Chapter 6 – The Board

When the team arrived back at the Police station they found George waiting outside for them.

'Inspector Mooney, Detective Sergeant Cassell' he began. 'Can I speak to you for a couple of minutes?'

'Yes certainly' Jack replied. 'Unfortunately we don't have an interview room here but my whole team are involved in the investigation so would you be OK with my two other officers here being present working in the background?

'Of course sir'

Jack indicated to George to sit down at the small table in the middle of the room.

'OK what would you like to speak to us about?' Jack began.

'Well, I just wanted to report some suspicious behaviour in two of the other suspects'

'OK which suspects would that be?'

'The Scottish couple, Patrick and Gemma, wasn't it?'

'Yes. What suspicious behaviour would that be?'

'Well, when Heather and I were in Catherine's bar yesterday they approached Heather. Gemma told Catherine that they were friends but I got the impression that was not really the case. I briefly approached the subject of them with Heather but all she said is that it was a long story'.

'OK'

'Then after the concert last night Patrick approached Heather. They talked for a minute or so and it seemed that Heather was annoyed by him'

'Did you hear what they were talking about?' asked Florence.

'Not really, I think he was asking if she had told anyone about something, no idea what, and seemed to be threatening her with something if she had repeated whatever it was'

'OK and did you notice anything else?'

'One more thing. When I returned from the bar just before the victim was discovered, Gemma was in the hall on her own and she was out of her seat, not sitting down typing on her phone as she said'

'OK thank you Mr Lambert, thank you for coming in. That's given us something to go on for now'. Jack concluded. George hesitated as if he was about to tell them something else but seemed to change his mind and headed out of the station.

'Hmm, he does seem genuine and helpful' said Jack after he had left.

'But I couldn't help getting the feeling he wasn't telling us everything' observed Florence.

'You know, I think there is something familiar about him' said Dwayne from the other side of the room 'but I can't think what'.

'You've seen him before?' asked Jack.

'I don't know, maybe. I'll let you know if I remember anything'

'Yes please do Dwayne. OK, let's see what we've got'. And with that Jack took out the famous white board and the team gathered round. At the top he placed a photograph of Heather lying on the floor of the dressing room.

'Right, our victim, Mrs Heather Munro'

'Aged thirty-six' continued Florence. 'From Edinburgh, Scotland, married to Gareth. Scottish folk singer, currently on tour in the Caribbean. Found dead in the community centre dressing room with a blow to the back of the head but examination of the body found the likely cause of death to be poisoning'

'OK, and our suspects' continued Jack, placing a photograph of Patrick underneath. Florence turned the page of her notebook.

'Patrick Buchanan, aged forty. Also a Scottish folk musician from Glasgow, and on tour in the Caribbean. He and his wife met the victim on a festival tour in Germany last year. From what George Lambert has told us he and the victim were not on the best of terms and they had unfriendly words after the concert about something he didn't want her to repeat'

'Right, without having any idea what that something is it will be hard to establish a clear alibi but it is possible there may have been one. OK, next'. He placed a picture of Gemma next to her husband.

'Gemma Buchanan, aged thirty eight' read Florence. 'Another Scottish folk musician, originally from Cry-an-lar-itch? But living in Glasgow. Touring the Caribbean with her husband, same relationship to the victim. Alone in the main hall of the community centre at time of death so she had the opportunity both to change the volume of the music that was playing and to get into the dressing room to commit the murder. Again, motive not clear but there may be something'.

'OK these seem to be our main suspects but we still need to look into the others that were still in the centre at the time. Including the centre manager' Jack stated, pinning a photograph of Herve beside the other suspects. Florence moved to the correct page in her notes.

'Yes, Herve Richard, aged fifty seven. Saint-Marie born and bred, manager of Honore Community Centre. Had email contact with the victim for the purpose of organising last night's concert but only met her in person for the first time yesterday evening. No apparent motive, but he had the opportunity as he was apparently alone in his office at the time of death'.

'OK and next' Jack put up a picture of Claire underneath the other three.

'Claire Rostant, aged twenty-one' read Florence. 'Saint-Marie born and bred. Barmaid at the community centre since the beginning of the year. Not personally acquainted with the victim and again no apparent motive. In the bar at the time of death if corroborated alibi with George Lambert can be depended on. It was Claire who found the body, though, so there may have been a margin of opportunity.

'Yes which takes us on to our final suspect, George Lambert' said Jack.

'Ah yes, aged twenty-eight, from Lucon in France, works as a finance officer at a textile company in his home town. On Sainte-Marie doing family history research. Met the victim for the first time yesterday and had a meal with her at Catherine's. Once again, no clear motive and apparently in the bar at the time of death.

'Alright' Jack went on. 'We have an idea of who had the opportunity and we have still to determine any solid motive. And what about the means?'

'No sign of any object with blood that could have caused the gash in her head' Dwayne stated once again.

'And no obvious trace of poison in either the water glass or bottle we found' added J P.

'OK, we will probably need to go back to the community centre to look into this further' decided Jack, 'But we will wait until we have the post mortem and toxicology reports back so that we know exactly what we are looking for. In the meantime, you two can make a start on the background checks on the suspects while Florence and I will go down to the square on time for Patrick and Gemma's concert ending. I think we need to have a talk with them about the things George has told us'.

'See you later Chief, Serge!' said Dwayne, turning to his computer as his superiors left the building. As soon as they were gone he turned to J P

'I was just thinking…'

'Y-yes?' answered J P cautiously.

'Perhaps I should start up a band! These musicians who come here, everyone loves them!'

'Really? You're musical Dwayne?'

'Well, I used to be the karaoke king at police college nights out!'

'Okay!'

'And, well, I played the triangle in my school orchestra!'

'Now that makes you a star indeed!'

'That's what I thought! I'll have to get practicing again. And find a good looking girl to take the lead and dance'

'Why can you not dance?'

'Yes of course but…you know the crowd like a lady dancer!'

'Well, good luck with your venture!'

'What about you J P? Do you sing or dance?'

'Um…well enough to send the crowds away at closing time!'

'Oh well, perhaps you can set me free from my adoring fans!'

'Sure!'

'Anyway, I suppose…background checks'