Barnes - Never Return

NEVER RETURN

by

Stephen Barnes

Copyright Stephen Barnes 2013

This book is set in an imaginary English city. The organisations, events and characters are also imaginary. Any similarity to any person either living or dead is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder.

Cover Image:

Ilya Terentyev/Getty Images

By the same author:

Fallen Light (2011)

Contents

Chapter 1

A glimmer of moonlight illuminated the campus as the students set off on their expedition. They crawled through a hole in the fence and began to navigate their way towards the house. It wasnt the worst thing they could have done on a Friday evening after five pints of lager in the union bar.

James Court and Julian Malpas were former schoolmates who had both made Thorbury City University their first choice for the step-up to higher education. They were high achievers and their success in passing the rigorous selection process had come as no surprise to anyone who knew them. With the academic year in its early days, new college friendships were yet to separate them and a joint nickname had already been conferred by their peer group in first year history. Imaginations had hardly been stretched in coming up with The Jays.

Since Thorbury Hall had ceased to be the home of the University Business School, it had become a source of fascination for the younger students. Separated from the campus by wire fences and deemed unworthy of preservation by the heritage organisations, its future looked bleak.

When the first Earl of Thorbury travelled from the capital to take up residence on its completion in 1840, Thorbury Hall had dominated the landscape. Now, empty and neglected, overwhelmed by the glass and concrete of the university, it was bereft of any meaningful purpose.

The hall had been constructed on a symmetrical plan, the open staircase leading up from the wide entrance hall. A sequence of spacious reception rooms and concealed service rooms were provided along with morning room, dining room, drawing room and library. The upper floors had boasted a total of forty bedrooms with several dressing rooms and one bathroom. More up to date facilities had been added over time and the hall had remained in the family for longer than most Victorian country houses but by the early 1970s, rising maintenance costs and failed business ventures had forced the family to sell up. Since then, the new university had grown around the house making it the elegant centrepiece of an otherwise uninspiring campus.

It was not unusual for freshers to find a way through the fence after a few drinks on a dark autumn evening. They would scurry across the overgrown remnants of the once extensive grounds before realising there was no way into the house through the boarded ground floor windows. After a brief external inspection by torchlight they would creep back, their curiosity barely satisfied.

For this particular meaningless jaunt, Julian was the leader. He had the torch to guide them on their mission while James was the type who preferred to tag along. Despite the well worn path and pre-existing hole, one of many along the fences, James and Julian had convinced themselves that this was a unique act of daring.

It was James who spotted something unusual in the torchlight. Hey Jules, he shouted.

What? Julian turned to look at James, shining the light in his face.

James shielded his eyes from the glare. Whats that over there? he said, pointing at the shrubbery.

Julian redirected the beam but found nothing of interest. What the fuck you talkin about? he slurred.

Further along, James instructed.

Julian zapped the surrounding area with the light.

Not so fast, James said. This way a bit.

When Julian steadied the torch, the light rested on a white hand and the sleeve of a jacket just above it. He tugged at the bush with his free hand. The body rolled forward, no longer hidden by the foliage as it came to rest.

My God, James cried out. He turned in panic and fell onto the path.

Julian looked back at James. Its a fucking stiff, he said coldly.

James struggled to his feet and ran back towards the fence as Julian, unfazed and without the slightest tremble, scanned the body with the torch beam, stopping when it picked out something of particular interest. Holding the torch under his arm, he reached forward and carefully removed the watch from the dead wrist. After a brief examination, he slipped it into his pocket. His father had a Breitling wristwatch and it was worth eleven grand.

Chapter 2

Colin Evans skipped past the police van and ducked under the yellow tape. The Scene of Crime Officers, dressed in white hooded scene suits, gave him dirty looks but remained silent as the Inspector passed them.

The Doctor was examining the body under the portable floodlighting. Colin, youre much too early, he complained as Evans emerged into the light. He was on his knees, leaning over the body which was lying face up.

Although Evans never arrived before the murder scene paraphernalia, he was always too early for the doctor. Looks fresh Phil, he said, indicating the large gunshot wound in the chest.

Hes been dead for no more than two hours. Single shot through the heart. White male, mid-twenties at a guess.

Exit wound? Evans asked.

Yes.

Is this where he was killed?

The body rolled onto the path when the shrubbery was disturbed by the students but yes, youre definitely contaminating a murder scene. And before you ask, theres no ID. Therell be nothing else until we get him to the mortuary.

Okay Doc. Ill see you later.

Evans began to walk back towards the tape.

There are a couple of things, the Doctor said. His shoes are missing and hed been wearing a wristwatch. Thats missing as well.

He wasnt wearing shoes? Evans asked.

They were removed post mortem.

How did you work that out?

The Doctor looked glum as he stared at the DI. His socks are clean, he said.

Ill give you that one Doc, Evans conceded. What about the watch?

A similar deduction. Dirt on the left palm and lower forearm but a strip of clean skin around the inside of the wrist, roughly the width of a watchstrap. Also a faint indentation of the skin likely to have been caused by the strap.

The watch was removed from the body?

Id say so.

Looks like a tough one Boss. The youthful voice came from the darkness beyond the tape.

Evans walked towards the source of the voice. You managed to get out of bed then Marshy? Evans asked as Stephen Marsh appeared at the edge of the light.

Didnt need to. Fridays usually a late night for me. I sleep in on Saturday when Im not on duty.

Therell be no time for sleeping tomorrow Marshy. Have we called Chris Hinton?

Hes in transit. Will there be a DCI on this one?

I dont think so. Its likely to be me and the Superintendent.

Is that a good thing?

I can live with it. A lot of my best cases have been led by Chris Hinton. He does the management, I do the investigation.

Wonder what he was doing here? Marsh said, pointing at the victim.

So do I. Who are your friends?

Two even younger men were standing in the gloom behind Marsh. Evans joined the gathering on the other side of the tape.

These are the students who found the body. James Court and Julian Malpas, Marsh said as the young men stepped forward.

What were you doing in the grounds of the hall? Evans asked. Im told theyre out of bounds.

Wed been in the bar. We just wanted to take a look, one of the students explained.

Which one are you? Evans asked.

Julian.

How did you get in?

Through a hole in the fence.