Chapter 32

32

SATURDAY

The overnight storm had eased to nothing more than a sharp breeze and intermittent showers as Lottie reached the station. Her mood had disintegrated into narkiness by the time she marched into the incident room. A leaking roof, a falling-out with Boyd, as well as two murders to solve, and she was at a loss to know which way to turn. Detective Maria Lynch usually kept the incident boards up to date, but she was off somewhere hot and sunny with her family. Lucky Maria.

As her team trickled in for the morning briefing, Lottie paced in front of the sparsely populated boards. One held Laura Nolan's photograph, crime-scene images and information about her murder. The other held a photo of John Morgan with even less data.

‘Who is supposed to be updating this?' She swivelled on her heel, hearing it crunch on something underfoot. Looking down, she saw it was the heel itself that had given way. She slammed it back in place.

Garda Lei raised his hand like a shy schoolchild. ‘Me, boss. But I have to collate information before I can post anything practical. We're still doing interviews out at Pine Grove.'

‘Have you anything to report?'

‘Not really. Regarding Laura's murder, there are no witnesses except for Shane Santos, who found her body. He's given his statement, but he was there after the event so there' s nothing new from that angle. In her press briefing the super asked for public assistance with dash-cam footage and the like. Nothing has come in yet.'

‘Okay. Anything to add to John Morgan's board?'

‘As I said, we're still interviewing residents and the site workers. We conducted house-to-house in the area. There are twenty-nine houses occupied, but most of the residents are out at work during the day. Two work from home, but their offices are at the rear of their houses. No one saw or heard anything unusual. Said the only thing they normally hear is the building going on in the phase two development.'

‘Did Patrick Curran make a statement?'

‘The site manager?' Boyd said.

She hadn't noticed him sliding into a seat at the back of the room.

‘You met him,' she said. ‘What did he have to say besides trying to sell you a house?' Damn. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut?

‘He was in shock. Couldn't believe anyone would hurt John.'

‘Did you locate John's next of kin?'

‘His parents are divorced and he had no siblings. Currently we have no contact details for either parent. Curran couldn't find anything on his file, but he said to talk to Gordon Collins. We have yet to interview him. John lived in a bedsit on Main Street. The keys were found on his person and a search was carried out there, but nothing suspicious was found. We took in his laptop, and his phone, which was in his pocket with his keys. They're with Gary now to see if he can find anything.'

‘Detective McKeown, you were to look into tracing Laura Nolan's phone. Anything to report there?'

‘The provider requested a warrant. As we only have the number and not the device, I tasked Gary with finding out what he could. He determined that the phone ceased working close to the vicinity where her body was found. I sent a team back out to do another fingertip search of the site. Hopefully they'll find something this time.'

‘It was searched yesterday and nothing was found. After last night's storm, I doubt we'll find anything today. Has anyone got any good news? Where's Kirby?'

‘Here, boss,' Kirby said as he entered. ‘Sorry I'm late. Had to help Amy this morning. Her leg is acting up again.'

Lottie counted to ten in her head. Okay, it was Saturday and day two in the investigation, but her team looked bedraggled and unfocused. She supposed she appeared the same. She straightened her back. ‘Come on, guys, we need something. A twenty-five-year old is not an island. She has to have friends and a social media presence. McKeown? Anything?'

All she could see was the top of his shaved head as he bent over his iPad, tapping furiously.

‘Wait. Just a minute,' he said.

She did. The sounds in the room washed over her. The clinking of the old rads, Kirby's heavy breathing. The hum of laptops. McKeown's iPad.

When he raised his head, he had a smile on his face. ‘You won't believe this, boss.'

‘I haven't time for?—'

‘Laura Nolan was listed on a modelling website.' He turned the iPad around so the others could see.

She made her way across to him and he handed her the device. Laura's image, head and shoulders, depicted a beautiful young woman, eyes shining bright and hair swept seductively behind one ear, resting on a bare shoulder.

‘Right One Modelling,' she read. ‘Is that local?'

‘Might just be a website.'

‘Someone took her photo. Someone posted it with her details. Someone has a base, even if it's an attic or a shed. What else can you tell me about the site?'

McKeown left his iPad to one side and pulled his laptop towards him. ‘The photographer's name and logo are imbedded on the bottom right of the photo. Greg Plunkett. It's a relatively new modelling and photographic agency in town. It might be worth a shot. I'll just check Facebook.' He tapped away. ‘Shit. There's a closed group here with Plunkett as administrator.'

‘And?'

After a few moments, he said, ‘It looks to me like some sort of escort agency.'

‘Really?' Lottie racked her brain to figure if this was illegal or not. ‘Has this photographer got an address?'

‘He has an office in Barrack Lane.' McKeown turned the laptop around so she could see the screen.

‘Send me the details. Boyd, you're with me on this.'

‘Hey, I found it,' McKeown said petulantly. ‘Shouldn't I go?'

‘Don't "hey" me, Detective McKeown,' she said.

‘Apologies.'

‘You need to dig into this Greg Plunkett and find out if his modelling is a front for sex workers.' She marched back to the front of the room. ‘Also, Garda Brennan is at Laura's house. Join her there and as diplomatically as possible see if the mother knows about the modelling or if Laura was with an escort agency.'

He nodded, but his face told her it was the last place he wanted to be. Tough.

‘Kirby, go back to the building site and get more information on John Morgan. I can't meet the super without something to tell her.' She looked around. ‘You go too, Lei, and continue with the door-to-door and the site workers. Populate the board. I can't be looking at empty spaces with the photos of two murdered people staring at me.'

‘Sure, boss,' the two men said.

‘Anything from forensics? Those small footprints around Laura's body?'

‘Nothing yet,' Boyd said.

‘What about the dirt under her nails? Has the lab reported back?'

‘Not yet. It was only yesterday and?—'

‘Kirby, follow up with the lab, and SOCOs too. Boyd, are you ready? We're going to grill this Greg Plunkett.'