As Tyler went in search of a medic to tend to his face, where a bruise was already showing, Spencer came and explained to Jane what had just occurred.

‘You were right, Jane. It must be his daughter. When Tyler showed him the photograph, he went berserk.’

Jane nodded. ‘We showed the photograph to a number of neighbors, but none of them could positively identify her as Yasmin Farook. However, I have the name of Farook’s brother-in-law’s daughter, and the school she is attending, so if Farah Fareedi and Aiyla Farook refuse to tell me Yasmin’s whereabouts, I’m going to see if I can question Midilah Fareedi.’

Chapter Twenty-Six

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Jane was just packing up her desk when there was a call from Dabs asking if she could meet him at the labs in the ballistic section where he was doing some testing while waiting for Elliott.

When she didn’t reply right away, he asked if she was all right.

‘I’m fine, Dabs. I can be there in three quarters of an hour.’

Spencer looked over and asked if she would like to come for a quick drink.

‘Sorry,’ she called across. ‘I’ve got a date.’

‘Who’s the lucky—’ Spencer started saying, but Jane was out of the door before he could finish.

*

Dabs was waiting for her in the small reception area of the lab. He gave her a shy smile.

‘I’m sorry about the subterfuge, Jane, but Elliott swore me to secrecy.’

They walked through the glass double doors, heading past the various labs.

‘Elliott told me you were doing some ballistics work for him,’ Jane said. ‘But to be honest, I’m still trying to fathom out what the hell is going on.’

‘If Elliott’s hunch is right, you’re going to find out a lot more, Jane. And it’s pretty sickening.’

The ballistic testing area was empty and Dabs went to a secure lock-up section and brought out a twelve-by-twelve-inch green metal box with a secure lock. He carried it to a trestle table and unlocked it, removing a handgun with walnut inlay handgrips and a separate magazine with bullets in it. The gun looked familiar, but she’d seen many different firearms during her career, especially during her short time on the Flying Squad.

‘This is a Smith & Wesson .39 automatic pistol made in the US in the late 1950s, capable of firing eight nine-mill rounds before you need to reload the magazine. It was originally seized by the Flying Squad in 1976 when it was left in a stolen car by the fleeing suspects after robbing a Securicor payroll van outside the Daily Express head office.’

‘Was Murphy part of the investigation?’

Dabs nodded. ‘The suspects got away, but it was Murphy who found this weapon in the stolen car. He was a DI on the squad at the time.’

Dabs put the magazine into the gun then walked over to a large grey metal water tank about three feet wide, ten feet long and three feet high. Jane followed him.