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“I take it you turn a blind eye to him hunting on the Keatings Estate?” Finn asked.
Mulberry sighed and looked conflicted about what to say. “We did question Fred extensively this morning, I genuinely think he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Okay,” Amelia added, softly. “We understand bending the rules sometimes, Mulberry. You mustn't hold back anything for that reason, it's not like we're going to drag the old gentleman into a jail cell. I've had a read of the interview notes, so I'm satisfied for now, but after we get more acquainted with the case, we might have to bring him in again for questions.”
“Of course,” Mulberry said. The computer let out a bell sound, and Mulberry smiled. "Okay. Again, sorry for how old this stuff is. But it should be good to go. We're on the network now."
Finn gave him an encouraging nod. "It's more than enough, Mulberry. Thanks. Start the search, check the census and the national crime database, limit the search to the area. If that doesn't turn up anything, try searching a newspaper archive and match the initials and birth date to the family that owns St Martin Castle."
"Right oh! The Keatings own the castle," Mulberry said, enthusiastically.
As Mulberry began to type, entering the date of birth and initials from the locket into the database, Amelia stared at the photographs she had pinned to the board.
"Any luck with those photographs?" Finn inquired, breaking the silence.
"Just setting them up now," Amelia replied, pinning several more crime scene photos to the whiteboard. "We need to find out if there's any connection between the victims."
"Was the third victim killed in the same way?" Finn asked, curiosity piqued.
"No," Amelia concluded. "The pathologist hasn't carried out the autopsy yet, but the forensics team told me that when the body was moved out of the branches, that the woman had a large wound in her chest near her heart."
Finn pondered for a moment. "I wonder how precise the wound is. The other two victims were stabbed in the liver. If I were to bet, I'd say the kill cut into the woman's heart."
"Suggesting some kind of medical background?" Amelia answered.
"Or someone with combat training," Finn replied.
As they discussed, Mulberry's voice cut through. "I've got something!" he announced. "There's a record of a Helen Baxter. The date of birth matches the locket, and she married into the Keatings, distantly. I have a photo hear from a newspaper article of her at a business launch."
Finn's eyes sharpened. "Helen Baxter Keatings.. Could she be our third victim?"
"It's possible," Amelia said thoughtfully. "The locket could be hers."
Finn stood up and went over to the computer, peering over Mulberry's shoulder. His heart sank at the picture.
"We don't need to look elsewhere," Finn said, remembering the horrible image of the woman among the branches. "That's her. That's our third victim."
"If you're right, that's two victims out of three identified," Amelia said.
"One related to a rich family in the area," Mulberry observed. "And the other is a distant cousin to the prime minister. Why doesn't that sit well with me?"
"Because it shouldn't," Finn answered. "If two elites are dead, it could be that the killer will go after someone else of the same ilk. And given the influence these people wield, they'll come down on us like a ton of bricks if we don't stop it from happening again."
"If Helen Baxter is related to the Keatings of St Martins castle," Amelia offered. "I think we should pay the family a little visit."
"Agreed," said Finn.
"Mulberry, you stay here and liaise with Ulman for us, okay?" Amelia asked.
"Yes, of course," he answered. "But be careful with the Keatings. They aren't exactly friendly with the public, notorious for keeping people at arm's length."
"Thanks for the heads up," Finn said. "Let's go to the castle and see what we can find."
Amelia looked at the photographs pinned on the board and then turned to face her two colleagues. "Do you have a car we can use, Mulberry?"
Mulberry nodded, and Finn grinned. He was finally going to see the inside of that castle after all, and hopefully it would bring him closer to understanding what was going on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
