through Ashwell Priory woods to the wishing well on the hilltop. This former holy well is now a pond on the hilltop and it is currently off limits to all except SOCO.’
The whiteboards and blackboards could be easily amended as the situation developed and they provided a simple but vital aide memoire for the teams.
There would be a full briefing once everyone had arrived.
‘Got something for us?’ asked Brian Lindsey as Nick entered.
‘Not a lot,’ he admitted, handing over the list of names. ‘These people were on retreat at The Grange last week and this weekend but Mrs Morley doesn’t recognize the victim as one of them.’
‘We’ll check all the names, thanks. If the victim isn’t on these lists, his killer might be! Or these people could have seen something suspicious going on. We’ll interview them all. So what are your plans?’
‘I was wondering about those construction workers on the building site? Some have been here for months and look like being here for a long time. So could the victim – or the murderer – be one of them?’
‘We’ve got them in mind, Nick. I’ve despatched two teams to the site to commence enquiries. The problem with large construction companies is that workers come and go at a bewildering rate, often unknown to anyone except a secretary in one of the site offices. Worse still, some are itinerant workers looking for jobs that pay cash, staying only for a day or two then moving on before the authorities find them. And some use false names! But we’re on to it. If one of the men has gone missing, we’ll find out but it’s amazing how many John Browns, Bill Smiths, Teddy Bears and Mickey Mouses work on such projects! Anyway, we should know the result of the PM soon, that’s bound to help us.’
‘So where are the monkstables? Do you know?’ Nick asked.
‘Checking staff and students in buildings around the campus, asking if they’ve seen the victim. That’ll take some time. They’re asking if any member of staff hasn’t turned up for work or whether anyone has noticed unusual activities here, particularly as they might involve drugs. After all, there are a lot of students here.’
‘I’ll go back to the Postgate Room, Brian. I’m sure there’s something I could be doing.’
‘If you’re out of a job, we could always use your skills as a statement reader, Nick. You know what’s required?’
‘I do. I worked in several murder rooms when I was in the job.’
‘Well, don’t be afraid to join us. We know you well enough to co-opt you on to the inquiry. There’s always work waiting in here. But go to your own conference room to see how things are going, and keep in touch.’
The statement readers’ work was vital to the success of a murder investigation. As the teams questioned potential witnesses, all their statements were written down and then processed by computer in the murder room. This meant that names, timing, vehicles and other salient details were abstracted and recorded in a master file on a dedicated computer. This enabled detailed cross-checks to be made and possible links established, thus providing fuel for further enquiries.
Nick decided to call at the cop shop to update Father Will on what Napier had revealed. He would also check whether Father Will had received any more news or information. Then he would go to the Postgate Room to await the eventual return of the monkstables. If there was no one around and nothing to do, he might go home. DI Lindsey’s offer to employ him as a statement reader was very pleasing but, in view of the lapse of time since leaving the force, he felt that modern detectives with up-to-date equipment would be far more useful. They knew how to abstract every possible piece of evidence from statements and how to develop enquiries from what had been revealed. They had a deep understanding and professional knowledge of the police computer network, mobile phones, ATMs, credit cards and other sophisticated methods
The whiteboards and blackboards could be easily amended as the situation developed and they provided a simple but vital aide memoire for the teams.
There would be a full briefing once everyone had arrived.
‘Got something for us?’ asked Brian Lindsey as Nick entered.
‘Not a lot,’ he admitted, handing over the list of names. ‘These people were on retreat at The Grange last week and this weekend but Mrs Morley doesn’t recognize the victim as one of them.’
‘We’ll check all the names, thanks. If the victim isn’t on these lists, his killer might be! Or these people could have seen something suspicious going on. We’ll interview them all. So what are your plans?’
‘I was wondering about those construction workers on the building site? Some have been here for months and look like being here for a long time. So could the victim – or the murderer – be one of them?’
‘We’ve got them in mind, Nick. I’ve despatched two teams to the site to commence enquiries. The problem with large construction companies is that workers come and go at a bewildering rate, often unknown to anyone except a secretary in one of the site offices. Worse still, some are itinerant workers looking for jobs that pay cash, staying only for a day or two then moving on before the authorities find them. And some use false names! But we’re on to it. If one of the men has gone missing, we’ll find out but it’s amazing how many John Browns, Bill Smiths, Teddy Bears and Mickey Mouses work on such projects! Anyway, we should know the result of the PM soon, that’s bound to help us.’
‘So where are the monkstables? Do you know?’ Nick asked.
‘Checking staff and students in buildings around the campus, asking if they’ve seen the victim. That’ll take some time. They’re asking if any member of staff hasn’t turned up for work or whether anyone has noticed unusual activities here, particularly as they might involve drugs. After all, there are a lot of students here.’
‘I’ll go back to the Postgate Room, Brian. I’m sure there’s something I could be doing.’
‘If you’re out of a job, we could always use your skills as a statement reader, Nick. You know what’s required?’
‘I do. I worked in several murder rooms when I was in the job.’
‘Well, don’t be afraid to join us. We know you well enough to co-opt you on to the inquiry. There’s always work waiting in here. But go to your own conference room to see how things are going, and keep in touch.’
The statement readers’ work was vital to the success of a murder investigation. As the teams questioned potential witnesses, all their statements were written down and then processed by computer in the murder room. This meant that names, timing, vehicles and other salient details were abstracted and recorded in a master file on a dedicated computer. This enabled detailed cross-checks to be made and possible links established, thus providing fuel for further enquiries.
Nick decided to call at the cop shop to update Father Will on what Napier had revealed. He would also check whether Father Will had received any more news or information. Then he would go to the Postgate Room to await the eventual return of the monkstables. If there was no one around and nothing to do, he might go home. DI Lindsey’s offer to employ him as a statement reader was very pleasing but, in view of the lapse of time since leaving the force, he felt that modern detectives with up-to-date equipment would be far more useful. They knew how to abstract every possible piece of evidence from statements and how to develop enquiries from what had been revealed. They had a deep understanding and professional knowledge of the police computer network, mobile phones, ATMs, credit cards and other sophisticated methods
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