by OMJ Ryan
‘That would make sense,’ added Entwistle. ‘It really didn’t take long for him to persuade her to get into a sinister-looking, clapped-out old banger.’
Phillips nodded. ‘True. Let’s take a look at Marsh’s social media. See who she’s been interacting with recently; any messages that could have potentially come from this guy.’
‘Sure, Guv,’ said Entwistle.
‘And go back through the other victims’ social media too. It’s a long shot, but look for any mutual friends.’ Phillips’s phone began to ring. ‘Jonesy?’
‘Hi, Guv. How did it go with Marsh’s parents?’
‘Don’t ask. What about you? Anything from the neighbours?’
‘Seems nobody heard a thing.’
‘That can’t be true? The poor girl was battered and mutilated. Surely someone had to have heard something?’
‘Well, if they did, they’re not saying anything, Guv.’
Phillips ran a hand through her hair. ‘Jesus. When are we gonna catch a break on this case?’
Jones continued. ‘What about the CCTV and ANPR cameras? Any luck?’
‘Yes and no. We know he used the same transit van as the others, and we’ve got footage of Marsh getting into it of her own volition, but once again the plates are unclear. And, based on ANPR footage captured on the Parkway, we also think he’s put some kind of film on the windscreen that means the cameras can’t see into the cab.’
‘Sneaky bastard.’
‘Yeah. Not only that. After the kill, there’s no sign of the van anywhere on any of the surrounding cameras. It’s like he just disappeared,’ Phillips added.
‘This guy’s like a ghost,’ said Jones.
‘You can say that again,’ replied Phillips. ‘Anyway, where are you?’
‘On our way back to the office.’
‘Ok. We’ll see you when you get here.’
‘No worries. We shouldn’t be more than half an hour.’
With that, Phillips rang off.
Harris angled her laptop so Phillips and Entwistle could see her screen. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to try and do my bit. So, I’ve been looking at British serial killers considered by society to be in the same league as Wright, Nilsen and Sutcliffe, etc. People he might look to emulate next.’
‘So, who’ve you’ve got?’
‘Well. Following his pattern of copycats, so far I’ve narrowed it down to single men who worked alone. That eliminates killers who worked in couples such as Ian Brady, Fred West and Ian Huntley, for example.’
‘And who does that leave us with?’ said Phillips.
‘Well, the most prolific serial killer the UK has ever seen was Dr Harold Shipman, who murdered over two hundred of his elderly patients. But, one could argue, our man has already had his poisoning and pensioner fix with the murder of Michael Yates. In fact, each method of murder has been unique so far: poisoning, strangulation, drowning, battery and now stabbing. If this guy is as meticulous as we believe, then that was no accident and he intends to use a different method with each kill.’
‘So, what and who’s left?’
Harris opened a mugshot on screen. ‘An obvious one would be Levi Bellfield, aka the Bus Stop Killer.’
‘I remember him,’ said Entwistle.
‘Me too,’ said Phillips.
‘Again, I’m not sure he’s on our guy's list, because Bellfield’s methods were very similar to Trevor Hardy’s and Peter Sutcliffe’s – beating his victims to death. Plus, our guy picked up his last victim at a bus stop. You can never discount him, of course, but the pattern suggests it’ll be something very high profile, incredibly violent, and different to the other murders.’
‘Anyone fit the profile?’
‘Of those I’ve researched so far, two stand out: Stephen Griffiths, also known as the Crossbow Cannibal. He was convicted of murdering three street workers in 2009 and 2010.’
‘God, it just gets better,’ said Phillips sarcastically.
‘I’m afraid that none of what I’ve found is good news for the case, Chief Inspector. The other potential, is Bruce Lee—’
Entwistle flinched. ‘The kung fu guy?’
Harris shook her head. ‘No. His real name was Peter George Dinsdale, but as a kid he was obsessed with the martial arts star, Bruce Lee. So when he was old enough, he changed his name to Bruce George Peter Lee.’
‘And what was his method of murder?’
