Zilhouette Murders, page 1
© Illustration Copyright – Jaymar Publishing
First Published in 2019 by Jaymar Publishing.
Hampshire, United Kingdom
All rights reserved. No part of this book or cover may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted at any time or by any means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
With enormous thanks to David Horton and Douglas Edwards two good friends who guide me through the turbulent waters of Grammar!
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
CHAPTER 52
CHAPTER 53
CHAPTER 54
CHAPTER 55
CHAPTER 56
CHAPTER 1
Paul Bates was sitting behind his desk when he noticed two men walking towards his office accompanied by the receptionist. His office was about fifteen feet square with glass on three sides looking over the typing pool and two windows on the fourth side overlooking the street below. Paul was in his mid thirties and would be judged as ‘good-looking’ with long jet black hair swept over his ears and over his collar at the rear.
Both men approaching his office wore dark suits and looked around as they approached his office door. The receptionist knocked and then entered followed by the two men.
“Mr. Bates, these two gentlemen are from the police and want to talk to you.” advised the receptionist.
“Thank you, Mary.” replied Paul.
She turned and walked back into the corridor closing the office door behind her.
“Mr. Bates, my name is Detective Sergeant Wicker and this is my colleague Detective constable Warrington.”
“What do you want?”
The Detective sergeant opened his jacket and took out a piece of paper and handed it to Paul.
“Is this your wife’s driving licence Sir?”
Paul looked at the document.
“Yes, this is Honey’s driving licence. What’s this about?”
“Can you also please confirm these are your wife’s credit cards, and are these photos of you and her?”
Paul took the photo’s and credit cards and after examining them said.
“Yes, but what’s this about?”
One police officer looked at the other.
“I’m sorry to inform you Sir but your wife has been found by the river this morning, and I’m afraid she has been attacked and she is dead.”
Paul heard the words, and shook his head and told the officers.
“I’m sorry gentlemen. These are my wife’s things but I left my wife at home this morning so this body you have found cannot be her.” The detective sergeant looked at his colleague, then at Mr. Bates. “Please call her now Sir, just to make sure.”
Paul Bates was under pressure. He was an architect and was completing drawings for his best client and was already behind schedule. The last thing he needed was to spend time on this!
“Look, I’ve told you, she is at home. She went out last night with a few girlfriends, someone’s birthday I think and got back very late. She sent me a text to say she was going to be very late and to say she had a lot to drink last night, was going to use the spare room and that I should leave her to sleep it off when I went off to work – which I did. I don’t really want to call her.”
“Mr. Bates, please call your wife, now!”
Paul realised the Detective was serious and so he picked up the phone and dialled home. There was no reply.
“She must be still asleep.”
“Get your coat Mr. Bates, we are going to your home.”
“Seriously? look, I am really busy and don’t have time for this.”
“Mr. Bates, for the last time, get your coat.”
Paul reluctantly rose from his chair, grabbed his jacket and walked towards his office door.
Other employees watched as he walked along the corridor accompanied by the two policemen and the chatter about what could have possibly happened began.
They exited the building and Paul climbed into the back of the police officers car and they started the twenty-minute journey to Paul and Honey’s home.
The journey only took fifteen minutes as the traffic was very light. The officer stopped the car outside Paul’s house and they all got out the car.
Paul walked quickly up to the front door, took out his house key and opened the door, walked in followed by the two officers.
“Honey,” he shouted, “Are you awake?”
Nothing, no response. The detective sergeant pulled him to one side and walked past him up the stairs.
On the landing were two open doors and one closed. He could see into one of the bedrooms which he assumed was the master because the bed was unmade and there were discarded clothes on the floor.
On his left was an open bathroom door and on his right a closed door which he assumed was the spare bedroom.
He gently knocked on the door and opened it slowly.
“Mrs. Bates? Please don’t worry I am here with your husband Mrs.. Bates.”
He walked toward the bed and saw the shape of someone under the covers, her long red hair was laying on top of the duvet covering the face which was laying on the pillow.
“Mrs. Bates?” He repeated and slowly extended his arm to allow him to touch the person laying in bed.
As his hand moved toward the red hair it moved – not some of it, all of it! - which caused him to jump back. On closer examination of the hair and the movement, it was clear it was the hair that had moved not the person.
He moved his hand back under the hair to the edge of the duvet tucked tightly around the shape of the person in bed. He took hold of the duvet and started to pull it back.
