'Is this Detective Superintendent Danby? Hello? You left a message about the Flesher's Newcastle victims?' More buzzing, and then:' ... know what I'm sayin '?' The DSI's voice was like a Geordie foghorn. 'Sorry, I can barely hear you. 'Look, I went through the files, right? There's nothin' in there about them bein' in Weight Watchers. ' DI Steel slouched into the room, but Logan got his hand up before she could open her mouth. 'I know,' he said,'I've got a copy of the investigation reports here. But did anybody ask the families? I mean, if there wasn't any reason--' 'So what are you expectin' me to do? Go round and ask the poor bastards' relatives if they were tryin' to lose weight? It was nearly twenty years ago: know what I mean? ' 'Look, I wouldn't ask, but we've got some victims here who were members and--' 'And you think this is how he finds them .' 'Well--' 'I'll stick a couple of woodentops on it, OK? Can't say fairer than that, know what I mean? ' 'Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.' 'You can thank us by catching the bastard .' Steel waited for Logan to hang up, then plonked herself on the corner of his desk and peered at his notes. 'Oh for God's sake: you were supposed to chase up this Weight Watchers thing days ago. What the hell have you been doing?' 'I did. That was Newcastle getting back to me. And how come you're so bloody cheery this morning?' She scowled at him. 'Don't start, I'm no' in the mood. Where's Defective Constable Rennie?' 'Bain's got him going through more of those INTERPOL reports.' 'Yeah, like that's going to help.' She stuck her hands into her armpits and turned to face the death board, in all its bloodstained glory. 'Susan proposed last night.' 'Congratulations?' ''Cos I don't have enough to worry about. Last year it was all, 'Let's get a cat!' now it's, 'Let's get married!' You know what's next, don't you? Bloody babies.' She shuddered. 'Creepy little bastards ...' The inspector started rummaging through the paperwork on Logan's desk. 'So come on then: how is he? Insch.' Hunched up and crying at the kitchen table. Planning revenge. Depressed. Dangerous. Destructive. Drinking away his pain. Grieving ...'He's OK.' Steel nodded. 'Thought so. Hard as nails is our Inschy.' She stopped at the plastic wallet containing Wiseman's second - better typed - confession and skimmed through it. 'This is appalling ...'
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