‘Arson,’ said Harris. ‘And it’s worth noting, the jury ruled he was actually guilty of multiple manslaughters as opposed to murder. Thirteen in total.’
Phillips took a moment to process the information. ‘Based on what we’ve seen so far, I think the Crossbow Cannibal has more the kind of profile that would appeal to our guy.’
‘I’d have to agree with you,’ said Harris.
Phillips turned to Entwistle. ‘He’s a stickler for detail. Find out what type of crossbow Griffiths used, then get in touch with all the sporting goods stores in the Greater Manchester area. I want the names and addresses of anyone who bought the same crossbow within the last twelve months.’
Entwistle nodded and began typing into his laptop.
‘Would you like me to continue looking for other potentials?’ asked Harris.
‘That would be great. Thank you,’ said Phillips, and stood. ‘I better go and update Carter. We’ll need to make some kind of statement to the press.’
Harris leaned forward on her elbows. ‘Would you like me to come with you? Maybe I can help?’
Phillips flashed a thin smile. ‘No, thanks. I’ve got this.’ She headed for the door.
34
Wednesday, March 10th
‘You look tired, Jane,’ said Chakrabortty as she passed across the Wendy Marsh post-mortem report.
Phillips took the file. ‘I’m not sleeping much at the moment.’
‘I’m not surprised, with a case like this. I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Phillips began scanning the overview at the front of the document.
Chakrabortty explained her findings. ‘It appears she was hit twice over the head with great force by a small round object. Her injuries are consistent with something like a ball-peen hammer—’
‘Which is what Peter Sutcliffe used, right?’
‘Yes. It’s likely she would have been unconscious after the first blow, and her brain was almost certainly dead after the second. Mercifully, she’d have felt nothing after that, at which point he used a very sharp, narrow metal spike of some kind to stab her.’
‘Fifteen times?’ said Phillips, reading from the report.
‘Wound placement suggests a frenzied attack.’
To protect her own sanity, Phillips pushed the image of Marsh’s last moments on earth to the back of her mind. ‘Sutcliffe used a sharpened screwdriver, didn’t he?’
Chakrabortty nodded. ‘I took the liberty of looking at a couple of files on the ripper. The injuries to his victims are consistent with Marsh’s, and I’m fairly confident your killer used the same sort of weapon in this attack.’
‘When she was struck on the head, would she have made a noise, do you think?’
‘I very much doubt it. As the hammer connected with her skull, the damage to the brain would have caused instant limitations to her reactions.’
‘That’s why none of the neighbours living around the playing fields heard anything,’ said Phillips.
‘And that’s why Sutcliffe used the same method. The victim was instantly incapacitated with limited noise and fuss, and as his intention was always to kill, it really didn’t matter if they were brain dead by the time they hit the ground or not. Their hearts and lungs would still function for a time, which meant plenty of blood loss as a result of the stabbing. Something, it would appear, Sutcliffe revelled in.’
‘Those poor women.’
‘There was something else too,’ added Chakrabortty. ‘We found traces of semen on her abdomen.’
‘Another Sutcliffe trait
?’ said Phillips.
‘Yes. I’m afraid so.’
‘Where are you at with the DNA?’
'It’s with the lab. We’ll know in the next couple of days.’
Phillips closed the file and laid it on the desk in front of her, sighing. ‘Five dead and all I’ve got is an old van that I can’t trace, and DNA without a match. I’m running out of ideas to catch this guy.’
‘What does Carter think?’
‘Your guess is as good as mine, Tan.’
Chakrabortty’s brow furrowed. ‘I thought you guys were close?’
‘Up until a few days ago, so did I. Then out of the blue he tells me he’s bringing in a criminal psychologist from his old patch in Newcastle.’
‘Siobhan Harris?’
‘You know her?’ asked Phillips.
‘Not really, but I’ve seen her speak at a few medical conventions. I had heard she was in town.’
‘News travels fast in the GMP.’
‘You know coppers. Anything new or different stands out. Anyway, I’d have thought having someone like her on board would help. She seems very smart.’
