Page 40 of The Unforgiven

“So you haven’t seen him for four years?” Vinny repeated his words, as if trying to truly comprehend their meaning. “I can’t go four days without hearing from my sister.”

“That’s because you serve a purpose and she’s incompetent at DIY and has a deadbeat boyfriend who doesn’t do anything to help her around the house.” Deadbeat wasn’t completely true; Kayla’s boyfriend was an accountant, but he was completely incompetent with any form of power tool. Vinny hated him with a passion but tried not to act like he did because he actually adored his little sister.

“True. But even if she didn’t need me to build Ikea furniture or grout the shower, she’d still harass me several times a week. I get you have a complex background; I get you grew up in care and he didn’t – well, I know that but I don’t know why. Why did that happen? Could you not have gone to live with Nate’s mum?” Vinny looked like he was really trying to understand.

“We only knew of each other as adults. Our birth dad wasn’t around for either of us,” I didn’t go into that detail. I’d gone seven years without my colleagues knowing who Stan was, but I had a gut feeling I’d be giving them more information at some point. “My mum was in prison, so I was with Romy and Cassian. Nate was the result of a one-night stand, so he was brought up by his grandma. His mum was meant to go to university, so her mum took on looking after Nate.” Which did mean he was all kinds of screwed up as well. Neither of us had been prioritised by either of our parents, which made you expect rejection. Synapses in the brain didn’t quite form the same way, the same attachment bonds weren’t formed. Attachment disorder couldlook a lot like the stereotypical characteristics of autism, but the approaches needed were different to a certain extent.

I just accepted I was fucked up and moved on.

To an extent.

“So how did you find each other?”

Vinny was being very curious today.

“We were at a conference and recognised each other. He looked familiar.”

“You do look alike.” He knew my father’s first name only.

“Stan’s genes are strong. We think we have ten half siblings, although there could be more. The man should’ve been sterilised.” Or euthanised, which would’ve saved the taxpayers even more money.

Vinny put his hands in his pockets as we walked along the half lit corridor to the mortuary. “Say the word and I’ll sort whatever you need.”

I turned and caught him looking at me, not sure of how to handle what I figured was protectiveness.

“Thank you, but I can look after myself.”

“I know. That’s not what I’m saying.”

We left it there; for once I was glad to be entering the forensic suite, the slightly metallic tinge to the air a welcome distraction from the conversation with Vinny.

The body was already laid out, as yet unidentified. Nick and Verity were going through missing persons reports that might help us find out who she had been. I was hoping for a text message sooner rather than later with that information.

My half-brother looked over into the viewing gallery, giving me a brief nod. He was more focused on the body on the table, his assistant standing by and waiting for instructions.

Nate, I knew, was methodical, precise, detailed and focused. He was not a people person, preferring books – both fiction and textbooks – to actual humans, unless they were in his morgue.To be honest, if my half-brother hadn’t become a forensic pathologist, he’d have become some form of mad scientist, digging up graves for fresh bodies to experiment on.

I almost felt a wave of fondness for him thinking about him and his weird ways.

“The deceased is a well-nourished Caucasian female, estimated age between twenty five and thirty. Height: five foot two inches, weight to be determined once we’ve unpacked her. Victim is currently unidentified, so for the purpose of this, she will be referred to as Janine Doe.” He was lost now in his work, hunting down the smallest detail that would tell us how exactly she’d died.

I half tuned out, not needing the level of scientific detail he was going into. At some point, I hoped he’d stop and give us the layman’s summary, something Dr Miz was particularly good at.

He lifted up a stone, one of several he was taking out as he unwrapped her from the tarpaulin. “There are at least a dozen of these wrapped in with her. They’re polished and clean, and I’d put my mortgage on them not being from round here. I’ll get them sent off for more analysis – finding out where these are from could be really helpful.” He almost sounded human.

I wanted to ask him about his mortgage and where his house was, if it was in Manchester, and if so why. But that could wait. I focused in on the body of Janine Doe. Three women, three victims. We needed to find their killer before any more met the same fate.

“Skin condition: moderate maceration present, particularly to hands, feet, and buttocks. Early adipocere formation observed on thighs and abdomen — indicative of postmortem submersion in cool water, accelerated by recent flooding and then stagnation. We have virtually no signs of insect activity. Skin slippage noted across the forearms, and there is no jewellery, piercings, or tattoos visible. Let’s turn her over.”

I turned away while Nate and his assistant moved the body onto its front. “Ah. This isn’t a surprise.” Nate’s voice rang clearly through the room. “We have a penetrating stab wound to the left posterior flank), entering between ribs ten and eleven, which would’ve severed the left renal artery. Depth approximately ten centimetres. She was stabbed in the back, which I think is the same as your second victim, if I remember correctly. From looking at this, because I know it’ll help, it’s probably the same, or a similar weapon. I’ll get back to you about that once I’ve finished the preliminaries – Dr Mizra’s left me the other case in Leeds to look at too.”

“What case?” Vinny turned to me.

“I’ll tell you later. It’s probably a wild goose chase.”

Nate continued. “Five additional stab wounds to the back and scapular region. None immediately fatal but cumulatively contributed to blood loss. Hunter MK-two profileobserved in previous victims — serrated tear marks are visible in secondary wounds. Wound morphology indicates asingle-blade weapon. No defensive injuries present. No signs of a struggle – I’d guess your victim didn’t suspect she was about to be attacked. The first stab wound to her back would’ve had her falling to the ground. You’d have to be pretty strong and have good aim for that, so I’d say your killer here is practiced and intelligent.” He continued to study the body as if she was going to sit up and tell him her secrets. In some ways, that was what was happening. It just took a different sort of ear to listen.

“Do you think it’s the same perp from the other two victims?” Vinny was watching intently. He actually enjoyed being at the postmortems, or at least he had until he pissed off Dr Miz. I’d once asked him why he hadn’t gone into forensics. The response – he’d never passed his science, which was a bit of a barrier.