He pulled back sharply and stood erect as the movement of the duvet resulted in the hair, all of it, falling to the floor. It was attached to a scalp, but the scalp was not attached to Mrs. Bates.
He walked backwards toward the door and called down to his detective constable.
“Call Forensics now and get the team down here immediately.” He walked back to the bed and pulled back the duvet to reveal whoever was lying in the bed. It wasn’t Mrs. Bates.
Lying before him was a torso. No arms or legs and the head was bald exposing parts of the skull. He couldn’t see all the face but what he could see showed massive disfigurement with open wounds. ‘There’s no blood; he immediately thought.
“What’s going on ?” Paul Bates shouted up the stairs. “Is she alright?”
DS Wicker turned and was about to leave when something on the inside of the bedroom door caught his eye.
Crudely nailed to the door was an empty ‘Zilhouettes’ chocolate box carton and written in red was the number ‘2’.
His immediate thought was. Why number ‘2’? Then he remembered the disfigured body by the river and finding the articles connecting that body to Mrs. Bates. ‘Could whoever did this also have murdered the victim found by the river?’ he thought.
There was a tap on the door.
“Can I come in Sarge?” asked DC Warrington.
The sergeant opened the door to let him in.
“Don’t touch anything.”
“No Sir, I won’t. The forensic team is on the way, be here in about fifteen minutes. What do we have?”
The Detective nodded towards the bed and the exposed torso laying under the remaining duvet and the mass of red hair on the floor. “That isn’t Mrs. Bates, but is staged to look like her. Whoever did this is following some sick ritual. Look what I found on the back of the door.”
He closed the door and the DS moved closer to the nailed chocolate box carton.
“Zilhouettes, do you think that has some meaning Sarge?”
“More than that, I think this could be part of the killer’s signature. Let’s get Mr. Bates down to the station. I will wait for the team and get a lift back.”
They both went downstairs to see Mr. Bates very
“Is Honey alright?” he asked.
“Mr. Bates, I am sorry to inform you the person laying in the bed upstairs is dead but I don’t think it is your wife. Tell me, in the photo we found by the river of you and your wife, is that a recent photograph?”
Paul Bates was crying.
“No, it was taken while we were on honeymoon.”
“Has your wife’s appearance changed since that photo?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, your wife was slim and blonde in the photo, have there been any changes since then?”
Paul Bates looked puzzled.
“Well, only her hair. She had it coloured red a few weeks ago.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bates. My colleague is going to take you to the station to answer a few questions.”
“Can I see her?”
“No Sir, I don’t think it is your wife upstairs.”
“Am I under arrest? Do I need a lawyer?”
“You are not under arrest Sir. If you feel you need a lawyer my DC here will help you make the call from the station. Don’t worry about the house, we will ensure it is secure before we leave. Now, please go with DC Warrington. No doubt we will speak later.”
Paul Bates turned reluctantly and left with DC Warrington and DS Wicker awaited the arrival of the forensic team.
DS Wicker followed them out and after Mr. Bates was loaded in the car he pulled his DC to one side.
“Steve, I want you to concentrate on finding out the names and contact details of the women she went out with last night and, find out where they went. We will need CCTV of the places they visited and surrounding roads. Can you also speak to the forensic team dealing with the body by the river and ask whether they found any unusual litter – don’t tell them about the ‘Zilhouettes’ carton, let them tell us what they found OK?”
“Yes Sarge. I will get right on this. How long will you be?”
“I will wait for the forensic team, see if they have any immediate thoughts about what has happened hear then I will get back to the station.”
DC Warrington returned to his car, got in with Mr. Bates and drove off.
Just as they turned the corner the familiar grey van used by the forensic team turned into the road and stopped outside the Bates residence.
Peter Wicker knew the head of the team Anton Schwartz and he shook his hand after he exited the van and walked toward the officer.
“Anton, good to see you again. Hope you are OK?”
“Yes Peter, I’m fine. What do we have here then?”
“Well, a strange one. I don’t think the lady in the bed upstairs is the lady who lives here. The body has been mutilated and the arms and legs are missing.”
Anton raised his eyebrows.
“Also, the victims’ hair lying in the bed with her is not hers. The hair has been surgically removed from another person and we believe that person is the woman who does live here.”
“When you say ‘surgically removed’ what do you mean?”
“Scalp as well. She had been scalped! The body in the bed has no hair and it appears she has also been scalped.”