‘She is, and to be honest, I don’t have an issue with her so much. It’s more the fact Carter didn’t talk to me about it first. He just announced she was coming and that was that. Plus, there’s something a bit odd about how they are around each other.’
‘Oh? How so?’
Phillips could feel her face wrinkling. ‘I dunno. It was the way he blushed when she called him Harry the other day. He got all awkward and tongue-tied.’
‘Do you think there’s something going on between them?’
‘I honestly couldn’t say, Tan. Harris is gorgeous, so I could see why he might want to, but he’s married with twins. I guess I hoped someone like Carter was beyond that kind of thing.’
‘I hear what you’re saying, but it happens a lot in our line of work. People thrown together, working long hours. Partners stuck at home who don’t understand. Feelings develop.’
Phillips let out an ironic chuckle. ‘Well, in that case, I’m glad my team resembles the customers at the Star Wars bar.’
Chakrabortty chuckled. ‘That’s a bit harsh…well, on Entwistle, at least.’
Phillips tilted her head to the side. ‘Oh, aye? Has the newly married chief pathologist got designs on my young detective?’
Chakrabortty waved her away. ‘Not at all,’ she grinned. ‘I can just appreciate a man who looks after himself.’
‘Well, I can honestly say, I’ve never looked at him in that way, but if you’d like me to put a word in for you?’
‘Oh, give over. So anyway, getting back to Carter…’ Chakrabortty appeared keen to change the subject. ‘What are you going to do about the situation?’
‘I honestly don’t know, Tan. At the minute my head's all over the place. I feel like I’m drowning. Maybe I’m imagining it, but I’m starting to wonder if Carter thinks I’m not up to the task.’
‘I’m sure that’s not the case. He’s only been here a couple of months and your conviction rate is the highest in the force.’
‘Maybe so, but you’re only as good as your last case, and right now I’m failing, Tan. Seriously failing.’
‘That’s not true, Jane.’
‘Well, it’s how I feel at the moment.’
‘Why don’t you talk to him. Tell him how you’re feeling?’
‘What good will that do? If he is having doubts, I’ll just look even weaker to him,’ Phillips said.
‘Whether he is or he isn’t, at least you’ll know and can do something about it. Wasting time and energy second-guessing him is just going to make things worse. And right now, you’ve got enough on your plate trying to catch this guy without worrying about what your boss may or may not be thinking.’
‘I guess you’re right.’
‘Trust me. You’ll feel better if you do,’ said Chakrabortty.
Phillips nodded, then picked up the file and stood. ‘It’s time I got back. You’ll call me as soon as the DNA results are in, won’t you?’
‘The moment they land, I promise.’
‘Thanks,’ said Phillips making for the door.
‘Talk to Carter, Jane,’ Chakrabortty called after her.
Phillips turned back. ‘I’ll think about it,’ she said, then left the room.
35
Phillips returned to MCU to find Carter and Harris in conference, in her office, with the door closed. ‘Sorry. I’m not interrupting, am I?’ she asked, opening the door.
‘Jane? No, no, not at all.’ Carter mumbled.
Harris shook her head.
‘How was Chakrabortty? Anything new on Marsh’s murder?’ asked Carter.
‘No. Pretty much as we expected. Her wounds are carbon copies of Peter Sutcliffe’s victims. Two heavy blows to the back of the head from something like a ball-peen hammer, then a frenzied attack with a sharp metal spike—’
‘Sutcliffe used a sharpened screwdriver,’ said Harris.
‘Exactly. Chakrabortty reckons she was brain-dead before she hit the ground, so we can assume she felt nothing after that,’ Phillips said.
Carter ran his hand through his thick grey hair. ‘The poor girl.’
Phillips held up Chakrabortty’s post-mortem report. ‘I’m just about to brief the team if you’d like to join us?’
Carter glanced at Harris, who nodded. ‘If you think we could be of help.’
‘Well, based on what little information we have so far to track this guy, I’d say the more the merrier.’
