فصل 09

‘What do you think you’ve been doing?’ Kernan demanded.

‘We had good reason to search Marlow’s apartment.’

‘I’m not talking about Marlow! Why has Amson been looking through Shefford’s files? Are you so desperate to find a murderer that you’re accusing him?’

‘I talked to Amson last night.’

‘Leave it, Jane! There’s no evidence that Shefford was involved.’

‘I’m sorry, but I think.’

He did not let her finish.

‘You’ve been all over the country trying to find evidence against one of the best officers I’ve ever worked with. I’m bringing in Chief Detective Officer Hickock to take over. As soon as he arrives, you’re off the case.’

Amson came running down towards her as she left Kernan’s office.

‘We’ve found another murder that links with the others. It happened in Blackburn in 1987. That means there’s been one murder every year except for the time Marlow was in prison. Everyone is waiting for you in the meeting room.’

‘What about Shefford?’ Tennison asked. ‘Did he investigate this murder as well?’

‘No.’

‘Good,’ Tennison said.

At least thirty people were waiting for her. Some of them were drinking coffee and eating sandwiches; the rest were talking. The noise was very loud.

Burkin and two other officers came in after Tennison. They had been upstairs with the superintendent.

‘What happened?’ Muddyman asked.

‘We got into trouble for being too friendly with some of the prostitutes. Only a warning this time. I think Tennison gave us some support. Maybe she’s not so bad after all. Have you heard? They’re saying that Hickock might be taking over the case.’

‘Quiet, please,’ Tennison shouted. ‘Now, we need to look at this case again. Perhaps we’ve missed something.’

Amson switched on a video which showed the bodies of the girls who had been murdered.

‘Karen Howard, the first victim. Her body was found in Della Mornay’s apartment and mistaken for her. Look at the marks on her arms. The next victim was Della Mornay. She was killed about six weeks before Karen and her body was hidden in a field.

Look at the marks on her arms - almost the same as those on Karen’s body. Jeannie Sharpe, killed in Oldham in 1984. Again, note the marks and cuts. Angela Simpson, murdered in a park in 1985.’ He showed a picture of a pretty young girl. ‘She was a hairdresser. She was getting married.

Marlow was interviewed during the investigation. He was staying in a hotel fifty yards away from the park where Angela was found. There were no marks on her arms, but look at this.’

He showed a photograph of Angela’s body. ‘The knot in the rope which tied her hands is the same as the others. The fifth girl was Sharon Reed. She was sixteen, still at school. She worked part-time in a beauty shop.’

When he finished they stopped for lunch. The men continued discussing the case as they ate their meal. Burkin was talking to Muddyman.

‘I’ve been following Marlow for weeks. He’s a friendly man, he talks to us every day. Just because he was in the area when the murders happened doesn’t mean that he’s guilty.’

‘We know he lied about the garage, though,’ Amson said.

‘Yeah, but we only have the word of Reginald McKinney about that.’

Someone called for Tennison. Kernan wanted to speak to her.

‘Looks like the boss is going to be taken off the case,’ Burkin said.

Maureen Havers found Tennison hiding in the ladies toilet.

‘Is Hickock a big, red-haired man? He’s in with the commander and Kernan. They’re looking for you.’

‘Then they’ll have to find me,’ Tennison said.

She went back to the meeting room to continue talking to the men.

‘Right! We now have six victims but no real connection between them. They didn’t know each other. They didn’t look like each other, they were different ages, had different jobs.

The only link is that Marlow was in the area when they were murdered. Did he kill all six? Have we missed some-thing, another link?’

Muddyman waved to get Tennison’s attention.

‘A witness said they heard a man call out Karen’s name. The same with Jeannie. The woman who was attacked, Pauline Gilling, she said the man knew her name.’

‘I see what you mean,’ Amson said. ‘How did he know their names?’

Havers pushed to the front of the crowd. She put up her hand as if she wanted to say something, then lowered it again. She moved closer and touched Tennison’s arm.

‘Boss. this may be crazy but.’

‘Anything might help,’ Tennison said. ‘What have you got?’

‘There is a connection between the others.’

‘To Marlow?’

‘No, to Moyra Henson. When I questioned Moyra she said she didn’t have a job. About fifteen years ago she was arrested as a prostitute and then she said she worked as a beautician. If she worked when she travelled with Marlow, then perhaps he met the girls through her.’

‘Good for you!’ Tennison said. ‘We’ll check it out.’

Jones came in carrying some papers.

‘This might be useful, boss. I’ve checked Marlow’s address, He’s lived in this house for three years. Before that he lived near St Pancras Station. He’s had his car for twelve years. He might have a garage near his old house.’

The phone rang. Muddyman answered it. ‘Boss? You’re wanted upstairs. Shall I tell them you’re here?’

‘No! Go and bring Moyra in.’

Moyra was not happy at being taken to the station.

‘What do you want this time?’ she shouted.

Marlow followed her out of the house. ‘Do you want me as well?’

Tennison got out of her car. ‘Not this time, George.’

They left him standing there, trying to understand what was happening.

Tennison checked that Kernan had left the station, then went to interview Moyra.

‘I am Chief Detective Officer Tennison. Thank you for agreeing to answer our questions.’

