Imposture (DI Gardener 6)

“I’ve quickly checked his pockets, but feel free to delve a little deeper. There might be something on him somewhere.”

“I knew I shouldn’t have come. Why do I get all the best jobs?”

“I’m pretty sure with your track record and the places you’ve been you’re immune to everything.”

Reilly laughed and then nodded to something over Gardener’s shoulder. “I’d better hurry up, then. Our man’s here.”

Gardener turned and spotted Fitz walking toward them wearing a black cape and suit, with a top hat, walking cane, and medical bag. He made his way through a crowd that resembled a set of film company extras. It was very eerie.

“Boss,” shouted Reilly. “Might have something.” Reilly had searched underneath the sweatshirt, found two driving licences in the pocket of a plain cotton shirt.

“Why two licences?” Gardener asked, taking them.

“Man’s obviously a wrong ’un.”

“So this could be payback?”

“More than likely,” said Reilly.

“Chances are someone’s given him something but we still can’t rule out the fact that it might be contagious.”

“But where the hell has he come from? Look how many buildings we have around here. Office buildings, rooms above shops, a car park over there. He could have been anywhere.”

“The quicker we get the team onto it the better,” replied Gardener. “If this has been done to him in the vicinity, surely we’re going to find the evidence.”

“In that case, we’d better call in a PolSA team. An area this size is going to need a fingertip search.”

“Already done it, Sean.”

Gardener stood and approached his team, who were all lurking at the edge of the outer cordon. All of them were present, awaiting his instructions, which for now, was a basic, house-to-house or shop-to-shop search and question. He wanted Albion Street and the surrounding streets blocking off completely, if they hadn’t already been done, and he needed as many basic witness statements as possible in order that they could plan the follow-ups in an incident room, which he hoped would be later today.

“I thought you two might be involved,” said Fitz, as he ducked underneath the red and white tape. “Anything sinister is bound to have your name on it.”

The pathologist glanced at the man on the floor. “What’s happened here?”

Reilly stood up and moved away. “We were hoping you could tell us.”

Gardener briefed Fitz and allowed him to make an immediate inspection.

A flurry of activity a few yards away suggested the press were baying for blood. Fortunately for Gardener, the marquee was ready to block the scene completely. Gardener signalled to one of the constables to keep the press where they were for now. Not that he doubted they would already have pictures. There were enough two- or three-storey office blocks with a bird’s-eye view.

Gardener waited while the marquee was fully erected and leaned in towards Fitz. “Anything? Whatever you say might very well depend on which call I make next.”

Fitz returned his attention to the body. “Skin red and blistering. There’s a lot of swelling to the body. Judging by the eyes, whatever it is has caused blindness. Was this how he was when you first saw him?”

“Not quite as bad. His eyes were very red but he wasn’t blind. His tongue hadn’t swelled up as much on first sight.”

“Which means he’s had respiratory tract problems. He’ll have suffered nose and sinus pain, very probably a sore throat, shortness of breath. Was he coughing a lot?”

“No,” said Gardener, “he couldn’t even talk, though he did manage a scream.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we find fluid in his lungs.” Fitz checked underneath the clothing for further signs. “I suspect he’ll have had serious abdominal pain, but I can’t see any sign of diarrhoea or vomiting. What were his movements like?”

“A bit erratic. His walking wasn’t coordinated. When he was on the ground his body was trembling. I need to know if he’s been exposed to something serious.”

“Almost certainly,” replied Fitz, “no doubt a nerve agent of some description.”

Fitz stopped talking and leaned in much closer to the victim’s neck.