Death Marks (The Symbolist) Read Online Free PDF

face tightening. Clicking it back off, he turned to Mahoney. 'That was bloody quick, we might have a lead on the male, and we've got an address.'

Chapter 7
    Redd parked the car in a quiet country lane, just outside the village of Angmering. Looking at Dove he said, ' So, no information - just an identification.'
    Looking at the verdant hedgerow, Dove knew they would not tell the parents of the disembowelment. The lane was quiet; scents from honeysuckle, and cowslip wafted from the lush hawthorn and buckthorn bushes. Water trickled over stones, the steam covered with flourishing reeds and ferns. She saw Redd straighten his leather jacket, his face grim.
    The flagstone path curved to the front door with dog roses climbing around the gabled porch. Dove frowned, how could violence exist in such serenity?
    The woman opened the door, short and plump, with brown hair parted to one side and flicked behind her ears. She looked at Redd expectantly. Hope glimmered in a slight smile, even though she knew her son was dead, from the photo - knew they were coming to confirm it. Yet, hope did not know reason.
    'Mrs. Baker?'
    'You got here quick.'
    'Yes ma'am. Detective Chief Inspector Redd, and Detective Constable Dove. May we come in?'
    'Yes, this way.'
    She ushered them through to a tiny hallway, five feet by four feet. Dove took note of the old red quarry tiles brightly polished. The lounge small and quaint, boasted an oak beamed ceiling, yellowed by the fire, the lime and wattle walls curving over with age. The woman gestured for them to sit down in shabby, but comfortable chairs covered in chintz.
    Dove found the politeness, the quiet of the room unreal. Unnerved, she waited for Redd to speak.
    'Mrs. Baker, you say the photo resembles your son. We would like you to come to the Station to identify him.'
    'Was it an accident? Is it bad. Is he...?
    Redd kept his face composed. 'We have a young man - deceased. I'm sorry. We just need you to have a look—'
    'It may not be him. He sometimes goes missing for a week or so - stays with his friends. But he's a good lad - works part-time in a lab, cleaning up and things.'
    Producing a photograph from the lab, Redd murmured. 'If you would just look at this.'
    The woman's face blanched as she clutched the photo, her hands trembling. 'I - it looks like him, but then it might —'
    So have you seen him recently?'
    She pushed the photo back into Redd's hand. 'No, Last time was about ten days ago. But, it's his summer holiday, he's most probably gone off surfing with the lads - Cornwall - not that he'd bother to tell us - that's kids for you. But we don't keep track of him you know. He's a grown man now - twenty-one. Least he hasn't left home. He might if I was to keep on checking up on him - nag him. Our David's a decent lad. Decent lad he is.'
    'So you have no idea where he might be now?'
    'No.'
    Redd looked around the room at the photographs dotted on the windowsill and mantelpiece - pictures of David as a toddler, child, a teenager laughing with groups of girls and boys. 'Did David have a girl friend?'
    'He was seeing a girl, but it wasn't serious.'
    'I see. How long did they know each other?'
    'Oh it was quite recent really. He didn't bring her to the cottage or anything. He did tell me she was dark haired girl - pretty. But he wasn't involved or anything.'
    'Did he tell you her name?'
    'Ooh no, he was quite secretive. You know how these young men are.'
    'Would she have gone to Cornwall?'
    'Err, I wouldn't have thought so. It's all the lads you know, surfing, pubbing.'
    'So you don't know if he actually went to Cornwall?'
    'No, as I said he just comes and goes. Not that I mind - gives me a bit of a rest - just cooking for my other half.'
    'Your husband?'
    'Yeah - he's out in the back garden - grow our own - much healthier.' Gripping her hands together, she said, 'David does look like the picture on TV. Could be someone else. I phoned just in case - you know?'
    'Of course, but it would help if you