Chapter 5
‘I cannot believe they let that evil woman go free!’ Joanna said, dumping a file on Henley’s desk. ‘It’s diabolical and unbelievable. Didn’t you say anything?’
‘I’m thrilled about it. I want to take her out to dinner,’ Henley snapped, folding her coffee-stained shirt and blazer into the plastic bag on her desk.
‘There’s no need to be sarky.’
‘Jo, if you knew the day that I’ve had …’
‘I saw the day that you had. Your little kick-off outside court was all over the news. And to really make your day, Fox-Carnell will be recording an exclusive interview to be shown on Newsnight tonight and will be on Good Morning Britain tomorrow.’
‘Tell me that you’re taking the mick,’ said Stanford who was perched on Eastwood’s empty desk.
Jo tutted and slowly shook her head, ‘Detective Sergeant Paul Stanford,’ she said in a tone that you would normally use for chastising a small disobedient child. ‘When have you ever known me to take the mick?’ She picked up the carrier bag on Henley’s desk.
‘Point taken.’
‘Right,’ said Jo brightly. ‘I’m off to the post office and I’ll drop this off at the dry cleaners on my way but, one more thing: I don’t want you thinking that you did anything wrong in court today. No matter what that evil cow says on the telly tonight.’
‘I’m not thinking that.’ Henley watched Ramouter making a cup of tea in the kitchen area. ‘She’s only out because her parents are crazy enough to put up a hundred grand.’
‘It’s a parent’s love, innit?’ said Stanford as Jo walked out. ‘Who’s to say that any of us wouldn’t do the same thing if that was our kid. Fast forward ten or fifteen years and it’s, God forbid, Emma sitting in a prison cell. Wouldn’t you do everything to get her out?’
Henley chewed her lower lip not wanting to give voice to her answer. Yes, she would do everything and anything for her daughter, but she was unsure whether her love for her daughter would override the pursuit of justice.
‘I promise you that she’ll end up back inside. She’s evil. She’s a monster and she’ll get what’s coming to her.’
Ramouter finally made his way to his desk and asked, ‘Are you ready for a catch up, boss?’
‘I haven’t had a chance to go through the progress report for our home invasions investigation,’ Henley said. She scratched absentmindedly at a mosquito bite on her elbow. ‘I’m hoping that your day has been more productive than mine.’
‘I’m not sure if it’s been productive but it’s definitely been interesting.
’ Ramouter reached into his pocket and pulled out his notebook.
‘We had a lot of units referring their aggravated burglary cases to us. The majority of them didn’t fit the modus operandi of our home invasions, except this one case in Dulwich. ’
‘Is that where you were this morning?’
‘Aye. On paper it fits so the guv asked me to assess the crime scene and speak to the OIC.’
‘And does it belong on the board?’ Henley asked.
They walked towards the two whiteboards.
On the first board was a map where red magnets had been placed on twelve different aggravated home invasion locations in South London and the outskirts of East London.
The MO for each home invasion was the same.
They took place on either a Wednesday or Thursday between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m..
The occupants were grabbed from their bed, stripped to their underwear and tied up.
Each victim was then locked in either their bedroom, bathroom or a cupboard.
Jewellery, money, computers and bank cards were stolen.
‘This is the thing.’ Ramouter approached the map, picked up a yellow magnet and placed it on Dulwich Village. ‘I’m not convinced that this belongs to us. It’s nasty but it doesn’t fit.’
‘Explain to me why.’
‘Our home invasions have all the elements of a traditional aggravated burglary. Entry as a trespasser with an intention to commit theft, possession of a firearm or other offensive weapon and every home was ransacked.’
‘What’s the problem with this burglary, other than it taking place on a weekend? This happened last night, right?’
‘Possibly. There was an incident recorded just after midnight, but the exact timing of the burglary hasn’t been confirmed. The problem is that nothing was stolen. Also, this Dulwich burglary was too violent.’
Henley stepped back and faced Ramouter. ‘How can an aggravated burglary be too violent?’ she asked.
‘I’ll show you. Just give me a sec,’ Ramouter replied as he turned on his laptop, opened his email account and scrolled down. ‘Ah, here it is. Watch.’
‘Our burglary takes place at number 24 Cullen Lane,’ Ramouter explained. ‘There’s only one way in and out because the council implemented traffic calming measures and blocked the junction with planters. This footage is taken from the last house on the lane.’
Henley leaned forward and watched as a video showed a man run into view. The sound was muted but it didn’t lessen the impact of him being intentionally hit by a speeding car.
‘Jesus Christ.’
‘That wasn’t an accident,’ said Ramouter.
‘So, the driver picks him up and takes him where?’ Henley asked.
‘Back to the property,’ Ramouter answered. He opened the photos that had been forwarded to him by the CSI photographer. ‘A postwoman found him in the middle of his driveway at 8.36 this morning. ’
‘Forced entry?’
‘No evidence of any, but the attack starts in the kitchen, carries on along the hallway and onto the doorstep. There’s blood tracking from inside to the driveway.
The victim is injured but not seriously enough to stop him making an initial run for it.
He’s then hit by the car. The driver picks him up and dumps him bleeding on the driveway.
Not one of the victims in our home invasion cases were able to escape. ’
‘Where’s the victim now?’
‘King’s College Hospital,’ Ramouter replied. ‘I have no idea of his prognosis.’
‘And who is he?’
Ramouter leaned back and raised his head to the ceiling. ‘Dr Graham Ashcroft. Fifty-two years old. Married to Tabitha Ashcroft and they have one child, a daughter.’
‘And where were they, the wife and daughter, when all of this was taking place?’
‘According to the officer on scene, his daughter is studying in Canada. His wife wasn’t at the property and the OIC hasn’t been able to get hold of her,’ Ramouter said as he stood up and walked back to the whiteboard.
‘You’re right. It’s too violent,’ Henley conceded, joining him. ‘The extent of it and the targeting of the victim as opposed to his possessions.’
‘That’s it. Ashcroft was the target. Not whatever was in his house or even the car that was on the driveway. The car keys were still on the kitchen counter.’
Henley picked up a marker and wrote Graham Ashcroft’s name on the board and added a question mark.
‘There’s a significant deviation from the MO of the other burglaries.
From timing to the assault. Do you really want to devote our limited resources investigating something that is nothing to do with us? ’
Henley watched Ramouter closely as she waited for him to answer. When they’d first met, his quiet thoughtfulness was more attached to his newness and his uncertainty as to how he would fit in the close-knit team. Now, it was a sign of how secure he felt with his position.
‘Catch-22,’ he said after a long beat. ‘If we say no, and it turns out that the people who committed our series of burglaries are responsible then we’ll be criticised for passing the buck but we’re still at risk of criticism for taking time and resources away from the home invasions by adding a case that doesn’t fit the MO. ’
‘So, what do you want to do?’ Henley repeated.
‘Isn’t this above my paygrade?’ he finally asked. ‘Making decisions like this.’
Henley could sense Ramouter’s unease. ‘Yes, it is, but one day it won’t be, so you might as well familiarise yourself now with the feeling of making a decision that can change the trajectory of a case.’
Ramouter shook his head and turned his back to the whiteboard. ‘Boss, I really don’t think that I should be making a decision like this.’
‘Tell me what you want to do with the case.’
Ramouter exhaled with resignation. ‘Can I have a bit of time? Let me have another chat with the OIC, DC Copeland, and go through the preliminary CSI reports. I also want to speak to Graham Ashcroft, that’s if he’s up to it.’
‘Fine,’ said Henley. ‘You’ve got forty-eight hours.’