Dominic couldn’t believe it. They’d only just dealt with the one from yesterday. ‘What?’
‘The cops on the scene are saying it looks to have been in the ground longer than the last two. It seems he’s been more active than we’ve given him credit for. I need you to go out there and supervise. We need to get something on him. We can’t allow this to continue.’
Dominic stood. ‘The press are going to have a field day.’
Kapoor rose from behind his desk. ‘Yeah, and what’s the killer’s reaction going to be? Be careful, Dom.’
‘I will. But I don’t think there was any threat in the letter. It was more gloating than anything.’
‘Well, I can do without the bastard gloating. Panic will be growing. I have no idea how we’ll contain this.’
Dom walked to the door. ‘We work it as we work any case. We’ll get him.’
Kapoor stroked his chin. ‘I’ll get the extra staff in. We’re going to need it. I’m sorry to dump the body on you again, but as you attended the first two, you know what his MO is. You’re best placed to attend.’
‘It’s fine. I’m happy to do this for the victims.’ And he was. It was a grim job but he felt that once officials were at the scene the victims were finally at peace. Justice was being worked on.
She had been left in Grenoside Woods. She had definitely been in the ground a lot longer than the first two women he had seen. She was decomposed. Fluids were being released and she was a squirming mass of maggots and flies, eyeballs and finger ends eaten away. He couldn’t even guess how old she was.
The process to examine her and remove her from the ground was slower than the other two women, but Dominic stayed by her side for the entire time.
He returned to the station an exhausted mess. No one had identified a possible missing person who would match the murdered woman. At this point she truly was a Jane Doe. An unidentified, unclaimed woman. This made their task all the more difficult because they couldn’t track her last movements or the last people to see her alive. They knew nothing about her life or her activities. Dominic was frustrated. He hoped she’d be identified within the next day or two.
The post-mortem was grim. There were no fingerprints to help with identification because of the start of decomposition and animal activity. But the signs were there that she was again a victim of the now named Sheffield Strangler. She had bruising around her throat as well as a knife wound, and lipstick — barely visible but there — was found in the creases of her mouth.
They had to create a press release that informed and at the same time asked for the public’s help in identifying the unnamed woman. Items of clothing were listed, a blue floral blouse. It was in a pretty tatty state but they’d laid it out and photographed it in case anyone recognised it. The days were hectic, busy and yet sluggish. Dominic was frustrated with the lack of progress being made on the case.
By Wednesday morning Dominic had started to flag. The fatigue starting to settle into his bones. But he wasn’t going to let it slow him down. The victims deserved more from him, from them.
Kapoor walked in for the morning briefing. ‘Okay gang, where are we on identifying the third, or is she potentially the first victim?’ He was straight into it this morning. There was no welcoming small talk. He was obviously getting pressure from the top.
‘Several calls came in late yesterday from people who think they recognised the photograph of the blouse we put out. We’re following those up and we’re hopeful we’ll be able to identify her, maybe today,’ said Rhys.
Kapoor looked tired. ‘Good. We need to progress this. She has family out there who want to know what happened to her. People who are scared she’s theirs and they don’t know. People are scared anyway. Three dead women, all of a similar age, over forty, he has a type. We have the linked dating app between the first two, once we identify the third woman we need to see if there is any overlap between the three of them. Have we got anywhere with Julie Carver and knowing what app she was using?’
‘We’ve contacted her service provider and have a list of the apps she was using. It’s the same dating app as Madeleine Chapman. We’re waiting on the app company to get back to us with the profile information for both women. The problem is, it’s a US company and as you know they’re not obliged to comply with our laws, but most do to keep on side. If the app was created by a UK company we’d have the information by now. Our country, our laws. Going by the communication we’ve had with this company, I think they’re getting the information together, but they’re not particularly pulling their finger out.’ Krish let out a sigh in irritation at the foreign app designer company.
‘Keep on at them. Chase them up today.’
Krish made a note in his pad.
‘You’ve all got work to be getting on with. Let’s move this investigation forward please. The city is scared. You know they’re saying we have a serial killer in the city. I don’t want this to be the case for long. I want him found and I want him in our cells. Have I made myself clear?’
There were murmurings of ‘yes, boss’ around the room.
‘We will not have a serial killer and all the press trappings and fear that brings with it,’ he said. ‘This is Sheffield not New York.’ And with that he stalked out of the room.
‘What’s with the boss?’ Paul asked.
‘I presume he’s getting a lot of pressure from Connelly,’ Dominic answered. ‘It’s a high-profile case. Even Connelly will be getting pressure from higher up. The chief is watching this one. And it doesn’t stop with him. He’ll be getting grief from the Police and Crime Commissioner. It won’t be good for his figures and he’s voted into office. Policing is a political game nowadays.’
Krish shrugged. ‘I don’t know about that. I come in and do my job and leave again. I’m only interested in catching the bad guys. I’ll leave all that to those who get paid a hell of a lot more than me.’
‘Best way to be,’ said Paul.
