‘Fibre mapping?’ Joel cut in, then in response to Sandra’s disapproving look added: ‘Just assume I’m some idiot with a shirt collar tight enough to restrict the blood to my brain …’ he said and Sandra grinned.

‘It’s not as technical as it sounds, just lots of small, sticky squares. I cover the victim head to toe and number each one. Then they are photographed, removed and seized one-by-one. I’ll then review each one for trace evidence and, if I find anything I can tell exactly where it came from on her body.’

‘Sounds time-consuming.’

‘It’s utterly tedious is what it is. But necessary. We’ve had some good results from it. Then I’ll do nail scraping, hair combing and swab her hands before I get her ready for transport to the morgue. That is, wrapping her feet, hands and head in plastic bags and then into a body bag. She won’t be moved until tomorrow at the earliest.’

‘You said you’ve searched her already. Anything?’

‘Loose search for obvious wounds, to make sure she’s not lying on the murder weapon, and I patted the pockets. I’ll do a much more thorough search before she’s bagged up. The first patrol on scene found her wallet with just a bank card in it; it was how she was ID’d. No mobile phone though.’

Joel rubbed at his face, his gaze back on the crumpled corpse that Sandra would soon be bagging up. It barely looked like a person. The colour of dried blood always reminded Joel of autumn leaves raked together and turning to mush. He would take that image over the reality right now.

DS Rose must have been looking at her too, because she turned to Sandra and said, ‘Be gentle with her.’

Sandra’s exterior softened. ‘There’s nothing a good CSI officer respects more than the dead. They have all the answers, see.’

‘Let’s hope so,’ Joel said. ‘We should have a look at the rest. Then I need to get up to speed as best I can. It seems I have a lot of catching up to do.’

‘Body number two is through in the living room. That’s not nearly as interesting,’ Sandra said.

‘Body number two,’ Joel said. He couldn’t help but sound incredulous.

‘That’s not what some TSG skipper wants to hear on their first day as an SIO investigating murder, is it?’ Sandra’s eyes twinkled again.

‘No. And that will be why my superintendent missed that part out.’