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footsteps climbing the stairs. Stirling ducked through the doorframe. His brow was furrowed with deep lines. “What did she say?”
    “She said Jayne has size six feet and a flower tattoo on her left foot, middle toe.” They all looked at the victim’s foot and then looked at each other. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 5
     
     
    Dale Reeves scanned the street beyond the police cordon and pointed to the spot where the crowd was gathered. “Put the blues on and move that lot back,” he ordered the engine driver. “Dave, come with me and we’ll see what the score is. Chris, when the other engines arrive, I want one to the left of the driveway and the other in front of us. Set up as if this place is lit up.”
    The sirens screamed and the gathering moved back. Uniformed police officers cleared the area so that they could bring the tender safely to a stop. “Quick in and out, boys. We’re making the place safe and then we’re gone,” Dale said as he opened the door and jumped down onto the pavement. “Where’s the DI?” he asked a young constable, who looked confused by their arrival. Dale had met a thousand baby faced coppers during his career. As Dale neared retirement age, they seemed to be getting younger every day.      
    “She’s inside,” the officer pointed to the house and lifted the tape so that he could duck underneath. Dale nodded a silent thank you and clomped across the lawn towards the front door. Dave Cooper jogged to keep up with the taller man. They reached the house and screwed up their noses as the smell of decomposition met them.
    “Something’s gone off,” Dave mumbled adjusting his helmet.
    Dale smiled grimly and scanned the hallway. “DI Jones?” he shouted. He heard muffled voices coming from the upper floor and headed for the stairs. “DI Jones?” he repeated. As he climbed, he noticed the distinct whiff of petrol. “Can you smell that?”
    “Petrol somewhere,” Dave nodded. Annie appeared at the top of the stairs joined by Kathy and Sterling. They all looked irritated by the presence of the firemen.
    “I’m DI Jones,” Annie said. Dale thought she was an attractive woman at first glance although there was something funny about her eyes. He tried hard not to stare at the jagged scar that ran down her face. “We have a murder investigation going on but there’s a smell of petrol coming from somewhere. It seems to be stronger here on the landing than anywhere else.” She frowned. “I want the place made safe so that we can get the forensic teams in.”
    “Have you searched the bedrooms yet?” Dale asked with a sigh. He looked around the narrow landing; his black skin already had a sheen of sweat glistening on it. His heavy safety clothing and his age combining to make the simplest of jobs an effort.
    “We’ve had a brief look around but there’s nothing obvious, hence we called you.”
    Dale shrugged his wide shoulders and scratched at his greying beard. “I’m going to need you all to leave while we check the place over,” he said with a toothy smile. “You know the drill. We’ll be as quick as we can and then we’ll be out of your hair.” He shrugged in apology.
    Annie puffed up her cheeks and blew out a deep breath. “Kathy, we need to get out for five minutes,” she nodded to Stirling and he stepped back to allow Kathy to go down the stairs first. “Please don’t go in this bedroom unless you absolutely have to,” she said firmly. “This is a complicated crime scene and we don’t need half a dozen pairs of size elevens stomping all over it, please.”
    “Heaven forbid,” Dale smiled. “I’ll do a quick check of the other rooms; get the steps off the wagon, Dave.” He said briskly.
    “Don’t move anything,” Kathy shouted up the stairs as she reluctantly left the house.
    “Don’t stomp on anything and don’t move anything,” he muttered to himself and shook his head.