Dark Circles Read Online Free Page B

one of those tableaus they used to do on stage. It looked set up.’
    ‘Most deaths look set up. The corpse generally looks like a mannequin that has been positioned in death. You’ve been down that road as many times as I have. Who was there from our side?’
    ‘Male and female cop team, they obviously discovered the body and called it in.’
    ‘Anyone from CID?’
    ‘Not that I saw. By the time I was through with the preliminary examination of the body, an ambulance crew had arrived and were anxious to get the body away. It’s in a morgue at the moment.’
    ‘Was there any sign of foul play?’
    ‘Not that I saw.’
    ‘How about the police team?’
    ‘They called it in as accidental death. We’ve all heard about erotic asphyxiation. It looked like the classic set up. Maybe that’s what spooked me. It looked a bit too much like the classic set up. I took some photos if you’d like to see them.’
    Wilson sighed. ‘I respect your opinion but I really don’t see the point. Belfast is full of people who are into bondage, domination, sadism and masochism. They hang around in clubs and beat the shit out of each other. The only surprise is that more of them don’t end up in the hospital or even the morgue. Half the thrill is in the pain mixed with the pleasure.’
    Reid laughed. ‘I didn’t know you were so well up on the Belfast sex scene. Another string to your bow?’
    ‘I won’t dignify that remark with an answer. What do you want me to do? I’m not supposed to create my own work, officially there’s no case.’
    ‘I’m going to do an autopsy this morning. Depending on what I find, I’ll decide what opinion to present to the coroner at the inquest. I’d like to think that I’ll do right by Mr Grant. Given that the poor man was a politician, the Press will have their claws into him before the day is out. He’ll be dragged through the mud, and maybe he doesn’t deserve it. Spare one hour this morning for the autopsy. Take a look at the photos and visit the house. If you tell me I have my head up my bum, I’ll go with death by misadventure and we can consign David Grant to the dustbin of history.’
    Wilson stayed silent for a few moments. If it were anyone else except Stephanie Reid, he might have considered that they were over-reacting. She was right about the newspapers. There was nothing juicier than a politician involved in some kinky sex practice. Chief Superintendent Spence would have a fit, but he could always claim that he was helping the coroner out. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘What time does the autopsy start?’
    ‘Ten o’clock. You’ll take a look then?’
    ‘I’ll be there,’ he said. ‘Just for a look-see.’ He pressed the red button cutting the communication.
    ‘Who was that?’ Helen McCann asked.
    ‘The pathologist,’ Wilson said simply.
    ‘It must be important if the pathologist called you at home.’
    ‘A Belfast City Councillor called David Grant died last night while trying to get off on erotic asphyxiation. It appears it didn’t go right, and he strangled himself.’ Wilson may have been mistaken, but he thought he saw some recognition in Helen’s eyes when he said the name of the deceased. ‘You knew him?’
    ‘We met once, I think. Some legal do or other. He seemed like a very nice young man, and I heard that he was a hell of a lawyer. I understood that he was very committed to rooting out corruption in the Public Service. I was told it bordered on the obsessive. On a single meeting, I wouldn’t have believed he was the sort who went in for unusual sexual practices.’
    ‘It’s not normally stamped on the forehead.’
    ‘What’s the pathologist’s problem?’ she asked.
    Wilson moved off towards the kitchen. If he was going to face one of Reid’s autopsies he needed another coffee. ‘Something has spooked her. She wants me to attend the autopsy and look at some of the photos she took at the scene. She wants to make sure that if she declares death by