“Well, that sounds delightful,” DCI Nailer commented as Rob and Scarlett sat in his office, going over the details of what they had discovered so far.
“It’s certainly an odd feeling, looking at a disembodied head,” Scarlett replied. “It feels wrong, somehow.”
“I’m sure it does,” Nailer agreed. “So, we have the head of a young woman dumped in the bin of a local District Councillor and his wife, who is also employed by the government. We don’t know who this girl is, and we don’t have the rest of her body, either. We’ve got a house-to-house search going on to look for the rest of the victim, and witnesses. Is that about right?”
“That’s about the size of it, sir,” Rob confirmed. There’s plenty of community interest in this, too.”
“I’m sure there is,” Nailer replied. “So, we need to find out who this girl is, why she was killed, and why she was dumped in that bin and no one else's. Do you think it’s related to the Wilkinsons and their jobs working for the government?”
“That is certainly one theory,” Rob confirmed. “We all know how divisive politics can be, so it’s not unlikely that someone took offence to something either Emmett or Valerie was doing and decided to make their displeasure known.”
“Emmett and Valerie are here, right?” Scarlett asked.
“Downstairs, yes. We have them in a break room with a family support officer. No one’s spoken to them yet. You’ll get first crack at them.”
“Thanks,” Rob replied.
“Anything else? Any CCTV or anything?”
“We’re looking into that. I have no idea what local cameras are available, which ones work, and if we can get the footage. There might also be some personal security cameras, of course. The door-to-door will hopefully bring those to light. I’ve asked Guy and Nick to head over and coordinate that.”
“Excellent,” Nailer replied. “I’ve arranged for us to set up a local incident room at the Clipstone Village Hall. The priest was happy to help, but grumbled about the extra work he’d need to do to rearrange the other bookings.”
“We met him at the crime scene,” Rob commented. “He seemed nice enough, and quite well informed.”
“The village grapevine working overtime?” Nailer asked.
“Yeah, maybe. I’m not too concerned.”
“Okay, good to know. We’ll start using the hall today and coordinate the investigation from there.”
“Clipstone isn’t too far away,” Scarlett commented.
“No, it’s not. But it’s always better to be local for these kinds of things. That said, while I don’t think we’ll need room and board for the nights we’re there, it might be worth having a bag of spare clothes with you, just in case we pull a late one.”
“I’ll need to pop home then, to grab a few things,” Scarlett commented.
“Me too. I’ve not got anything here,” Rob agreed.
“That’s fine. Going forward, you need to keep a bag here,” Nailer replied. “I’d suggest interviewing the Wilkinsons first since they’ve already been waiting for a while, but after that, go and get what you need and meet us at the Village Hall in Clipstone.”
“Will do, guv,” Rob replied.
“Thank you, sir,” Scarlett added before they walked from Nailer’s office back into the main room. Nick and Guy were already gone, but Tucker and Ellen were still working at their desks. The room hadn’t changed much since they’d left for Clipstone, apart from a few more loads of boxes shifted into storage.
If they were constantly setting up local incident rooms, Rob wondered how much time they’d actually get to spend working here, in their own office. But Nailer was right. Being local meant they were in the heart of the community, easily accessible for people who might want to come forward, and in close proximity to any new developments. He could see the benefits.
Rob turned to Scarlett. “Right then, let’s head down and see the Wilkinsons.”
They gathered their things and made their way downstairs.
“I hope we find the rest of that poor girl, whoever she is,” Scarlett commented as they walked.
“Yeah, I know. Me too. Maybe Emmett or Valerie can help with that? It’s a small town. They might know who she was.”
“You never know your luck, providing neither of them is the killer, of course.”
“I’ll be keeping an open mind, as always.”
They made their way to one of the break rooms that were kept sparsely furnished, with just sofas and a drinks machine. They served multiple purposes, from being actual break rooms for officers in the building to use to casual interview and meeting rooms. Here, they could speak to victims or the relatives of victims in a more comfortable environment without making them feel like they were being interrogated.
