CHAPTER TWO-2
821 Words
“COME ON, JAMES. LET’S go to Mrs Dobbs and see how she is. Maybe last night’s shock has eased a little and she might have something to tell us now,” McNamara said.
“Aye, sir, that’s a very good idea.” James agreed, following him down the street.
They strode over to Mrs Dobbs’ house and knocked. They waited but no answer came from inside. They shot each other a questioning look, then knocked again... harder this time. Still no answer.
James stepped back and looked up at the windows on the first floor. “Sir, I think something isn’t right here. It’s ten o’clock and the light is still on upstairs.”
McNamara initially dismissed his concern, but thought better and said, “Who knows why? We’d better try the back door. She might be there. James, stay here and keep knocking, maybe she’ll hear you. I’m going to see at the back,” McNamara continued. “I’ll call you if there’s something.”
McNamara went with long strides to the back of the house, glancing thoughtfully at the window James had noticed earlier. Perhaps the woman had fallen asleep with the light on. That was one possible explanation. It was also possible she hadn’t woken up yet. After all, the previous night must have exhausted her. McNamara knew he shouldn’t make assumptions or think of the worst.
He arrived at the back of the house in no time. He raised his hand to knock when he noticed the door was ajar. He pushed it open and called, “Mrs Dobbs, are you at home? We’re with the police.”
No answer came from inside. Only his voice bounced off the walls. He didn’t like it. He waited a few more moments then called to James, “James, come here.”
James rushed from the front door, following the sound of McNamara’s voice to the back of the house. There, he found McNamara cautiously advancing through the kitchen.
McNamara pointed to him with his index finger, to himself with his thumb, and then to the inside of the house.
James nodded and both entered the house slowly, ready to fight back if anybody would have attacked.
Their eyes swept all over the kitchen. The area was clean with no sign of recent use — no plates anywhere in sight, not even a cup of tea.
They continued outside the kitchen, along the corridor. They moved silently to surprise any intruder.
They opened the door on the left only to reveal a well-stocked pantry. McNamara shook his head and closed the door.
They walked on, always catlike, until they reached the hallway. Another small corridor stretched before them, and on the left, they saw that stairs which led to the upper floor. On each side of the staircase, there was a door, and they chose to check those rooms separately.
James tiptoed into the room on the left and discovered a small but cosy drawing room. It sported a beige loveseat and two big armchairs in the same neutral colour.
McNamara opened the door on the right of the stairs. He looked inside — it was the dining room, dominated by heavy sculptured furniture, which had been in fashion decades earlier.
They quietly walked along the corridor towards another room on the left. That was the living room, which James had already seen the night before.
A trace of blood beckoned to them from behind the door, but not before the strong smell of spilt blood hit them.
McNamara glanced behind the door and waved to James to look as well. Reluctantly, James did look and as always, nausea rose in his throat. That happened to him no matter how many bodies he had seen. He’d already resigned himself to suffering through it if he wanted to do the job.
Mrs Dobbs lay face down behind the door. A pool of blood had almost completely coagulated under her.
They looked around. The small stand that used to be near the wall had been knocked over. Last night, a vase with flowers stood there. Now, it was shattered on the floor. The water had wetted the floor, flirting with the edges of the pool of blood. The flowers had fallen a little further and reminded James of the flowers thrown over coffins at funerals, and that made him feel worse.
“I think she heard some kind of noise and she came to the door... I can see she tried to defend herself when she was grabbed... Aye, I think she fought, but she didn’t stand a chance,” McNamara said, analysing the body, his hands buried deep in his pockets. “Probably, because the attacker was stronger... We can’t dismiss that she was surprised, of course,” he added, glancing at James who nodded his assent.
“I’ll call the headquarters, boss. We need them to send in the coroner and the forensics,” James said, starting to dig out his phone from his front pocket.
“All right, James, you do that. Until they come, let’s wait in the hallway. I don’t think you want to stay around this too much, and neither do I.”
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