‘Of course not,’ Kate replied, appreciative of his out-of-the-box thinking. ‘This is exactly what I was hoping you might be able to do. So, what have you discovered?’
The smile quickly left Xander’s face. ‘Skeletal trauma analysis is a time-intensive process. Ideally, I’d need to examine the foot, and in particular the bones, but you’ll have to make do with me guiding Ben through the video call.’
Kate suddenly noticed the curtains hanging from the wall behind Xander’s head. ‘Oh Jesus! What time is it where you are?’
‘Thankfully, I’m on the east coast so it’s just after six in the morning. I can talk for another hour, but then I’ll have to get ready, as I’m guest speaker at a conference later today.’
‘Really appreciate your help, Xander,’ Ben offered.
‘You’re welcome. It sure as hell beats listening to my wife snore.’ He chuckled to himself. ‘Anyway, Ben has sent me some close-up images of the foot, as well as X-rays, which I’ve been reviewing. I appreciate this is an open investigation, so I will delete the files when we’re done here. Are you happy for me to continue?’
What choice did she have? Kate nodded, and Ben pulled the sheet back from the slab, revealing the foot. ‘The X-ray showed two stress fractures: one in the second metatarsal, and the other in calcaneus.’
‘At the risk of sounding like the class idiot, can you dumb-down the explanation a fraction?’ Kate asked sheepishly.
Ben chortled. ‘The heel and here,’ he indicated, pointing at the two areas on the appendage. ‘These are the two most common areas to find stress fractures, and could indicate our victim had recently taken up a new sporting activity such as running.’
‘It could also indicate that the victim could have been suffering with osteoporosis or some other bone-weakening disease,’ Xander interjected. ‘But that can be determined by testing the bone directly, which Ben will do in due course.’
Ben turned the foot over in his hands. ‘Before, I identified blistering of the skin around the base of the foot, which could suggest some kind of sudden switch to physical activity. When someone first takes up running, it can often take several weeks for the skin around the sole of the foot to adjust to the new activity. It looks like the blisters were being treated with a moisturiser or cream to aid the healing process.’
Kate couldn’t hide her disappointment. ‘Gentlemen, while this is all very interesting and information I didn’t have before I arrived, it doesn’t really help me narrow the pool of possible victims. Please tell me you have something else?’
Ben turned the foot back over, resting the sole on his outstretched palm. He hovered his little finger near the cut site. ‘After I’d cleaned the blood from the foot, I notice this small pattern. Can you see? Last night I took it to be light bruising just beneath the skin, but now I think there might be more to it.’ He raised the foot to allow Kate to look at the small pattern.
‘What is it?’ Kate asked.
He moved it closer to her face. ‘Unless I’m mistaken, it’s scarring left from a tattoo that’s been removed by a laser. Recently too. The scarring is fresh, suggesting it was removed not long before the victim died. I’d say anywhere in the last week.’
‘What was the tattoo of?’ she asked excitedly.
‘That I can’t tell you, I’m afraid,’ Ben admitted. ‘It seems the tattoo was on the victim’s leg, and we only appear to have the end trails of it on the ankle. I can use negative exposure to try and make the image more discernible.’
‘It certainly gives us a new direction to follow.’
‘I’ll send the image over to you as soon as I’ve sharpened it up. Maybe one of your team can take it around the local tattoo parlours to see if anyone remembers removing it.’
‘Thanks. Do you think you’ll be able to find out anything else?’
‘We’ll see what we can do. Xander likes a challenge, don’t you, pal?’
Xander’s face bobbed up and down as he nodded. ‘Even if I don’t get to handle that foot, I’ll do whatever I can to help you, detective.’
Kate thanked them both, and left the laboratory. Although she didn’t yet know Jane Doe’s real name, she felt she was a small step closer to solving the riddle.
13
Kate was pleased to hear the buzz of conversations in the incident room as she returned. Unable to see Laura, she called Freeborn over. ‘Ewan, Dr Temple is going to send over a digital image of what he believes is a tattoo removed by laser from our victim’s foot. When it’s in, I want everyone’s eyes on it, and for you to contact local tattoo parlours and see if anyone remembers removing it. Dr Temple thinks it came off in the last week, so maybe someone remembers doing it.’
Freeborn nodded, and headed back to his desk.
Patel slid his chair over to Kate’s desk. ‘I have Daisy’s boyfriend, Alfie Caplan, in Interview Room Three downstairs. Do you want to sit in on it, or should I take one of the DCs?’
Kate was about to tell him to proceed without her when she thought better of it. ‘I’m sure he knows more than he’s told us so far. I want to ruffle his feathers and see what he spills. Can you dig out the witness statement that waitress gave us yesterday? I want to know what he has to say about it.’
* * *
Looking like a member of a boyband, Alfie Caplan straightened his sitting position the moment the door to the interview suite was opened. Kate allowed Patel to enter first, giving her extra time to really look at the young man who might hold the key to exactly where Daisy had run off to on Friday night.
Wearing a red and navy checked shirt, with the top two buttons unfastened, she could imagine his slight frame belied his physical strength. With a mane of dark brown hair pushed back and to the side, and hanging over the edge of his collar, he was clearly an individual who took time sculpting his appearance. He had two piercings in his left ear, and a chain of some sort hanging around his neck. He exuded confidence, but Kate had also spotted the rough edging at the tips of his fingers where he’d been chewing at his nails.
Taking the seat next to Patel, Kate offered Alfie a drink.
‘I’m fine,’ he grunted.
‘Are you sure?’ Kate pressed, rubbing her hands together and then holding them over the steam of her mug. ‘The heating’s not up to much in this place at the weekends.’
He folded his arms. ‘I’m warm enough.’
Kate nodded at Patel. ‘Start the recording when you’re ready, DS Patel.’
Alfie suddenly sat forward. ‘You’re recording this? Wait, do I need a solicitor?’
Kate waved away his concern. ‘You’re not under arrest, Alfie. You’re welcome to call a solicitor if you really feel you need one, but we’re just going to chat to you. That’s all.’
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ‘Why are you recording it, then?’
Kate took a moment before replying, allowing his imagination off the leash a little. ‘In cases like this, we like to keep an orderly account of all interactions with key witnesses.’
He leaned forward slightly further. ‘Witness? Witness to what? I already told you people I don’t know where she went.’
‘You’re a witness to what Daisy was like as a person. I mean, you were her boyfriend so you’re probably the best person we can ask about her state of mind on the day she disappeared.’
Patel pressed record and the machine buzzed in to life. Kate introduced the three of them for the recording, emphasising that the interview was voluntary. ‘You met up with Daisy on the Friday afternoon, didn’t you, Alfie?’
He looked from Kate to Patel, and then back again. ‘Yeah, I saw her.’
‘What time was that?’ Kate asked.
He puffed out his cheeks, relaxing slightly. ‘It was after she’d finished school for the day, so maybe around four.’
‘Did you collect her from the school in your car?’
‘Nah, traffic around there is a nightmare at that time. She caught the bus to Portswood and we went for a coffee.’
‘What car do you drive, Alfie?’
‘It’s a Peugeot 307.’
‘A black one, right?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Is it your first car?’
‘Yeah, used to be my brother’s.’