Hayley stood. ‘I’ll go talk to the intel unit. Let them know we need the pressure putting on for the US app developer.’ She pushed her way out of the incident-room doors and Dawn from the front counter nearly walked into her. They exchanged apologies and Hayley let her through and then walked to the kitchen.
Dawn handed out the mail and escaped back to the front counter as fast as she could. As far as Dominic was aware, she’d left George alone, manning the front counter, and he wasn’t always the most amenable person. He’d heard that George had problems at home these days and his mood seemed to be worse than usual for it.
Dominic picked up the four pieces of mail and opened the first one. Distracted, half-listening to a conversation between Rhys and Paul about the footie on the TV the night before. He hadn’t managed to see it himself. Ruth had wanted to sit and talk. She’d told him he was too tightly wound lately and needed to relax. This had only served to wind him up and resulted in them screaming at each other. Or rather he’d yelled at her in utter frustration and then stormed off into the garage to fiddle, in the pretext he was tidying up. He didn’t need telling how to behave, he was a grown man, leading a small team in a vital part of a serious investigation. Of course he was going to be wound a little tightly. But trying to control him wasn’t going to work. He’d left home this morning without saying a word to her and now he was getting a running commentary from the lads on how the game had played out.
His attention was soon drawn back to work when he saw the familiar start to the typed letter in his hand.
DS Harrison,
How does it feel to be lagging so far behind at this stage in an investigation? I’m not usually one to gloat but you make it far too easy. I can’t say I’m always happy with the words you use about me in the press. Please remember who you’re talking about. Words have meaning and I’d hate if your words did more harm than good.
I trust that we all believe in who is talking in this conversation and I no longer have to prove myself.
Tread carefully please.
Again he dropped the letter onto his desk and picked up his phone and called the CSU. He had presumed the first communication was a one off. To say hello, hi, I’ve done this.
‘What is it, Dom?’ Paul had spotted him.
‘Another letter,’ he admitted.
‘From the killer?’
‘Yeah.’
Paul, Rhys and Krish walked over to his desk and peered over at the single white sheet of paper. Hayley walked over from the printer in the corner of the room.
‘What’ve I missed?’
‘Dom received another letter,’ said Krish.
Hayley put down the pile of hot paper. ‘Another one?’
They all stared at it and read the contents. ‘Is he threatening you?’ she asked, eyes wide.
‘I’m not sure,’ Dominic answered. ‘I think he’s gloating but it’s turned into a bit of a warning. Seems he doesn’t approve of his press.’
‘Shouldn’t be a crazed wacko killer then, should he?’ said Rhys.
Paul snorted.
‘You’re not supposed to use words like wacko,’ said Hayley.
‘What word would you use for him?’ Rhys asked.
Hayley shrugged. ‘Just don’t let the boss hear you.’
‘Talking of the boss, I’m going to have to let him know.’ Dominic pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket and took a photograph of the letter, then rose from his chair.
‘Anything you want us to do?’ asked Hayley.
‘Keep an eye on that.’ He pointed to the sheet. ‘And direct the CSI to it when they arrive.’ He strode out of the room and headed for Kapoor’s office.
The door was closed. Dominic knocked and waited to hear Kapoor’s voice so he could enter. Once inside he sat himself in the visitor’s chair.
‘What is it?’ Kapoor asked. ‘I’ve just seen you.’
‘Yeah. We had another letter.’
Kapoor lifted an eyebrow. ‘From the killer?’
‘That’s the one.’
Kapoor leaned forward. ‘What did he say this time?’
Dominic pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolled through to the photograph he’d taken and handed it to his boss who took the phone and read through the letter.
Kapoor was silent as he read, then he looked up at Dominic. ‘What do you want to do?’
‘About what?’ asked Dominic.
‘The threats in the letter.’
‘I don’t feel threatened. He hasn’t said he’s going to do something to me if things don’t go his way. He hasn’t been explicit.’
Kapoor let out a long sigh. ‘We don’t always need things to be explicit to understand them, Dom. It’s quite clear that he’s not happy with some of the press releases and he takes it that you’re behind it all.’
Dominic ran a hand through his hair. ‘Look, I’m fine. I’d rather Ruth didn’t know about this though, so if we can keep it quiet as to who’s receiving these letters I’d appreciate that. I don’t want to worry her. She knows too much about the job as it is without thinking the psycho behind it all has a crush on me.’ He laughed.
‘Is this your way of brushing it all off?’ Kapoor asked.
‘Is it working?’
‘I can give you some leeway, but if he becomes any clearer in his messages then you’re going to have action taken. A guard in the evenings while you’re at home, at the very least.’
It was Dominic’s turn to let out a sigh. ‘This job is hard work.’
‘Tell me about it.’
‘You’re getting grief from Connelly, I take it.’
‘He’s getting it from the chief who doesn’t like that his county is scared witless and we’re getting slaughtered in the press for not having caught him. Shit rolls downhill.’
This was why the briefing had been short and not so sweet this morning. Kapoor was trying not to pass it down, but it was hard. ‘Anything I can do?’
