As The Crow Flies (The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series) by Damien Boyd Page A

instance.’
    ‘I’ll speak to Gorman. Need anything else?’
    ‘Not at this stage. Just some time, really.’
    ‘Well, subject to anything else coming in and finishing off Operation Magpie, of course, take as long as you need.’
     
    Dixon overheard the conversation between DCI Lewis and DS Gorman.
    ‘That case is closed, Sir.’
    Dixon could not hear the response.
    ‘How can it possibly be relevant to a simple climbing accident in Cheddar Gorge?’
    Dixon heard the parting shot from DCI Lewis.
    ‘Just give him the file, Steve, and give it to him now.’
     
    It was mid morning before PC Cole called back. Dixon explained the need to enhance the video footage and the three photographs that had been taken with the zoom lens. Dixon also asked what efforts were being made to trace other witnesses in the gorge.
    ‘None, Sir’
    ‘Well, you’d better get onto it, constable. The video clip shows two climbers high on the north side of the gorge. They would’ve had a clear view of the top of High Rock. We need to speak to them.’
    ‘I’ll get onto that straightaway, Sir. I’ll place the usual road side signs and get an appeal in the local paper.’
    ‘Climbers will travel from miles around to climb in the gorge this time of year. Get in touch with the main climbing magazines and websites. I’ll get onto the various climbing clubs and forums and see if they can help.’
    ‘Right.’
    ‘Are there any other photographs?’
    ‘None that are relevant, Sir.’
    ‘Any others taken in the gorge at all?’
    ‘Some, but they don’t show Fayter.’
    ‘Maybe not, but they may show cars parked and one of those cars may belong to the climbers we need to speak to.’
    ‘I understand, Sir.’
    ‘Make no mistake about it, the video clip shows that Jake Fayter’s weight was off the rope for two and a half minutes just before he fell. That’s plenty of time for the knot to have been undone. He was also the main suspect in the death of Jenna Williams.’
    ‘The ecstasy overdose?’
    ‘Yes.’
    Dixon spent the next half an hour leaving posts on various internet forums asking for anyone climbing in the gorge at the time of the fall to contact the police. There was a flurry of responses from concerned climbers, some of whom said they knew Jake, but nothing positive straightaway. Dixon subscribed to each thread so he would get an email alert when any further comments were left.
    Dixon let his mind wander back to his ascent of Dinner Date. Jake had been holding his ropes, of course. It had been Dixon’s first route in Cheddar Gorge. It was a short single pitch route but it felt as if you were stepping off the edge of the world. From the end of the terrace it was exposed to the full height of the gorge almost immediately. Dixon had not read the guidebook properly either and had climbed past the belay point and topped out. He found out later that there were rare orchids on the top of the cliffs but he didn’t think that he had trodden on anything precious.
     
    Dixon spent the rest of the day interviewing Standish and his two cronies. Standish looked faintly ridiculous covered in bandages and plasters and it had taken the hospital over fifty stitches to sew him up. The interview proved to be unproductive with Standish answering ‘no comment’ to each and every question.
    The interviews with the other two burglars had proved to be more worthwhile. Both made full admissions detailing a string of burglaries, which matched those under investigation. It included the burglary in Torquay as well as two others of which the team had not been aware.
    The search warrants in Bristol had turned up a significant volume of paperwork from each burglary. A number of computers had also been seized and these were with the High Tech Unit for examination. There remained a good deal of work to be done to prepare the case for future court hearings and this would no doubt keep the team busy for the next few weeks. Dixon would need to supervise this