Looking around the conference table, Erika realised that the meeting was a make or break opportunity to retain the large amount of manpower she’d been assigned. In addition to the pressure she was feeling, the air conditioning had broken, leading to an uncomfortable sticky atmosphere.

She went on, ‘I am aggressively pursuing every detail of Gregory Munro’s personal life. I believe he knew or had previously met his attacker, and that his private life could unlock the identity of the killer. But with a case of this complexity, I will need more time.’

‘The victim’s brother-in-law, Gary Wilmslow, is also under investigation for unrelated crimes, which are part of Operation Hemslow,’ interrupted Oakley.’ I trust that the two investigations will remain separate, and officers on the Munro murder will be kept away from Operation Hemslow?’

‘Yes, sir. That’s all under control,’ said Marsh, giving Erika a look. There was silence as all eyes around the table stared back at her. Marsh changed the subject. ‘What about the presence of gay pornography at the murder scene? I understand that Gregory Munro had downloaded a gay dating app on his mobile phone?’

Marsh had already discussed this with Erika. She realised that he was asking the question for Oakley’s benefit.

‘Yes, sir. There were some gay porn magazines and he’d downloaded the Grindr gay dating app, but he hadn’t activated it. There were no contacts or messages,’ replied Erika.

‘So the victim was potentially engaging in homosexual behaviours, anonymous meetings with men?’ said Oakley.

‘There is no evidence, beyond a few dog-eared gay porn magazines, to show Gregory Munro was acting on any homosexual impulses,’ said Erika.

‘Why haven’t you considered investigating the gay cruising areas around London? Public lavatories? Parks?’ pressed Oakley.

‘I have considered them, sir. We know of several areas, but they’re not covered by CCTV. My officers are stretched to the limit dealing with the evidence we do have, without going off to make general enquiries in the bushes…’

‘He was a married man with homosexual desires. I can’t see why this hasn’t been your main line of enquiry, DCI Foster?’

‘As I said, sir, we have several lines of enquiry. I would need more officers, if I was to start…’

‘You already have a large team, DCI Foster. Perhaps we should talk about how you are using your resources, before you come cap in hand for more?’

‘I can assure you, sir, that every one of my officers is being used to the best of their ability.’

Oakley picked up one of the crime scene photos of Gregory Munro and studied it. ‘Violence in the gay community is often linked intrinsically with sexual desire. Don’t men like this seek out clandestine encounters? Invite dangerous men into their houses?’

‘We obviously know different kinds of gay men, sir,’ Erika shot back. There was silence around the table.

‘It’s the heat; it’s getting to us all, sir,’ said Marsh, glaring at Erika.

Oakley scowled and took a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to his face, wiping under his sweaty hairline. The way he gently lifted his fringe made Erika suddenly wonder if he wore a wig. A ‘syrup’. The word popped into her head. Syrup… Syrup of figs… wig… She remembered Mark telling her about cockney rhyming slang when she’d first come to England, and how much it had made her laugh.

‘Is something funny, DCI Foster?’ asked Oakley, as he tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket.

‘No, sir,’ said Erika getting a hold of herself.

‘Good, because alongside the issue of manpower levels the media has seized upon your failure to find a suspect as another reason to give the Met Police a good kicking. First the local, and now the national newspapers.’ He indicated the papers in the centre of the conference room table, which bore the headlines: ‘SUPER GP KILLED IN BED’ and ‘POLICE STILL HUNTING KILLER OF TOP DOC’. ‘You’ve been rather quiet, Colleen, what can you add to this?’

‘I am working…’ started Colleen and paused.

She was going to say, ‘robustly’ thought Erika.

‘I’m working very hard to ensure that my press team steers the media in the correct direction. Of course, there is little new evidence to give them,’ she added, trying to throw the blame back onto Erika.

‘It isn’t our job to keep spoon-feeding journalists. I think it was a little premature to release information this early,’ said Erika. ‘We should have been at least two steps ahead and ready with more information. Now they’ve gone and done exactly what I thought they’d do and found their own angle, linking this case to the austerity cuts by the government.’

Tags: Robert Bryndza Detective Erika Foster Thriller
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