“My God, we have a weirdo then Peter?” said Anton.
“There is one more thing. Nailed to the inside of the bedroom door is an empty chocolate box and next to it written in red is the number ‘2’. I need to know what this means please.”
Anton turned around to see his team had started to unload the van. “Peter, can I introduce my team. This is Brian, he helps me with the autopsy, next to him is Pauline, she does the photography and DNA testing on the body and any visible weapons and finally, Justine is in charge of everything else as well as making sure I do my job!” Peter nodded in acknowledgement to each of them and Anton turned back to him.
“Can you please show me the scene Peter?”
Peter put on a white all in one suit and led Anton into the property and up the stairs. He opened the spare bedroom door and stood aside allowing Anton to walk in and he watched as Anton slowly made his way toward the bed treading carefully, making sure he avoided standing on any evidence.
He turned on his torch and pulled back to duvet to reveal the mutilated corpse lying on the bed. He turned back to Peter.
“Where’s the blood?”
Peter shrugged his shoulders.
“Anton, this is the thing on the back of the door I mentioned.”
He walked halfway into the bedroom and slowly closed the door to reveal the chocolate box packaging nailed to the door and the number ‘2’ writing in red next to it.
Anton walked over to take a closer look.
“Zilhouettes’ chocolates; do you think this is significant?”
Peter shrugged his shoulders again and said. “What do you think the red stuff is then Anton?”
“Well, I don’t think it’s blood. It looks like lipstick but I can tell you for sure after we have fully tested it.”
“If it is lipstick, see if you can find anything in the room which matches please. I’m going to get some uniform down here and get a lift with one of them back to the station. I will be here for an hour or so, if you find anything please let me know.”
Anton nodded and Peter started to walk downstairs just as Pauline and Brian were about to walk upstairs with their equipment.
Peter phoned the station sergeant and requested uniformed staff to secure the property and begin some broader house-to-house questioning. He took a quick look around the property to see if there were any clues or information which could help him put together a profile of this couple.
CHAPTER 2
The houses in the road were a mixture of detached, semi-detached and terraced properties, quite modern in design and totalling sixty. The houses were laid out in a curved shape meaning some were set well back from the road and others were only a few meters from the kerb side. The Bates house was a semi-detached property with a long, about eight meters walkway leading to the front door. None of the properties had a garage attached. The garages were located in blocks at both sides of the road behind the houses and were accessed from narrow driveways leading off the side feeder roads. Alleyways between the houses provided walking access from the blocks to the properties.
Peter Wicker walked to the neighbouring house on the left side of the Bates property. He knocked on the door which was answered by a middle-aged man dressed in a cardigan, cord trousers and an open neck shirt. Peter guessed he was in his late forties.
“Good afternoon Sir, My name is Detective sergeant Wicker.” he showed the gentleman his warrant card.
“How can I help you sergeant?”
“Are you at home during the day Sir?”
“Yes, I work from home. I am a self-employed accountant, why do you ask?”
“Did you see anyone approaching number forty-four at all yesterday afternoon, last night or this morning after Mr. Bates had left?”
“Why, what’s happened?”
“Just answer the question please Sir.”
“Well, I think there were a couple of people yesterday afternoon, Gas people I think, well, they had what looked like a Gas Company van so I assumed they were from the Gas Company.”
“What time would this be?”
“Ah, well I’m not 100% sure but I think about three thirty in the afternoon. I was working and saw them walk along the pathway carrying a large tool bag. They went inside and came out thirty minutes later and left.”
“Anyone else?”
“Yes, around four thirty another man in a Gas van and wearing blue overalls walked into the house. He also spent thirty minutes and then he also left.”
“Anyone else?”
“Isn’t that enough people coming and going for one day?”
“Yes Sir, I meant later or today after Mr. Bates left for work?”
“Oh, I’m not completely sure but I did hear an engine start about three in the morning and a vehicle drive off.”
“Don’t suppose you saw any of the people walking in and out the house, clear enough to give a description?”
“No, I didn’t take too much notice of the people during the day and I was in bed when I heard the engine start in the early hours and my bedroom faces the rear of the property.”
“Thank you, can I please take your name?”
“Sure, Joe Mortimer.”
“Do you live here alone Mr. Mortimer or do you have a wife or partner?”
“Did have, but she left a few days ago – good riddance!”
“Left?” asked Peter.
“Yeah, met someone else more exciting she said!”
