Shrine to Murder Read Online Free PDF Page A

lad.’
    The phone rang. It was Dr Mac.
    ‘ Ah, Michael. I’ve found two specimen hairs on the back of Luke Redman’s hand that are not his.’
    Angel ’s eyebrows shot up. That was terrific news. He pursed his lips as if he was going to whistle, then blew out air without making a sound. He needed news like that to give him encouragement. It was better than a public commendation from old Judge Heneberry.
    ‘ Great stuff, Mac.’
    ‘ I can only surmise that they came off the murderer’s hand or wrist in the course of the assault. The victim was in good fettle even though he was eighty-two. He still had some muscle tone.’
    Angel knew it would be a few days before DNA could be determined and the result checked against the national database.
    ‘ That’s the only lead we have so far,’ Angel said. ‘Anything else?’
    ‘ Nothing that would get you excited, Michael. If there is, I’ll let you know.’
    He replaced the phone and looked up at Ahmed. ‘We might get some DNA off the murderer. Things are looking up.’
    ‘ That is good news, sir,’ Ahmed said.
    ‘ Aye,’ he said rising to his feet. ‘I’m going out. If anybody wants me, I’ll be at the Northern Bank.’
    ‘ Right, sir.’
    *
    ‘I’m Henry Blamires,’ the manager said. ‘Sorry to keep you waiting, Inspector. It would have been better if you had made an appointment.’
    ‘ I certainly would have, if I had had prior information that an ex-manager of this branch of the Northern Bank, Mr Luke Lancelot Redman, was to be murdered.’
    ‘ Oh dear,’ Blamires said. ‘Oh no? I see. I had no idea. Poor old Mr Redman, murdered?’
    Angel nodded. ‘And I need to speak to everyone who knew him.’
    ‘ Yes. Of course. Old Redman murdered. Have you got the man who did it?’
    ‘ We’re working on it.’
    ‘ Oh how dreadful. Now let me see. I remember him, of course. I joined the bank when he was manager, in the glorious days when bank managers were gods. I was also here when he retired. Can’t remember exactly when it was. Do you happen to know the date, Inspector?’
    Angel frowned. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I have no idea. Would have been a little while back; after all, he was eighty-two.’
    ‘ Ah well, he’s the sort of chap who wouldn’t have retired until he had to, so I expect he retired when he was sixty, so that would be…1987. Good gracious. That seems a long time ago. There weren’t many of the present staff here in 1987, Inspector.’ He reached out for the phone and tapped in a number. ‘Hello, John. I have Inspector Angel from Bromersley police. Do you remember Mr Redman who used to be manager here? No? Oh. Well, anyway, he’s been murdered and the inspector wants to speak to everyone who knew him…Yes, murdered…I know. What about John Johnson? Well ask him…No? Right. Is there anybody else? Let me see, they would need to be over forty-one. No? Right. Thank you.’
    He replaced the phone. ‘There’s only me, Inspector. Staff do move around quite a lot these days, you know. There might be somebody who has worked with him, who is now at another branch, Sheffield, or Barnsley or Rotherham or further afield, who might remember him.’
    ‘ Thank you, Mr Blamires,’ Angel said. ‘I’ll bear that in mind. Primarily I need to know what sort of man Mr Redman was. What do you remember about him?’
    ‘ Well, I was very much a junior when I joined in 1978. I had to report to Mr Redman who gave me a pep talk and was very strict and rather pompous. But as time rolled on, as he got to know you, and if you did your work carefully and properly, he became quite tolerable.’
    ‘ Did you like him?’
    ‘ Not really. He was all right. As I said, he was pompous, but fair. He never had to ball me out, of course. I was a good employee. Always kept the rules. There are a lot of rules in a bank, Inspector.’
    Angel sighed. He knew all about rules. He wondered if Blamires knew about ‘Judges’ Rules’ that are so biased against the