Webb returned to his office. Susan Lang’s handbag had been deposited in the centre of his desk. It was a large bag, filled to bursting with odds and ends – cosmetics, tissues, and packets of Polo mints. There were also two sets of keys, which looked like house keys and car keys. The car keys were on a Morris Minor key ring. There was a slim black address book. And, buried deep at the bottom of the bag, Webb found a packet of Durex condoms and a small plastic bag containing a white powder. He held the bag in his hands for some time, before opening it slightly, inserting a finger, and tasting with the slightest touch of his tongue. He nodded. Well, of course: what else could it have been? Picking up his phone, he summoned DC Simon Rice. When Rice arrived, Webb instructed him to prepare an inventory of the handbag’s contents, placing each item in its own evidence bag with an identifying label attached.
‘Then get this powder over to the lab as soon as you can,’ Webb continued. ‘I’m going to hold on to the address book and the keys for now. I will sign them in when I have finished with them.’
‘Very good, sir,’ Rice replied. He seated himself in front of Webb’s desk, and began work on his list of exhibits.
DS Raymond came in just as Rice was finishing the last label. He inspected the items carefully.
‘Is that what I think it is?’ he asked. ‘In the bag?’
‘Yes,’ Webb replied.
‘Brilliant.’
‘I know. What have you got?’
‘The knife’s on its way to the lab, sir. There was a green Morris Minor parked just around the corner from the scene,’ Raymond said, pointing at the car keys, ‘in Orde Hall Street, I think it’s called. It could be hers.’
Webb nodded. He turned to DC Rice.
‘Simon, keep the car keys, and when you’ve dropped everything else off in the evidence room, take a walk and see if you can open a Morris Minor anywhere within a radius of a couple of hundred yards of Harpur Mews, using these keys. You might as well start with the green one in Orde Hall Street. If it’s still there, I’d be very surprised if it’s a coincidence.’
‘Right you are, sir.’
‘If there is a car you can open, don’t interfere with it. Stay out. Call Forensic to look at it, and don’t leave the car until they get there.’
Rice nodded, gathered up the evidence, and left.
‘I’ve made inquiries about next of kin,’ Raymond said. ‘I’ve asked the High Court to release any names and addresses in the divorce court’s files. We should know something soon. I phoned Mercury Mechanics and talked to a lad called Ernie, who confirmed that Henry Lang is the governor. Apparently they do very high-end repairs and maintenance, Bentleys, Jaguars, foreign sports cars, that kind of thing. I’ve arranged to go over there and take a look around later. We may have to wait to get entry to his house until we can contact the next of kin.’
‘Any news about the children?’
‘Yes, sir. Mrs Cameron was right – they’re with her parents.’
‘Good,’ Webb said. ‘Has anyone told you what’s been going on here?’
‘Yes, sir. I went down to the cells in case you were there. Bert told me all about it. What’s going on?’
‘I have no idea, but I’m sure someone will explain it all to us eventually.’
‘Sounds to me like he’s trying it on,’ Raymond muttered sullenly.
‘Yes,’ Webb said, ‘well, you may be right, but there’s nothing we can do about it until we can speak to Dr Moynihan. Come on, let’s go and get a cup of tea.’