Finding the right room, Rob knocked on the closed door. A moment later, it was opened by a woman in plain clothes. Rob guessed she was the assigned EMSOU Family Liaison Officer. The woman smiled at them. “Hello? Yes?”
“I’m DI Loxley and this is DC Stutely…” Rob said, waiting to see if she recognised their names.
“Aaah, yes. The new detectives in the unit.” She relaxed, letting the door open wider, revealing Emmett and Valerie sitting inside. “I’m DC Heather Knight.”
“You’re the FLO, I take it?” Rob asked.
“Correct. Come in, come in. I’ll keep out of your hair. Would you like a drink?”
“No, no. Thank you.”
“I’m good,” Scarlett said.
“Very well.” She waved toward the couple before closing the door behind them and taking a seat at the back of the room.
“Good morning,” Rob said in greeting.
“Hello,” Scarlett added.
“Hi,” Emmett replied, but he didn’t smile. He seemed almost hollow, and there was a haunted quality to his eyes.
Valerie, who was sitting a good metre away from Emmett, attempted a smile, but it didn’t touch her eyes, despite her best efforts.
They were both clearly shocked and upset by the morning events, which was hardly surprising.
“Are you…” Emmett began.
“We’re part of the investigation into the remains you found in your bin, yes,” Rob confirmed. “I’m Detective Inspector Rob Loxley, and this is Detective Scarlett Stutely.”
“Hi,” Scarlett said. “How are you bearing up? Are you okay?”
“How would you feel if you’d found… that… in your bin?” Emmett asked.
“Upset and scared,” Scarlett confirmed.
“Then you know how we feel,” Emmett said. He took a long breath. “It’s… I just don’t know what this world is coming to. I really don’t. I don’t understand people anymore. Who would do this to…” He waved his hand in the air. “This girl, whoever she is. Or anyone, for that matter? Who goes around cutting heads off people? I just… I don’t…”
“We understand,” Rob sympathised. “This has been a massive shock to you both. We get that. But we need to talk to you, ask some questions and find out if there was a reason behind it. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
“Please, go ahead,” Valerie added.
“Alright, let’s go through the events leading up to the discovery. What did you both do yesterday and this morning?”
“I was working all day yesterday,” Emmett replied, answering first. “After work, I went out with a few friends, we had some food and drinks, but that was about it.”
“Do you know any timings?” Rob asked.
“Erm, let me think. I left work about six, went to the Social Club, had a few drinks. Then my mate, Charlie, left so I got a Chinese before going to the Dog and Duck to meet up with another mate. I got home about quarter to eleven, I think.”
“Were you with him?” Scarlett asked Valerie.
“No,” Valerie confirmed. “I worked too, and went to see a friend at about seven thirty. I didn’t stay as late, though. I was home before nine, so I watched some TV, then had a shower and went to bed. I was tired.”
“Valerie was in the shower when I got back,” Emmett added. “I stayed up a little later before I went to bed. She was already up when I woke up.”
Valerie shrugged. “I woke up first, so I got up, got dressed, and went downstairs to get myself a coffee. Emmett appeared while I was drinking it.”
“Is that right?” Scarlett asked while Rob looked on.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Emmett confirmed, shooting an annoyed look at Valerie. “After I had my breakfast, I sorted my stuff out and went to put some things in the bin. That’s when I discovered it.”
“I see,” Rob said. “And you called us?”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll need to speak to the friends you saw last night,” Scarlett said to both of them before taking down their friends’ details in her notebook. As she copied down the contact details, Rob decided he needed to know the answer to a question that had been bugging him since visiting the crime scene. He waited for Scarlett to finish.
“May I ask, have you told anyone about what you found this morning?” Rob asked.
Emmett frowned and then glanced at Valerie. Her eyes flicked sideways before she rolled them with a sigh. “Yeah. I messaged a couple of friends about it before the police arrived.”
“I see,” Rob replied. “Well, if you could refrain from telling anyone else anything about the case, for the time being, that would be most helpful. We need to control the release of information.”
