She didn’t know why she doubted him. Maybe it was her increasing need to be fully in control of everything. She wanted to interview all the guests and staff, be with Bernard and the forensics team, be the one to chase their suspect into the woods and fields and be the one waiting at the roadside for him or her to emerge.
A man pushed his way through the officers on the terrace. ‘Who’s in charge here? I demand to speak to someone in a position of authority. Is it you?’ He instantly looked to Briggs for an answer. This time the man was right – but in Gina’s experience, the majority of the people she met asked the suited man on the scene if he was the one in charge. This time she didn’t get to say she was.
‘I’m DCI Briggs and this is DI Harte. DI Harte is the Senior Investigating Officer.’
Gina went to speak, her gaze fixed on Briggs as she realised he was stepping back and allowing her to take the lead on the case, as she had been doing for a while now. As soon as DS Driscoll landed, Briggs would be back in his office working the investigation, being the interface between the team and the press. She cleared her throat. ‘How can I help you?’
‘The name’s Harris. Nigel Harris. I live in the cottage over there and this is my family estate.’ He shivered slightly and buttoned up his tweed jacket. ‘My staff have just called me away from my late game of bridge, saying that there’s all sorts going on. They tell me a woman has been murdered. I can’t have this malarkey happening on my property. My business has a reputation to keep so I suggest you take the body and hurry up off my premises.’
The man stood over six feet tall with a large round middle, his bulbous red nose reflecting the little bit of light coming from the manor house. His grey curly hair fell around the bald patch at the back of his head.
‘Mr Harris. We won’t be hurrying and the body will be taken when we are ready to take it. A woman has been murdered and the crime scene team are working their hardest to collect all the evidence. Your business is very important to you, I understand that, but the woman in there, the one lying dead in one of your rooms, she is important to someone. Imagine if she was someone you cared about, your daughter, your niece. You wouldn’t want us to hurry up and leave, would you? You’d want to make sure we collected enough evidence and statements to convict whoever committed this terrible crime.’ Gina felt a flutter in her chest.
The man let out a slight snort. ‘That person is not my daughter and she’s not my niece so just hurry about your business. I want you gone as soon as possible.’
‘Well I suggest you don’t tie us all up in meaningless conversation any longer.’
He stared at Gina for a moment before muttering under his breath as he walked back.
‘Don’t you just hate some people?’ Briggs asked.
‘Thanks.’
‘What for?’
‘You’re in charge.’
He shrugged. ‘I may be your DCI but you’re in charge of this investigation. I know you won’t let me down. Right, everyone is interviewing at the moment and hopefully all statements will be uploaded onto the system immediately upon returning to the station. No one is going home until that is done. It’s impossible to keep this many people in one place for long and I don’t want anyone missed.’
The two officers who had chased their suspect emerged from the hedge. Gina took a torch from one and pointed at the ground. There had to be something left behind, anything. A few cigarette butts were scattered around the muddy cut through. ‘We need those bagged up. It looks like the masses have trampled through here. Shoe imprints upon shoe imprints are ingrained in the mud.’
‘Why would so many people be coming this way?’
‘Gatecrashers, guv,’ PC Smith said.
Gina flinched as he broke her thoughts. ‘I didn’t hear you coming.’ It had been a while since he’d been injured at a crime scene and it made her happy to see him back where he belonged, in uniform, helping with their investigation.
‘You were all so engrossed in what was happening. We’ve been interviewing, as you know, and one of the bridesmaids, Lilly Hill, mentioned the gatecrashers. She said she’d like to speak to a detective in charge about Holly. Just look for the woman in the long green dress with blonde hair. She said it’s important.’
‘Thanks. While I’m catching up with the witnesses, I want you to find out if there were any photographers or videographers. I want all footage and photos of the night before anything can be lost or tampered with.’
‘On it, guv.’
Lilly Hill could wait. The person she most wanted to speak to was the one who had found Holly’s body.
Chapter Six
Gina headed back out to the ambulance. ‘We’re finished now,’ the paramedic called as he spotted her trying to catch his attention. He turned his attention back to the vehicle. ‘You sit there as long as you like, love, until you feel a little better.’
PC Kapoor smiled as she stepped out of the ambulance. ‘Guv?’ the police constable said in a pitch that sounded as though it could crack windows. ‘This is Francesca Carter.’
The paramedic walked around the ambulance and began speaking to a colleague.
‘Thank you.’ Gina stepped up and sat on the gurney beside Francesca. ‘Ms Carter. I know this is hard for you, but could I ask you a few questions?’ Gina asked in a gentle voice.
The woman looked up, revealing her mascara-streaked face. Gina cleared her throat as she caught the faint smell of vomit coming from down the front of the young woman’s sage green dress. Her long brown hair was matted around the sides where she’d wiped her nose with her arm from ear to ear. ‘I found her.’
‘May I call you Francesca?’
