben picked their way around the corpse and pools of blood and entered the bedroom. A man in bloodied chefs' whites, his hands and feet bagged in plastic, was sitting, slumped, on his bed. He was holding his head and moaning. The police doctor was checking his blood pressure.

'Mr Wills?'

The man lifted his head and stared at Amy, She could see from the vacant expression in his eyes that he was in shock. The police doctor shook his head, warning Amy off trying to question his patient.

Amy motioned to Sergeant Reece and Ben. They left the room and entered the living room, where three forensic technicians were working.

'As soon as the doctor's finished with Mr Wills, get him to the station. Search him, send hand and nail swabs and all his clothes to the laboratory.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

'Let me know when he's fit for questioning.'

'Yes, ma'am. We checked with the porter. Mr Wills entered the foyer at ten minutes to one. Constable Bradley found him here, with the corpse, at two minutes to one.'

'Eight minutes,' Amy mused.

'Less,' Ben observed. 'It would have taken at least two minutes to get here from the foyer.'

'Anything else?' Amy asked.

'Yes, ma'am. We found two bloodstained knives and a fork in the sink. I sent them to the lab.'

'Fingerprints?' Amy asked.

'So far only Bruno Gambrini's and Adrian Wills's, overlaid by smudges, probably from latex gloves.'

'I suspect that's all we're going to find.'

'I've ordered an incident room to be set up in the conference centre on the ground floor. The porter told us it's been locked since it was cleaned two days ago.'

'Thank you, Sergeant Reece. If you need us, contact us there.'

Mich.e.l.le Green updated Ben and Amy when they entered the conference centre. 'No trace of Mrs Barnes has been found as yet, ma'am. This is a list of people living in the building, and, this is a copy of the statement I took from the day porter, Ted Levett.' Mich.e.l.le handed Amy two sheets of paper. 'He confirmed Mrs Barnes left the building at 11.20 a.m. No one has seen her since. Officers are examining the CCTV tapes for the past twenty-four hours.' Mich.e.l.le pointed to a bank of computers set against the wall.

'Have you told the doorman why we're looking for Mrs Barnes?'

'No, ma'am. Sergeant Reece said to keep it quiet.'

'Has the area around the building been searched?' Ben questioned.

'Organised searches inside and outside the building are ongoing, sir. Sergeant Reece has placed officers at all entrances and exits. We've orders to hold anyone entering or leaving, until they, and their business have been checked out by him. Yourselves excepted, of course, ma'am, sir.'

'How many entrances are there?' Ben asked.

'Four, sir. The foyer. A fire exit that opens into a closed yard at the back and vehicle and pedestrian access out of the underground garage.'

Ben looked at Amy. 'Start with the porter?'

She nodded. They returned to the foyer and approached the desk. 'I'm Inspector Amy Stuart, and this is Sergeant Miller.'

'I've told the constable all I know, and signed a statement.' Ted's hands were shaking.

'How long have you worked here, Mr Levett?'

'Three months. Mrs Barnes got me the job. We were at school together.'

'Do I know you, Mr Levett?' Ben leaned on the desk.

Ted avoided looking at Ben. 'Yes, officer. I went down for drug dealing?'

'Really, Mr Levett?' Ben queried. 'I remember the charge as murder.'

Chapter Twelve.

'The charge was reduced to manslaughter,' Ted protested. 'I'm not proud of being a pusher. I only sold enough to finance my own habit. I didn't know the "China"-'

'You mean heroin?' Amy interrupted.

'Yes. I thought it was pure. I really did. I sold it on in good faith. Look, I admit, when I was hooked I'd steal anything I could lay my hands on to buy a fix, even my suppliers' stash.'

'And your supplier had poisoned stash,' Ben said.

'I thought it was good. Honest to G.o.d, I really thought it was OK. I would never have sold it otherwise. I got five years, came out in two and came out clean. Been clean ever since.' Ted wasn't looking for sympathy. Neither was Ben about to give him any.

'When were you released?' Ben watched the screens above the desk. All were connected to CCTV cameras inside the building.

'A year ago. My family didn't want to know me. I slept rough before I found a place in a hostel. Zee ... Mrs Barnes, saw me selling The Big Issue The Big Issue. She got me this job and the flat that goes with it. I've a lot to be grateful to her for. If something's happened to her-'

'What makes you think something's happened to her?' Ben interrupted.

'Police officers searching the building.'

'Bruno Gambrini's been murdered,' Ben pointed out.

'He and Adrian were always quarrelling and threatening to kill one another.'

'You don't seem particularly upset,' Amy looked at him.

'I hardly knew them. They usually leave the building before I come on shift and arrive back after I've finished for the day. I doubt I've exchanged more than a couple of words with them in the three months I've been here.'

'Did you hear them quarrelling after Adrian arrived at ten to one today?'

Ted thought for a moment. 'No, but if the apartment door was closed, I wouldn't have. Constable Green was already here and taking my statement. She asked me what time Mrs Barnes left this morning. Mrs Barnes's mobile is switching straight to answerphone. I've never known her to turn it off. Something must have happened to her. Please tell me what it is?'

Amy remained cool, professional. 'Is anyone in Mr and Mrs Barnes's apartment?'

'No, Sara left shortly after Mrs Barnes. She's their cleaner.'

'How soon after Mrs Barnes left?'

'About half an hour.'

'Did Mr and Mrs Barnes know you had a record when they employed you?' Ben probed.

'I told Zee the day she saw me selling The Big Issue The Big Issue. When she persuaded Mr Barnes to meet me, I told him exactly what I'd done. I thought it only fair he knew who he was employing and inviting to live in the building.'

Amy studied the list of residents. 'How many people are in the building now?'

'The penthouse is empty. Mr Michael Barnes and his girlfriend Miss Anni Jones came in shortly after Sergeant Reece and the police constables arrived. Their apartment is below Mr and Mrs Barnes's. The next floor down is Michael Barnes's and Miss Jones's studio they're artists. The misses Leila and Mamie Barnes, Mr Barnes's sisters, occupy the apartment on the third floor. Mamie's in a special school; she has Down's syndrome. Miss Leila is at one of her charity committee meetings. Then there are the chefs. The next floor down, the one above this, is the communal gym and swimming pool. As you see,' Ted indicated a screen above the desk, 'no one's using it at present.'

'What time did Leila Barnes leave?' Amy took her notebook from her pocket.

'About twenty to one. She told me about the committee meeting on her way out.'

'You chat to the residents?' Ben continued to monitor the screens above the desk.

'We exchange friendly words. They're nice people.' Ted pointed to the roses in a gla.s.s on his desk. 'Mrs Barnes gave me those. She left roses and Valentine cards for everyone outside their doors before she went out.'

'She gave you two?' Ben smelled them.

'One's for the night porter, Damian. He spends his days sleeping and writing books.'

'You said you have an apartment here?' Ben asked.

'Damian and I have bas.e.m.e.nt studio apartments,' Ted confirmed.

'There's an underground garage?'

'Below our studio apartments, for the family's vehicles and Mr Barnes's business vehicles.'

'Why does a restaurant owner need vehicles?' Ben frowned.

'He has a central kitchen that bakes cakes and desserts. They're frozen and shipped out to his own and other restaurants, and to gourmet food shops.'

'Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary on the CCTV today?' Amy moved alongside Ben.