The Whitby Murders (A Yorkshire Murder Mystery) J. Ellis (distant reading TXT) 📖

was wrong he went in to help them. He went back to reception with Louise and then got the first aid kit. But it was too late.’ She put down her notes. ‘There are no inconsistencies in the witness accounts. I’ve got forensics onto that sarcophagus thing, and the blood stain. Other than that, we’ll just have to wait until we find Holgate or see if he texts again. If he does, and tries to arrange another meeting, we’ll be ready for him this time.’

‘Good,’ said Oldroyd. ‘In the meantime, if it’s all right with you, we’ll go back to Leeds with Louise and have a look at this flat that the victim had. There might be something interesting there. Maybe you could get the Met to look at the flat they shared in Tower Hamlets.’

‘Yes, I will. Also we’ve examined the victim’s phone, which was in her bag at the escape room reception, but there was nothing unusual in the messages or recorded calls to suggest what was going to happen.’

Granger smiled at Oldroyd. ‘By the way, sir; I remember how you used to give murders acronyms like MOTA: Malignancy of Time and Place, for an unfortunate victim of a serial killer. How would you describe this one?’

‘Oh yes, I still like to do that. If we confirm that it was Holgate and the case is closed then depending on the circumstances, it could be an “O” for Othello. He killed the person he loved. In this case it seems it was done in anger and not out of jealousy as in the play, but, like the Moor, he seems to have immediately regretted it. However, if it turns out that there’s more to it than meets the eye, then I’ll say it’s NRTJ.’

‘What’s that, sir?’

‘Never Rush To Judgement.’

Granger laughed and then sighed, as she faced the hard reality of police work. ‘By the way, her parents have arrived and I’ll have to speak to them. Never an easy job.’

Oldroyd agreed; he was glad at this moment not to be in charge of the case.

‘Oh shit, I’m not sure I can do this!’

Steph and Louise, wearing plastic gloves, were about to enter Andrea and Dominic’s room in the Airbnb. No one had been in there since the horrific events of Wednesday.

‘You can with my help,’ said Steph encouragingly. ‘We need to see if there’s anything in there that could be important evidence in the case and we also need to get the key for the flat in Leeds.’

‘That means going through Andrea’s things.’ Louise gave a deep sigh. ‘Okay. Let’s get it over with.’ She opened the door and they crept in slowly as if they might disturb someone in there. The curtains were drawn back and the room showed signs of having been recently inhabited. The bed was roughly made. On one side were some of Dominic’s clothes in an untidy pile, on the other a suitcase containing Andrea’s clothes. She had died in her goth costume. Louise leaned down and picked up a burgundy-coloured top. ‘I bought her this for Christmas last year. It really suited her.’ She put the top back down, sat on the bed and sobbed. Steph put her arm around her.

‘Look, just sit in that chair and I’ll ask you about things if I need to. I know this is really difficult. Can you see a handbag? She only had a small bag with her at the escape room with not much in it apart from her phone so there must be another one.’

Louise pointed. ‘It’s that brown leather bag there on that chest of drawers. She had all her keys and stuff in there and she said she was going to call at the Leeds flat before returning to London.’

Steph opened the bag and found a number of sets of keys, one of which was marked ‘Cornwall Avenue’. Louise identified them as the correct set. Steph continued with the search through wardrobes, drawers and clothing. She found supplies of a contraceptive pill and also a blister packet of capsules.

‘Do you know why she took these?’ she asked Louise, indicating the capsules.

‘I think they were for heartburn or something. She had a few stomach problems.’

On the dressing table Steph found a necklace made in silverwork with a shiny black stone at its centre. ‘That looks like Whitby jet.’

‘Yes,’ replied Louise. ‘She got that recently, I think. She was very fond of it.’

‘Did she buy it here? Or maybe someone bought it for her?’

‘I don’t know.’

Steph continued the search, but the only unusual item in the room was a small bottle, which, according to the label, contained fake blood.

‘That was for her costume,’ Louise said. ‘I think she got it from some kind of joke shop. She had this Bride of Dracula outfit that she splashed with fake blood.’ Her voice faltered. ‘She didn’t know that there would soon be real blood on it.’ She burst into tears again.

‘Okay,’ said Steph, holding a plastic bag containing a few items including the blood. ‘Just sit down. I’ll have a look through Dominic’s stuff.’

Steph sorted through some clothes and then looked into his case. Here, concealed under more clothes, she was surprised to find a gun holster. There was no gun but there was a small metal container which was clearly an ammunition box. There were some bullets inside.

Steph showed this to Louise. ‘Did you know he carried a gun?’ she asked.

Louise was shocked. ‘No. What the hell did he have that for and where did he get it?’

‘Maybe to protect himself. Did he have any reason to feel threatened?’

‘Not that I know of. I don’t know of anyone who would want to harm him. God, this whole thing just gets worse! Does this mean he’s got the gun with him now?’

‘It would seem so.’

‘Why? I don’t get it. This is all just a nightmare.’ She burst into tears again.

‘Okay,’ said Steph, putting an arm around Louise’s shoulder. ‘I think we need