Never Proven
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Charlie Anderson grunted in annoyance when he heard the shrill ring of his phone. Hitting the mute button on the TV remote control, he stretched stiffly across the settee to the coffee table and picked up the handset. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you at home, sir.’ Charlie recognised PC Mcarthur’s voice. ‘I’m hoping you’re calling to give me good news, Lillian,’ he said, ‘such as our office syndicate has won the rollover jackpot – but I don’t think I’ll be holding my breath.’ ‘Good decision, sir.’ ‘What’s the panic?’ Charlie asked. ‘Looks like we’ve got a murder on our hands. A body was found this evening in Lawrence Street and – ’
‘Remind me?’ Charlie interjected. ‘Where’s Lawrence Street?’ ‘It runs from Hyndland Street to Byres Road.’ ‘Got it! Was the victim male or female?’ ‘Male. He appears to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but he’s not been ID’D yet. A young couple came across the body lying in the street and they phoned for an ambulance. They told the paramedics they’d been for a drink in Cottiers and they were on their way home when they saw someone lying in the gutter on the other side of the road. They thought the guy might have hurt himself, or maybe he’d fallen down drunk, so they went across to see if he needed any help. As soon as they saw the state he was in they called 999. When the ambulance crew got there, it was a case of DOA. The paramedics sized up the situation and called us out before making any attempt to move the body.’ ‘When did this happen?’ ‘The ambulance was called out at ten forty-five. We don’t know how long he’d been lying in the gutter.’ ‘And we’re sure it was murder?’ ‘The way one of the paramedics put it to me, sir, was: “Cases of self-strangulation in the middle of the road are comparatively rare”.’
‘Too much to hope that there were any witnesses, I suppose?’ ‘Not as far as I know, sir.’ ‘Who’s handling things?’ ‘DC Renton’s on his way across there right now with a SOC team. The paramedics told the kids who found the body to wait with them until the police arrived. Renton said he’d be bringing them back to Pitt Street to take their statements and he asked me to get in touch with either you, or DI Munro, to let you know what was going on.’ ‘Who else is around tonight?’ ‘DS O’sullivan and DC Freer were in the office earlier on, but they were called out about an hour ago – something to do with an assault in a pub in the Calton.’ ‘Have you tried to get in touch with Munro?’ ‘I thought I’d call you first, sir.’ ‘You’re too good to me, Lillian.’
About the author
Born in Renfrew, Bill Daly attended St Aloysius’ College in Glasgow before studying Mathematics at Glasgow University. Never Proven, the latest instalment in his DCI Anderson series, is published by Old Street, price £7.99.