The Boneyard: A gripping serial killer crime thriller. Mark Sennen

not.’ Kendwick grinned and moistened his top lip with his tongue. ‘Wild, is it? Remote? The sort of place you might hide something if you didn’t want anybody to find it?’

      Savage paused. Kendwick was either very good at bluffing or he really knew nothing about Combestone Tor’s proximity to the road and popularity as a picnic spot. She turned to Calter.

      ‘Mr Kendwick,’ Calter said. ‘You’re aware we’re searching your house?’

      ‘Malcolm, please.’ Kendwick leaned forward and lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘I do so like to be on first-name terms with gorgeous women.’

      ‘Ms Bradley?’ Calter said, turning to the solicitor. ‘You might like to inform your client that acting like a creepy little slug isn’t going to do his case any good.’

      ‘Cut the compliments, Malcolm,’ Bradley said. ‘They’re wasted on these two anyway.’

      ‘Suits me.’ Kendwick shrugged. ‘I’ll save the tongue-work for the barmaid at the pub.’

      Savage stared across the table at Kendwick, trying to work out the man. Surely he didn’t believe in his own patter? Likely he was someone who got a thrill out of using his power to subjugate other people. The power could be simple physical force, or it could be psychological. Savage tapped Calter on the arm, encouraging her to go on.

      ‘As I was saying,’ Calter continued. ‘We’ve got a team going through your house at the moment.’

      ‘Well, they won’t find much. I only arrived with a couple of bags and haven’t had time to do much shopping yet. I need to get some pictures up, personalise the place, scatter a few little … knick … knick … knick … around the house. What’s the word? Oh yes, knick-knacks.’

      ‘You’re on dangerous ground, Malcolm,’ Savage said. ‘Are you aware the killer in America took the girls’ underwear as some kind of memento?’

      ‘He didn’t?’ Kendwick feigned surprise and then half turned to Bradley. ‘Can we get this over and done with, Amanda? These two are making it up as they go along.’

      ‘How long will the search take, DI Savage?’ Bradley said. ‘Because I assume that once you’ve finished and, provided you’ve found nothing, my client can go.’

      ‘Mr Kendwick will be released when I’ve satisfied myself he played no part in the killing of this girl. So far your client has been rude and obstructive and we’ve made little progress. I suggest we conclude this session and you try to convince him of the seriousness of the situation. A night in custody will help. We’ll resume in the morning.’

      Savage pushed back her chair and stood as Calter officially suspended the interview. Once the recording equipment had been switched off Savage placed both her hands on the table and leaned across towards Kendwick.

      ‘Look, you little piece of shit,’ Savage said. ‘There’s a young girl lying dead in the morgue and a mother and father grieving for the loss of their daughter. Yet all you can do is make stupid jokes and fill every other sentence with mindless innuendo. We’re going to start again tomorrow and I expect you to be more cooperative. Otherwise—’