Kay tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, willing the traffic lights to turn green, and wondered who had managed to scrawl a lewd joke amongst the grime at the top of the trailer door on the articulated truck in front of her.
‘What have you managed to find out about Dale Thorngrove?’ She glanced over at Barnes, who was scrolling through emails on his phone.
He lowered the phone and pointed at the road as the lights changed, and she slipped the car into gear.
‘Our victim was thirty-four when he died, single as far as Kyle could work out from his social media profiles, and worked as a tyre fitter at a garage in Aylesford for the past two years.’
‘What about an address?’
‘The one on the DVLA database is for a one-bedroom flat in Snodland from six years ago. Rented.’ He tucked his phone into his jacket pocket and fished out his notebook, flicking through it. ‘I’ve spoken to the management company but they reckon Thorngrove hasn’t lived there for the past three and a half years. I’m hoping the dentist might have a more up to date address. Either that, or his parents ought to know. We managed to pull their details from his social media profiles as well.’
‘Where are they?’
‘Burham.’
‘Interesting. I wonder why he didn’t update his address with the DVLA?’
‘Perhaps he forgot.’
‘Or was avoiding someone.’ Kay negotiated a roundabout and joined the A20 towards their first destination. ‘I wonder why he went to a dentist in Sevenoaks? Maybe this is where he’s been living.’
‘We’ll have to ask her.’ Barnes frowned. ‘I’m surprised there’s nothing on our system about the punch-up if Thorngrove was injured that badly.’
‘Maybe it fizzled out before anyone got a chance to call it in. You know what it can be like – they think getting into a fight solves everything until they realise it’s not like they see in films and that it hurts like hell.’
Her colleague chuckled. ‘True. Here, take the next left up there by the lights – it’ll be quicker this time of day.’
She did as he suggested, eyed the GPS on the dashboard as it recalculated her route, and spotted the sign for the dental surgery two minutes later.
Parking in a spare space on a wide asphalt driveway, she followed Barnes to the front door of a dormer bungalow that had been converted into business use at least a decade before.
When she entered the reception area, the smell of clinical-strength antiseptic assaulted her senses, and served as an unwelcome reminder that she was overdue for a check-up.
She pushed the thought away, walked past the two customers waiting for their appointments, and held up her warrant card to the twenty-something behind the counter.
‘We’ve got a meeting with Dr Sharman,’ she said.
The twenty-something shot her a high wattage smile, no doubt aided by the latest whitening products. ‘She’s just finished with a patient, so I’ll let her know you’re here.’
‘Don’t worry – I saw them arrive.’
Kay turned at the woman’s voice, and took a step back. ‘Jasmina?’
The dentist grinned in response, and reached out to take her arm after seeing her patient out. ‘Come on through to my office.’
‘I didn’t make the connection with the name…’ Kay managed as Barnes followed in their wake along a short hallway and then up a flight of stairs. ‘How are you?’
‘Bloody busy, but don’t worry – I understand you need some help.’ The dentist waved them into an office at the top of the stairs and closed the door. ‘That’s better. No need for the clients to hear us gossip about old times.’
Kay returned the smile, and introduced Barnes. ‘Ian, meet Dr Jasmina Sharman – we used to be neighbours in my old uniform days.’
‘Thanks for seeing us at short notice,’ he said, shaking hands. ‘That was over in Tonbridge, wasn’t it?’
‘A long time ago – or at least that’s what it feels like.’ Jasmina gestured to two visitor chairs. ‘And Kay, I need to apologise for not returning your phone calls. Life has been… interesting these past couple of years. Hence the change of surname.’
‘I’ll give you another call once this investigation is over, and we’ll have a proper catch up, don’t worry.’
‘Sounds good. Now, what did you need to know about Dale Thorngrove?’ The dentist tapped her computer keyboard, peering at the screen. ‘I’ve got his records here, and your colleague – Kyle, isn’t it? – promised he’d email over the appropriate warrant as soon as possible. I wouldn’t normally do this, but I’ll make an exception – I’m guessing this is urgent, right?’
‘Right. In confidence, we’ve had an orthodontist compare the records you sent against the victim of a shooting on Wednesday night––’
‘I heard about it on the news––’
‘And we’re certain that victim is Thorngrove.’ Kay leaned back in her chair. ‘Now we have to piece together his last few days and try to work out who had motive to kill him. I realise it was three years ago, but do you recall him saying anything about the fight in Rochester?’
‘Not at the time.’ Jasmina gave a wry smile. ‘To be honest, he was in too much pain and then relieved once it was all over. He wasn’t very talkative at all that time.’
‘That time? He’s been back since?’
‘Yes, four months ago. It’s why my receptionist was able to retrieve his details so quickly for you – she recognised the name.’
‘Is he a regular client then?’ said Barnes.
‘No, not at all – he chipped the implant I fitted, and wanted me to replace it.’
‘Have you got a current address for him?’ Kay said, already pulling her notebook from her bag.
‘I have, yes. It’s in Walderslade.’
After writing down the details, she drew two lines underneath it and frowned. ‘Any idea why he’d use a dentist in Sevenoaks if he lived that way?’
‘At the time, I was the only one able to do the work at short notice on a Saturday morning.’ Jasmina smiled. ‘My practice had only been open a few months and I was still building up my own client list after leaving that place in Tonbridge.’
‘How did he seem when you last saw him four months ago?’
The dentist shrugged. ‘He wasn’t as chatty as some of my clients. Sometimes it’s hard to get them to shut up long enough to do the work. I seem to remember him being polite, that’s all.’
‘Did you get the impression he might’ve had something on his mind?’
‘Nothing that stood out to me. We got the work done and sent him on his way. I did suggest to him that he needed to see the hygienist soon because his teeth were in such a state, but we never saw him again.’ Jasmina sighed. ‘I’m sorry to hear that he’s your victim though. What a horrible way to go.’