Page 66 of Her Lips Are Sealed

‘I might be wrong, but someone came and collected the cat. I need to be sure who that person was.’

‘Hang on, I’m doing it now. It’s just logging me in.’

Eric went quiet as she heard his fingers typing on the keyboard of his laptop, and she had never been so grateful to have a landlord so cooperative.

‘Christ on a bike, it’s him. I swear to God it is. He’s wearing a black hoodie, joggers and a black beanie hat, but he’s carrying the cat out of the building. Right past the copper on the door, they don’t even look at him twice.’

‘Can you email that across, please, and thank you so much.’

‘On its way. I’ve never heard of anything like it.’

‘Me neither.’

Morgan ended the call and turned to Tina. ‘Can I have a look at the log, please?’

Tina passed her the mint green booklet that had the names and times of everyone entering and exiting the building next to them. She ran her finger down the page. Carl and Joe had signed in then ten minutes later it read, ‘Marc Howard’. Morgan read it again. Marc Howard had definitely not signed into this scene because he’d gone home sick with stress when he realised what a mess he’d made of things, but someone who knew that had used his name too or they’d used it hoping that nobody would think anything of it. Mac’s name was above as the officer running the log. She took out her radio, passing the booklet back to Tina and then realised she didn’t know his collar number. ‘Hey, do you know Mac’s collar number?’

Tina shook her head.

‘Control, is Mac still on duty?’

‘Yes, he is, how can I help you, Morgan?’

Mac’s gentle Scottish accent answered her.

‘Do you remember signing Marc Howard into the scene earlier?’

‘I do, he’s the guy who collected the cat.’

‘Did he write in the book, or did you do it?’

‘I gave it to him to write in it.’

Morgan let out a loud whoop of joy. ‘Thanks.’ She snatched the book back off Tina and mouthed, ‘Sorry, it’s evidence.’

‘Ben, are you on set?’

‘Go ahead, Morgan.’

‘Phone me now, and can you get a CSI back here immediately, please? I believe the killer came back to collect Lisa Palmer’s cat.’

There was stony silence on the other end of the radio as she let that sink in.

‘Morgan, we’re on our way.’

Ben’s voice echoed through the radio, and she looked around the area before telling Tina, ‘I’ll take over, get yourself to the station for a brew.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Positive, the killer came back to the middle of an active crime scene earlier and stole the victim’s cat, right from under our noses. I don’t want you being here on your own, Tina.’

She shook her head.

‘In that case I’ll wait until Ben gets here; I’m in no mood for anyone’s bullcrap. If he comes back now, I’ll personally kick seven bells of shit out of him for making me do scene guard three days in a row.’

It wasn’t remotely funny, but Morgan laughed at the irony of it and nodded.

‘Okay, thanks, but if he turns up⁠—’