‘I didn’t agree. You made me,’ Moyra interrupted.

Tennison opened a file. ‘You came here on the sixteenth of January, is that correct?’

‘If you say so.’

‘You said that you didn’t have a job.’

‘Yes. What’s that got to do with anything?’

Tennison took out another sheet of paper. ‘In 1975 we interviewed you. You said then that you were a beautician.’

‘So?’

‘Were you also a hairdresser?’

Moyra was getting annoyed. ‘No.’

‘But you are a beautician?’

‘Yeah! I do people’s faces, hands, nails. You could do with some help,’ she said nastily.

‘I want to know where you were on these dates.’ Tennison listed the dates of the murders.

‘I don’t know!’ Moyra shouted.

‘They were dates when George travelled to Warrington, Oldham, Burnley, Rochdale.’

Moyra looked up. ‘Oh, in that case I was with him. I always travel with him.’

‘So on those dates you were with George? Were you working as well?’

‘Yes, sometimes. I work in beauty shops when I’m in those places.’

‘I want a list of all your customers,’ Tennison said.

Half an hour later, Moyra was beginning to look tired.

‘I’ve made a list of all my customers. They come to me to have their nails painted.’

‘What do you mean?’ Tennison asked.

Moyra showed her own hands. ‘See, my nails look real but they’re not. The false nail is painted on.’

‘Interesting,’ Tennison said. ‘Did you do Pauline Gilling’s nails?’

‘I don’t know,’ Moyra replied. ‘I have a lot of customers, I can’t remember all their names.’

‘Surely you’d remember Pauline. She’s the woman George was sent to prison for attacking.’ Tennison pushed a photograph of Pauline across the table.

Moyra refused to look at the picture.

‘No! She lied. George didn’t do anything to her.’

‘What about Della Mornay? Was she your customer?’ Tennison pushed another photograph across.

‘No!’

‘Look at her, Moyra. Della Mornay.’

‘I don’t know her.’

‘No? You said that George came home on the night of the thirteenth of January at ten thirty.’

Moyra began to fight back. ‘Look, I’ve had enough. Either you let me go home or I want my lawyer here.’

‘Where is George’s car, Moyra? We know he has a garage. Where is it? We’ll find it, Moyra. It’s just a question of time.’

Tennison stood up.

‘OK, you can go now, but I’ll want to talk to you again.’

It was morning when Moyra got home. George made her a cup of coffee.

‘What did she want to know?’ he asked.

‘What do you think?’ Moyra asked. She went into the bedroom and took off her blouse and skirt. Marlow followed her.

‘What happened at the police station?’

‘They asked me about Pauline Gilling. They kept asking me about her. I’ve supported you, George, but if I find out you’ve been lying to me.’

‘I’ve never lied to you, Moyra. You know that.’ He reached out to touch her but she pushed his hand away.

‘Where’s the car, George?’

‘It was stolen. I don’t know where it is.’

‘It wasn’t here, George. You came home that night without it. I remember because your hair was wet and you said it was raining.’ She turned and looked at him. ‘Is it in the garage? They’re going to get you because of that car. If the police find it they can make sure that they “find” evidence in it. They want to get you.’

‘Boss! Some new photographs of Karen have arrived.’

Tennison turned away from the mirror where she had been brushing her hair. ‘I’m on my way.’

‘Everybody is waiting for you in the meeting room. And. Kernan is there.’

Tennison looked worried. ‘OK.’

When she went into the meeting room, Kernan was standing in the middle of the officers. The moment she entered the room everybody stopped talking.

‘You wanted to see me, sir?’

‘Just for a few minutes.’ Kernan pointed to the door and told Amson to carry on.

‘This was on my desk when I came in,’ Kernan said, handing her a sheet of paper. ‘The officers on your team have supported you one hundred per cent. They all signed this paper to say that they don’t want Hickock to take over. Did you know about this?’

Every single man on the team had signed. Tennison’s eyes filled with tears.

‘No. No, I didn’t.’

‘You’re lucky.’

‘Luck had nothing to do with it, sir. We’ve worked hard together on this case.’

He smiled. ‘Let me have any new information straight away.’

Tennison went back into the room. The men were listening to Maureen Havers.

‘These photographs were taken on the day Karen died. You can see that her nails were short. But these photographs were taken a week before. Look at her fingernails.’

The nails were long and red.

Amson turned to Jones. ‘Speak to her friends at the apartment. Find out where she went to have her nails painted.’

All the officers turned to examine the photographs. None of them looked at Tennison. Very embarrassed, she walked to the centre of the room.

‘I just want to say how grateful I am for what you did, for supporting me.’ Muddyman ran in, interrupting her. ‘The suspect and his girlfriend are leaving their house, boss.’

Jones came back to Tennison. He had spoken to Karen’s friend on the telephone. ‘Karen had her nails done at a shop in Covent Garden.’

‘Get down there,’ Amson said. ‘Take Rosper with you.’

‘OK, let’s go,’ Tennison said. ‘Amson, you come with me.’

In a moment the room was empty except for Maureen Havers. She looked at the photographs of Karen Howard. She had a beautiful face, young and innocent.

The most important thing to Maureen and everyone else on the team was to catch the murderer before another girl died.