Phillips led the way. Due to the sensitivity regarding the copycat theory, the briefing would take place in the private conference room and be limited to the core team of Jones, Bovalino and Entwistle, plus Carter and Harris.
With the door firmly shut and the blinds shielding them from the extended team outside, Phillips took a seat at the conference table and opened the report. Ten minutes later, everyone had the same amount of information as she did on the Marsh post mortem. ‘So, as we suspected, it’s another copycat murder – this time of Peter Sutcliffe.’
As usual, Entwistle had brought his laptop to the meeting, and a loud ping indicated he had received a new email. ‘It’s from Evans,’ he said as he opened it.
Phillips stared at him. ‘Anything useful?’
Entwistle nodded. ‘The tyre tracks found at Hough End playing fields are a definite match for those found at the other copycat murders.’
‘We expected that, though,’ said Phillips.
Entwistle continued. ‘And they’ve got clear footprints from the snow.’
Phillips raised her eyebrows. ‘Go on.’
‘A size seven Doc Martin boot. Based on that, Evans estimates the killer is between five foot seven and five foot nine.’
‘We’re chasing a bloody midget!’ said Bovalino.
‘So was Sutcliffe,’ said Harris. ‘Well, not a midget, but he was a lot shorter than people imagined a cold-hearted killer would be. In fact, when he first appeared in court, that was what stood out about him. He was short, with a slight frame and a very soft voice. People couldn’t quite believe he was the ripper.’
‘I really wasn’t expecting that,’ said Phillips, turning to Jones. ‘How tall is the caretaker at Cedar Pines?’
‘Mark Holloway? Well over six foot, Guv.’
Phillips let out a frustrated sigh. ‘Well, that’s another one we can probably rule out, then.’
The room fell silent for a moment.
Carter was the first to speak. ‘I don’t get it. Why go to the trouble of copycatting different murderers? Why not just kill them all the same way?’
‘I mentioned this the other day,’ said Harris. ‘Our guy was probably abused as a child and not allowed to think for himself – to ever make up his own mind. So, he’s looked at historical cases and the terror they inflicted, and is copying them. He wants to strike fear into the hearts of the people of Manchester, and by changing his method of murder each time, he’s limi
ting our chances of spotting a pattern. Each of the previous killers got caught, and I suspect he feels he is competing with them. He’s determined that won’t happen to him.’
‘So, what are you saying? He’s never going to stop?’ said Carter.
‘Not unless you catch him, or he decides he’s had enough of the game. Which is what it is to him,’ Harris replied.
‘Try telling that to Wendy Marsh’s parents,’ said Jones.
At that moment, there was a knock on the conference room door and PC Lawford stepped inside, a grave look on her face. ‘Sorry to interrupt, Ma’am, but the chief constable is in your office and would like to see you and Chief Superintendent Carter right away.’
Phillips glanced at Carter, who rolled his eyes.
‘Thanks for letting us know,’ said Phillips, as she and Carter stood in unison. ‘
‘Right, back to work guys. There’s no time to waste,’ she said as she left the room, Carter in tow.
‘Any idea what this is about?’ said Carter out of the corner of his mouth as they walked side by side towards Phillips’s office, where Fox waited for them.
‘No idea,’ mumbled Phillips.
‘Close the door,’ said Fox gruffly as they entered the room.
Phillips obliged.
As the door clicked shut, Fox wasted no time. ‘What the fuck is going on down here?’
‘Ma’am?’ said Carter.
‘In less than a month, we’ve had four brutal copycat murders and yet, not a single arrest.’
Carter obviously hasn’t updated her on the fact Yates was likely the first victim, thought Phillips.
Fox continued, her voice louder than necessary in such a small, badly insulated room. ‘We’ve been lucky so far, but it’s only a matter of time before the press get a hold of the copycat angle and this blows up in our face!’
Carter attempted to placate her, ‘Ma’am, this is a very complex case—’
‘I’m well aware of that, Chief Superintendent,’ Fox spat back, ‘but this wouldn’t have happened on my watch!’
Carter opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to think better of it.