Kapoor laughed. ‘Yes, you can catch this bastard.’
‘He’s forensically aware and we’re at the mercy of a US app developer.’
Kapoor stood, his face like stone. ‘I want you to chase that today. I want you to push them. I don’t care what it takes. Let them know this is a multiple murder enquiry and we want the information we’ve requested and we want it today.’
Dominic rose from his chair. ‘I’ll get right on it. We’ve plenty to be getting on with. There has to be a positive lead come out of it all at some point.’
‘I hope you’re right, Dom. With three women dead we can’t carry on this way. We need to make progress, not look like we’re running around like a bunch of headless chickens.’
Chapter 36
Dominic
The results came back from the lipstick tube found near the third woman’s body. As with the previous two, there was nothing of substance they could use. No fingerprints and no material they could test. If there was any DNA on the lipstick, if it was the actual tube he had used on the woman, it had broken down in the time she had been buried with it.
She was still a Jane Doe. A drawing was mocked up of what she probably looked like before the ravages of death, decomposition and animal feasting took her. Dominic had contacted the press office and requested a briefing so he could share the image they’d created. He hoped it would lead to an identification. Maybe she had been reported missing out of the county. Maybe the killer was crossing county borders. Or maybe the poor woman had no one in her life to miss her. He hoped it wasn’t the latter. Everyone deserved someone.
The media briefing room was even more rammed this time than the first briefing they’d conducted. With three murders, there was national attention as well as local press interested in what was happening. Everyone pricked up their ears when the phrase serial killer was used and they were throwing the words around like sweets at a children’s party. They were giddy and excited. To them this was news. To Dominic and his team it was hurt and pain as they dealt with the families left behind. As they dealt with the women he had murdered. None of this was exciting or fun.
He took his seat in front of the boards with the force’s logo printed on them. The table held glasses and jugs of water. Dominic poured himself a drink and took a sip. His mouth was dry. His tongue like a piece of felt, sticking to the roof of his mouth. Kapoor sat rigidly beside him.
They had information to impart. They needed the people in front of them. But in needing them they were opening themselves up to even more pressure and needling about their performance on the Sheffield Strangler case. It was a difficult relationship but one they couldn’t do without.
Kapoor coughed into his hand bringing the room into an unsettled quiet. Reporters were shifting in their seats, eager for news and ready to send it to print or online before any of their colleagues. They had to let the police speak first. Nothing could happen before they had said their piece.
‘You will see on your left DC Rhys Evans moving down the room. He has a stack of paper in his hands. This is the image of the most recent woman found. We would like your help in identifying her.’
Rhys moved along the rows of seats, handing out small piles of paper for the reporters to hand on to their colleagues.
Kapoor continued. ‘The helpline number is still the same and is listed on the bottom of the image. If anyone thinks they recognise the woman can they please contact us so we can follow it up and identify her as soon as possible.’
The sound of paper crinkling as reporters reviewed the image in their hands and photographed it filled the room.
‘This woman deserves the decency of being known. And to thank you for your help, we will answer a couple of questions. Though obviously if it falls within investigative parameters we’ll not be able to respond. We don’t want to give any information away that will hamper our investigation.’
A hand went up at the front. Kapoor pointed to the man it belonged to.
‘Nick Holmes, BBC. Do you think you could have done anything differently and prevented any of the deaths that hav
e occurred at the hands of this killer?’
Kapoor stiffened. ‘The team working on this are excellent. I have complete faith in them and no, I don’t think any action we could have taken would have prevented events so far. But what we need to do is make sure we’re progressing the investigation and that means we need help from the public. If we identify this woman then we can see how he got to her and work the case from there.’
He was keeping the focus on the Jane Doe and on moving the investigation forward. This was why Kapoor had the managerial role and not Dominic.
Another hand went up, further back this time. ‘Danielle Spicer, Sheffield crime beat.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Have you had any contact from the killer?’
Chapter 37
Dominic
How the fuck did she know that?
Kapoor looked thrown off guard. ‘Can you repeat the question please, Danielle?’
Dominic thought he was stalling for time. Probably trying to get his head around the question. They hadn’t disclosed this to the press. Not officially anyway. Kapoor had no response ready.
‘Yes.’ she smiled. It was kind enough. ‘Have you had any contact from the killer?’
‘Why would you think that?’ Kapoor asked.
‘That doesn’t answer the question, DI Kapoor. Does that mean you’ve had contact with the killer known as the Sheffield Strangler?’
Kapoor’s cheeks darkened and his jaw clenched. He was definitely not happy. Dominic could understand why. This was disastrous, that something so personal to the investigation had been leaked this way and was out in the public domain. It was not how investigations were supposed to be run.
‘DI Kapoor?’ she prompted again.
‘We have had a letter from the killer,’ Kapoor admitted. It was never good to outright lie to the press. Now they had to try to manage this.
‘What did he say?’ She was eager, sitting forward in her chair. Pen poised over her notebook. Cameras were flashing and there was a rumble of voices as reporters took in what Danielle had shared.
BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book 1) Page 18