While Hitchens was fidgeting impatiently, Fry took a call from Murfin on her mobile.

‘Bad news, Diane. We’ve lost a couple of those builders.’

‘What?’

‘Two of the East Europeans have done a bunk from their B&B, and the agency has had no word of them since Thursday. They suggest they might just have gone off for a long weekend.’

‘A long weekend doing what?’

‘Boozing probably,’ said Murfin. ‘I can’t blame them, personally. We might have to wait until Monday and see if they turn up again.’

‘Damn. Did we check on their status?’

‘You said it could wait,’ pointed out Murfin.

‘No, Mr Hitchens did.’ Fry couldn’t disguise the small surge of relief. ‘Which two are missing?’

‘A Slovak and a Czech. I’d give you the names, but I can’t pronounce them.’

‘I’ll get Ben Cooper on to it. He has some contacts.’

Fry ended the call and switched her attention again.

‘The pathologist’s preliminary report on the first victim said there were no signs of major trauma,’ Hitchens was saying to the anthropologist.

‘Oh, well – there’s your other difference, then,’ said Dr Jamieson, with a patronizing smile. ‘Apart from the age of the burial, that is.’

‘What difference is that, Doctor?’

‘The bodies might appear to be intact and free of major trauma as far as the torso, but beyond the upper vertebrae we’re in quite different territory.’

‘Injuries? A cause of death?’ said Hitchens hopefully.

‘Not necessarily. But your second body is definitely different, Inspector. This one is missing a head.’

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

There was plenty of work for SOCOs and the photographic unit to do now. Before it could be moved, any item of physical evidence would be photographed in situ from several angles with a ruler for scale, and a sketch containing accurate dimensions with locations and measurements of all objects would have to be made.

‘Well, I can only give my view if the pathologist requests it,’ said Dr Jamieson. ‘And most of them think anthropologists are charlatans when it comes to the manner of death.’

‘But the missing head –?’ said Hitchens.

‘– wasn’t necessarily the cause of death. Not that I can pronounce on the subject.’

‘Removing someone’s head is a sure way of causing death. Even I can pronounce on that.’

The anthropologist shook his head. ‘Postmortem removal. Do I need to say more?’

‘Oh.’

‘I understand you’re bringing in ground-penetrating radar to examine the site for more burials?’ said Jamieson. ‘I’ll be here if you need me.’

‘Thank you, Doctor.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘Postmortem removal,’ said Hitchens to his detectives, when they were out of earshot of the anthropologist.

‘Somebody removed the victim’s head after she was dead,’ said Fry.

‘Yes, I know what it means, Diane. Well, I know what the word means. But what’s the significance of the act? Who would take a head from a dead body?’