“I did tell her,” Emmett muttered, twisting up his mouth in annoyance.
“That’s okay. What’s done is done, but we’re all on the same page now, I hope.”
Emmett nodded.
“Yes,” Valerie said.
“Okay, great. So, as I understand it, you’re a District Councillor, Mr Wilkinson. Correct?”
“That’s right,” he replied. “Do you think the, um… the head is related to that?”
“Do you?” Rob asked. “Do you know of anyone who might want to intimidate you or scare you? Do you have any enemies?”
“I have people who disagree with me,” he answered. “But that’s just politics. Our government policy is shaped by people holding different views and thrashing them out. That’s what democracy is all about. But, if you’re asking me if I know anyone who might be capable of this, then I would have to say no. I don’t know anyone who would kill and chop someone up to send a message. That’s insane.”
“What about you, Mrs Wilkinson?” Scarlett asked. “You work for the government, too, right?”
“Yes. That’s right. For the Coal Board,” she confirmed. “But no, as Emmett said. I don’t know anyone who could do that.”
“What about enemies? Is there anyone local who might disagree with something you’re doing?”
“I’ve been involved in the selling of the Headstocks in Clipstone to a private developer,” Valerie replied. “I suppose that might upset some of the old miners.”
“Headstocks?” Scarlett asked.
“The mining buildings in North Clipstone,” Valerie clarified.
“I see.”
“This is an old mining town,” Emmett added. “There’s plenty of former miners living here, and many of them still bear grudges going all the way back to the strikes in the eighties. I still get called scab occasionally because I worked through the strikes.” He shrugged. “It’s part of my history, and I’m proud of what I did back then. But would any of the people who disagree with me on all that, do this? I’d have to say no. I don’t believe they would.”
“You’re sure about that?” Rob pressed.
Emmett took a breath and went to speak, but the words died in his mouth. He took a breath before answering. “I mean, how much do you truly know anyone? If pressed to the very edge, I suppose all of us are capable of some pretty horrible stuff.”
Rob nodded in agreement. Having worked in the police for years and seen all kinds of people do some pretty horrible stuff. There really was no one type when it came to killers and those who committed violence. He’d seen the most unassuming people who wouldn’t hurt a hair on anyone’s head turn around and viciously attack someone because they’d been pushed to the absolute brink. People can only take so much before they turn. He’d seen it time and again, and he was sure he’d see it many more times before his career was over.
Was it possible that someone in this town, who perhaps disagreed with something Emmett or Valerie did, would kill someone and then dump the head in their bin just to send them a message? Certainly, it was. Someone had placed that head there, that was for sure.
But who, and why?
“Okay, fair point,” Rob agreed. “Would you care to put a name to anyone who you’ve had issues with?”
“No, not right now,” Emmett replied.
“Me neither,” Valerie added when Rob glanced at her.
“Okay,” Rob replied, a little annoyed that they wouldn’t pin this on anyone. It was such a bizarre killing, it felt odd that these two didn’t harbour any suspicions.
“We’re going to need you both to make full written statements before you leave, detailing the events leading up to the discovery of the remains in your bin. You can do that with Detective Knight.”
“Okay,” they both replied.
“In the meantime,” Rob added, “is there anyone you can stay with for a few days while we deal with the crime scene?”
“Or we can put you up in a hotel for a few nights,” Scarlett added.
“I’m sure someone will have us,” Emmett replied. “Mark and Claire maybe…”
“No.” Valerie snapped. “We can’t put someone out like that. We’ll take a hotel room, please.”
“Really?” Emmett asked, turning a reproachful eye on his wife. “I’m sure it’ll be no problem.”
“I’m not burdening anyone with this. We need our own space.” Valerie pressed, before turning to Rob. “No. We’ll stay at a hotel. I assume you’ll fund it?”
“We’ll cover the costs for a few nights at a hotel of our choice. Just until this blows over, and you can move back in.”
Emmett grunted in frustration as he slumped back into the sofa, looking away from his wife. He didn’t look happy.