A relaxed Bradfield gestured for Jane to sit on the sofa as he stood in front of the fireplace. She was interested as to how he was going to approach questioning Mr Collins and the news that he was now a suspect in his daughter’s murder.
DS Lawrence popped his head into the living room and Bradfield introduced him to Mr Collins before taking him to one side and saying he wanted Paul to start on the Bristol car which was in the garage. Lawrence said he’d have a cursory look at the carpet, but to give it a thorough examination he’d need to have it removed to the lab.
Bradfield turned back to Mr Collins. ‘DS Lawrence will need to take a carpet sample from inside your car, so if you could give him the keys we can make a start.’
‘What on earth for?’
‘We have a witness who saw your daughter getting into a vehicle of a similar colour and shape to yours, and we also found red carpet fibres on her clothing,’ he said, and paused to gauge Collins’ reaction.
‘They could have got on her when she was last home,’ Mr Collins said defensively.
‘Well, according to you and your wife that was well over a year ago and it would be unlikely any fibres from your car would still be on her,’ DS Lawrence remarked.
‘Then why do you need to examine it?’
Bradfield spoke quietly, lying. ‘It’s just for elimination purposes and standard procedure in this sort of case. Now if you would kindly give us the keys to your car we can make a start.’
Collins replied that the keys were in the cutlery drawer in the kitchen. He also expressed great concern about any of the carpet being cut as it was in perfect condition and he would like to be present to witness any damage, should it occur.
Bradfield looked at DS Lawrence who was experienced enough to realize he wanted to be on his own with Mr Collins.
Lawrence produced a roll of clear Sellotape from his bag and said that he would take tape liftings of the car’s carpet fibres, and that way there would be no need for a cutting. Lawrence turned to Jane and told her she could assist him to see how it was done. She would like to have stayed and listened to Bradfield question Mr Collins: since the post-mortem and Harker lecture forensics had fascinated her and she was loath to miss the opportunity to learn something new.
‘Can you let the dog back in, please, and shut the kitchen door so he can’t get out?’ Mr Collins requested as Jane left the room.
Bradfield opened his notebook and began flicking back through the pages.
‘Had you in fact seen your daughter Julie Ann more recently?’
‘No,’ Collins replied unconvincingly and his Adam’s apple moved up and down his neck.
‘That’s a lie, isn’t it?’
Collins twisted his head, but did not respond.
‘Don’t make this difficult for me – for your own good it’s time you started telling the truth, so no more lies.’
‘I am telling you the truth.’
‘Did you pick her up outside Homerton Hospital about two weeks ago?’
‘I swear to you I didn’t! I don’t even know where Homerton Hospital is.’
‘Well, how do you explain the same colour fibres from your car getting onto her clothes?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe she got into another car with the same type of carpet.’
Jane walked back into the room as Bradfield was about to challenge Mr Collins on his remark.
‘Excuse me, sir… ’
‘I’m busy talking to Mr Collins, Tennison,’ Bradfield said sharply without even turning to look at her.
‘I’m sorry, but-’
‘Wait outside,’ he said, raising his voice as he glared at her.
His abruptness made Jane nervous, even though she was only doing as asked. ‘DS Lawrence wants to speak with you.’
Bradfield was irritated, but he knew if Paul Lawrence wanted him he must have discovered something important.
‘Stay with Mr Collins,’ he said as he stomped out of the room.
DS Lawrence was standing by the car in the garage. He had a magnifying glass in one hand and was examining a single strip of taped fibres he had lifted from the boot carpet.
Bradfield spoke as he approached. ‘I know the bastard’s lying – he started bricking it when I asked him about the last time he saw his daughter. They’re a match, are they?’
DS Lawrence looked up slowly; he didn’t need to say anything. Bradfield could see from the look on his face that the fibres didn’t match.
‘Don’t you need to look at them under a proper microscope to be sure?’ he asked with concern.
‘Yes, but I’m ninety-nine per cent certain the fibres from the Bristol are not the same as the ones we found on Julie Ann – the type of weave looks different. It’s a lovely car, 1962 Bristol 407 with beige hide seats in immaculate condition.’
‘Shit, this can’t be right. I know he’s hiding something from me. Could she have got in this car without picking up fibres from it?’
‘Yes, like I just said the seats are leather and if he brought her back here and killed her he may have borrowed, or had access to, another car to dump the body.’
‘Good point. But only he can answer that so I’m going to ratchet it up a notch with him.’
