A Mystery On Tyneside

Chapter Two

Chapter TwoThe DCI found a couple of police cars already parked outside the restaurant when he pulled up. Obviously they had been in the vicinity when the word went out. One officer was standing at the front of the building to stop anyone entering or leaving the restaurant until they had been cleared to do so. Alan guessed another would be somewhere around the back, in case someone tried to sneak out that way. The other two patrol car officers were probably inside.

The three detectives stepped out of the car and hurried into the restaurant. Alan found Agnes waiting near the ladies' room. Though she looked rather strained, she smiled when she saw him hurrying across to her.

“It's okay. I'm here now,” he said, as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I'll be alright,” she replied, pressing her arms into his back. “You'd better get on with your job.”

Alan would like to have asked an officer to drive her back to the apartment, but he was aware from past experience that she would refuse to leave the scene of the crime – especially as it was she who had found the body. He turned and looked around. The two officers had done a good job at keeping the customers away from the crime scene. One was standing guard outside the ladies' room, while the other was questioning Leo Galdi, the manager.

Until today, Alan had never seen the manager look even remotely flustered. Always without a single hair out of place and wearing an immaculate smart suit, with the tip of a pristine white handkerchief peeping out from the top pocket of his jacket, he would miraculously appear at the entrance of the restaurant the moment a customer entered, to greet them with a warm welcome. Even when a patron, who had had too much to drink, behaved in the most irritating way simply to gain attention, he always remained calm while smoothing down the situation.

Today, however, Alan was seeing Leo in a whole new light. His hair was ruffled, probably from him constantly running his fingers through it. Also, his usually untouched handkerchief was clasped firmly in one hand as he repeatedly mopped his forehead. The poor man was obviously in a state of disbelief at what had happened in his restaurant. But then, who could blame him?

Alan walked across to the ladies' room and the officer opened the door in readiness for him to enter. However, the officer raised his eyebrows when he saw Agnes following closely behind.

“It's okay,” Alan assured the officer. “This is Mrs Lockwood. You'll recall that it was she who found the body. I need to know exactly what she saw when she first entered the room.”

As he spoke, he pulled out some covers for their shoes.

Now inside the ladies' room, Alan stared down at the body on the floor.

“This is exactly how you found the body?” Alan asked, taking a quick glance around the room.

Agnes nodded. “No one has entered the room since I called you. I stood outside the door until the officers arrived. I was here,” she added, moving to where she had been standing when she first spotted the body. “I saw the reflection in the mirror.”

By now, Alan had stepped inside the cubicle and was busy peering around for any clues.

Meanwhile, Agnes glanced in the mirror to relive the scene. Maybe there was something she had missed. Oops, yes there was; though it had nothing to do with the case. It appeared that in her haste to call Alan, she had only applied lipstick to one half of her top lip. Swiftly scooping up the lipstick from the basin, where it had landed earlier, she re-painted her lips.

Alan backed out of the cubicle and looked around the room. There didn't appear to be any blood anywhere else, other than the small pool by the victim's head. Everything else seemed to be in order. But then, how would he know? The ladies' room was not usually his port-of-call.

“Agnes, when you came in earlier, did anything strike you as being different to how it usually looks?”

“I honestly didn't take much notice, Alan. I only popped in here to check my make-up.” Agnes glanced across to the cubicle as she spoke. “But, getting back to your question, everything in here looks to be the same as usual. What on earth could be different in the ladies' loo?” It was then that her eyes rested on the window high on the outside wall. “Well, except for that window.”

“What about that window?” Alan asked, his eyes following her gaze to the rather small metal-framed, frosted glass window.

“It's wide open,” Agnes replied. Her eyes were still focused on the window. “I have never seen that window fully open before. There was something on the inside to stop it from being opened too wide.” She looked at Alan. “You know what I mean – the sort of thing on the windows at the hotel to stop someone leaning out too far and falling to the ground. But here, it's more likely it was to stop people from trying to get in here.”

Alan stared up at the window. Even though both he and Agnes had covered their shoes before entering the ladies' room, he still didn't really want to move any closer until the pathologist and his forensic team had scoured the whole area. Nevertheless, even from where he was standing, he could see a metal chain dangling from a hook on the wall. But, was that because someone had broken into or out of here?

Alan didn't get a chance to voice his thoughts, as Dr Nichols suddenly walked through the door. He was wearing his coveralls; ready to get to work on the body.

“Your sergeant said I'd find you in here.” He smiled at Agnes, before turning back to the DCI. “If you're done for the moment, we'll make a start.” He nodded towards the door, as his forensic team entered the room.

“Yes, I've finished for the time being, Keith,” Alan replied. He began to escort Agnes towards the door, but then suddenly stopped and turned back to face the pathologist. “Can you make sure someone checks out that window? It seems to have been tampered with. I'll be somewhere in the restaurant when you have any information.”

Back in the corridor, Alan spoke to one of the police officers as he removed the covers from his shoes. “Check the window in the gents. Let me know whether the chain that holds it in position has been broken. You'll find me in the restaurant. I need to speak to the manager.”

“Alan, why didn't you tell me that my lipstick wasn't on properly?” Agnes whispered.

“Wasn't it? I didn't notice.” Alan looked surprised.

“And you call yourself a detective!”