‘I don’t get it, sir.’ Aktar’s broad accent made him sound plaintive.
‘I’m not sure you’re supposed to.’ Brook kept silent for half a minute. He’d sped through the briefing, feeling the need to get it over quickly so he could be alone but now he felt it necessary to leave a pause for the full impact to sink into his team.
‘Now we have a puzzle. There are two survivors. Jason Wallis, who should have been there…’
‘Lucky bastard,’ muttered Jones.
‘…and baby Bianca who was. Question. Why take the trouble of bringing the baby down from its…’ Brook looked at the ceiling in self-admonishment,
Noble glanced at Jane Gadd. He knew that Brook would already have the answers but he sensed an opportunity to impress her. ‘It could be an act of mercy on the part of the killer to show himself in a better light. Make us think he’s not an animal.’ Noble paused, trying to appear spontaneous. ‘And also he knows the baby can’t identify him.’
‘True,’ nodded Brook. He put his hands in his pockets and allowed discomfort to linger to remind his audience of the need to think. He became aware that Jones wanted to fill the vacuum.
‘Sir,’ she said hesitantly. ‘I know this might sound a bit weird but…I get the impression that he doesn’t enjoy the killing. Even the parents.’
Noble kept silent but drew in a mocking breath. Aktar felt obliged to smile weakly so he could keep a foot in both camps. Morton, Cooper, Bull and Gadd turned to Jones with varying degrees of confusion etched on their faces.
Brook just stared. ‘Go on, Constable.’ The inquisitive tone removed the smile from Noble’s mouth.
‘Well sir, they all died quickly and relatively painlessly, after they’d served their purpose. You said the girl died first and was probably unconscious when he cut her throat. Her purpose wasn’t to suffer but make the parents suffer. He wants them to suffer a lot but even then it’s mental torture. They die just as quickly as the girl. Their real ordeal is to watch their children die.’
‘But the baby’s alive!’ protested Noble, looking at Brook for support that didn’t arrive.
‘Okay. But if he’s already killed the girl, they’ll think he’s going to kill the baby as well,’ continued Jones. He only has to pretend. He bends over the carry cot to make it look like he’s going to cut the baby, just to turn the screw. But they can’t see. He doesn’t
Brook smiled. He wanted to clap but for Noble’s sake he had to be non-committal. ‘An interesting idea, Constable. Worth thinking about.’ He arched an eyebrow at Noble, who registered it with satisfaction. Brook hoped Jones wouldn’t see but his hope was in vain and he saw her colour rising.
‘As you’ve got your thinking cap on, Constable, answer me this. Why this family?’ His attempt to throw her a bone failed. The damage was done. Blank faces greeted Brook’s hardest question. Jones just looked at the floor, her face a mix of emotions.
‘It was thanks to you, PC Jones. You put me on the right track.’ She perked up a little but Brook could see she wouldn’t forget his slight for a long time. ‘I realise motive is hard to fathom for this sort of crime but believe me, although we can’t see it, serial killers have strong reasons for apparently random killings.’
‘Serial killer?’ PC Aktar exclaimed. ‘In Derby?’
‘You’re right, Constable. They’re rare in this country but they exist. Shipman, Sutcliffe.’ He turned to Noble next. ‘How do we know it’s a serial, John?’
‘The organisation,’ Noble said.
‘And?’
‘The selection of appropriate victims.’ Noble looked pleased with himself but not with Brook’s response.
‘Well remembered. Although the Wallis family seem to be randomly selected, they’re not. I think Jason Wallis was the reason for this crime. Constable Jones pointed me in the right direction.’ Brook continued to check her demeanour for signs of forgiveness. There were none. ‘Ironic then that he should escape his fate.’
‘Why is Jason the main target, sir?’ enquired Aktar.
‘He’s made enemies, Constable. I think our killer has seen him on the news or in the papers in connection with the threatened rape of a teacher. He’s decided that the world would be a better place without him.’
‘But he kills the rest of the family even though his main target didn’t turn up?’ Noble’s scepticism was clear. ‘I’m sorry but that tells me he enjoys it.’
‘I know it’s hard to fathom, John, but PC Jones has a point. He has to kill the family. He wants to, if only to disguise the fact that Jason is the real target. Don’t forget he’s been planning this for a long time and Jason could turn up at any minute to collect his just desserts.’
After a pause, Jones found her voice. ‘Presumably the writing is something religious, about saving souls.’
‘Probably,’ shrugged Brook.
‘Then why write it on Baby Bianca despite not sending her soul off with the others?’
‘Good question…’ conceded Brook.
‘And why not cut it onto Mum and Dad? Presumably if he’s a religious nutter, he’s saved their souls as well,’ she added.
Brook shook his head. ‘I don’t know-pressure of time, perhaps.’ He was becoming fatigued with his team’s attempts to comprehend things he’d been grappling with for years.
Brook glanced as inconspicuously as he could at Wendy Jones and made his mind up. All that remained was to deflect Noble’s ego from the insult he was about to inflict.
‘No doubt you’re all aware from the press conference that there are some similarities in this case with a murder I investigated in London…’
‘You mean The Reaper killings,’ nodded Rob Morton.
‘I do. It was a long time ago and it’s a bit of a long shot but it needs to be checked out. I want to speak to Forensics before I go but then I want to know I can leave somebody of your calibre in charge, John. You’ve got the best CID team in the Midlands to back you up,’ beamed Brook at the assembled DCs who glowed with all the modesty they could muster. ‘And Aktar can assist.’ Brook felt Wendy Jones’s subtle change of expression. Was this a further snub?
‘We won’t let you down, sir,’ replied Noble. Brook was pleased with his ability to manipulate, but irked at Noble’s gullibility.
‘Good. Liaise with the Chief, but this is what I want. Keep going house to house. Talk to the neighbours again. I want to know when exactly our killer returned and, if possible, when Jason got back to the house.’
‘Right.’
‘Speak to Mr Singh again and get a more detailed statement about the half hour before he discovered the bodies. We want precise times about when the music was turned on and off. It may be that the volume was up high the whole time and Jason didn’t hear it because the music was at a quiet section. Mahler blows hot and cold doesn’t he, Constable?’
‘He does. Sir,’ replied Jones, not looking up.
‘Get on to the media. I want to know how far Jason’s infamy was scattered. Which papers was it in? Did it get onto local or national telly?’ Brook continued to reel off tasks so Noble wouldn’t have time to think about his demotion. He jotted them down furiously.
‘Check the hotels and B amp; Bs. I want to know of any men alone who checked out of their rooms on the morning of the murder or the day after. Names and addresses, reasons for visit, all that stuff. Cross reference with the height and weight of our description. And start checking people out as soon as you get names. Keep it to hotels within five miles of Derby to start with. I want a list on my desk when I get back.’
‘What about cabs, sir?’ suggested Noble, picking up the mood. ‘He may have done a recce of the killing ground. We could check any fares to and from Drayfin a couple of days beforehand.’
‘Great idea,’ purred Brook. ‘And find that van. It’s unlikely but he may have been careless and left us something. When you do find it, go house to house around it. I want to know where he went from there. Did he have another car waiting? Did he call a cab? Did he walk? He might not be in disguise at that point so any sightings will be more significant. Check all parking tickets issued up to two days before the murder in case he had another
