Chris Simms - Shifting Skin

‘What about sex crimes?’ a female officer asked from the back.

The doctor shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. All three victims were discovered with their underwear on. There’s no sign of sexual activity, forced or otherwise. Of course, they might have believed they were meeting him for that. But it’s not his motivation. Mutilations of this nature are often ritualistic, and in ritualistic killings the genitals are frequently the focus of mutilation. But not here. He’s seeking to achieve something else here.

‘Another point to consider is this. Why is he choosing Belle Vue as his dumping ground? It suggests to me that he has good familiarity with the area, but I don’t think he lives there. More likely is that he regularly passes through, perhaps to and from a place of work. As I mentioned earlier, given his likely profes- sional status and the level of house prices in Didsbury, I suspect that is his area of residence. Taking into account the need for privacy, we should be considering detached houses.’

Wrong! Jon had to make an effort to stop his head from shaking. Pete Gray worked at Stepping Hill hospital and lived in a terraced house near Davenport train station. Neither was particularly close to Belle Vue. He’d chosen the area for another reason.

‘Also, he has to get the bodies into his vehicle and then dump them in Belle Vue. Perhaps he has a drive-in garage or a garden with a screening hedge. My final comment is this. From the intervals between his first three killings, we can unfortunately expect him to strike again any day.’ He lowered his notes, stepped back and looked at McCloughlin.

Taking the cue, McCloughlin nodded. ‘Thank you for that, Doctor.’ He turned to face the room. ‘A summary of Doctor Heath’s observations will be coming round. In the meantime, we focus on Tyler Young — victim number three and a whole new avenue to investigate. You all know her details; now we need to start delving into her life. Her parents told us she was angling to get a job in Tempters, that topless bar in the centre of town. I want the management and all the staff questioned — barmaids, cleaners, glass washers, the man who stocks their condom machines, the lot. Gavin, your team can handle that?’

‘Certainly, sir,’ the DI replied. Jon could almost see the team rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of interviewing the barmaids.

‘We need to map out her last twenty-four hours. Usual routine — friends and family first. Obviously Mum and Dad were abroad on holiday, but she has two aunts living nearby. The reason they didn’t come forward was because they thought she was on holiday with the parents. Nevertheless, we still need to talk to them. She didn’t have a boyfriend as far as her parents knew, but we need to verify that with her mates.

‘Vanessa, that’s your team’s shout. I also want you to get over to the family home and have a good look through her stuff. The mum doesn’t think she kept a diary, but you know how it is with teenage girls. Go through her bedroom, check the backs of her drawers, under the carpet — you probably know better than me where she might hide stuff. We’ll need the family computer, too, to see what email she’s been sending or receiving.’

As Jon watched the young DI brush her hair off her face, he wondered what McCloughlin had in mind for him and Rick.

‘Andy, I want your team to continue with your TIEs on the members of the dating agencies Angela Rowlands met up with. How many have you got left to trace?’

‘She was sent the profiles of twenty-seven men. It seems she had contact with sixteen of them. So far we’ve traced, interviewed and eliminated twelve.’

He turned to another officer sitting at the front. ‘Simon, how’s your team going with the surgeons?’

‘Not bad, boss. We’ve just got to check the alibis for three who have contracts with the Paragon Group.’

‘Good. Keep going.’ He held up a sheaf of photocopies. ‘The most recent photo of Tyler Young her parents could find. Help yourself.’ He dropped them on the table and was turning back to his office when he said, almost as an aside, ‘Oh yes, Jon and Rick, keep trawling through those videos from Piccadilly station. We need more footage before we can categorically say the woman with Gordon Dean wasn’t Tyler Young.’

Jon uncrossed his arms, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. ‘Sir, doesn’t it now appear that Gordon Dean’s murder is unconnected to the Butcher investigation? I was hoping to invest our time in following up the Pete Gray lead Rick and I unearthed.’

‘Rick and you unearthed?’ McCloughlin replied sarcastically.

‘Pete Gray is not a priority at this time. The whereabouts of that prostitute is. I want her tracked down.’

He ushered the doctor back to his office.

Shit, Jon thought, how do I let him know Gray’s DNA showed up on Angela Rowlands’s body? McCloughlin has enough doubts about my working methods without me announcing that I’ve run an illegal and unauthorised DNA test on a suspect. He pursued them into his boss’s office. ‘With respect sir, Pete Gray is definitely hiding something. He has free access to the type of latex glove found at the crime scene of Tyler Young, he works odd shift patterns, he drives a van with blacked-out windows, he’s a regular at singles’ nights around town. Surely that’s grounds to at least ask the man for a voluntary DNA swab?’

He glanced at Dr Heath, who was peering at McCloughlin over his glasses, one eyebrow raised.

But McCloughlin’s face had drained of colour. ‘DI Spicer, there are many more avenues to this case than the ones you see fit to create. As SIO, it’s my job to prioritise them. You’ll go through that footage if you want to stay on this investigation.’

‘And once we’ve been through it all?’

‘If there’s no sign of her, you can question Pete Gray. Now get out.’

Jon stepped out of McCloughlin’s office and into a mass of excited conversations. He went back to his desk and slumped down in his seat, wondering how to get out of the mess he was in.

Rick looked across at him. ‘Did you tell him about your dodgy DNA test?’

‘Christ, no! I’d be off the investigation by now if I had.’

Rick whistled. ‘You’re sailing very close to the wind. Though personally, my money’s still on Gordon Dean.’ He put a few finishing touches to his notes, swivelled the pad around and pushed it across the desk.

Reluctantly, Jon started reading. Works to his own schedule. Skilled or professional role, probably ‘high end’ of sales. Has his own vehicle. Fastidious in terms of organisation and personal appearance. Familiar with Belle Vue . Rick had a satisfied look on his face.

‘Gordon Dean fits all those criteria — every time he had to get to

Protex he’d have driven through Belle Vue.’ Irritation itched Jon’s scalp. ‘It wasn’t him.’

‘On what basis exactly?’

‘This,’ said Jon, pressing his fist into his sternum. ‘I can feel it in here. He’s not our man.’

‘Great! Discard all the techniques of twenty-first-century policing and go on good old gut instinct.’

Jon hooked a forefinger under Rick’s pad and flipped it over.

‘There’s more to this job than treating it like some frigging university course.’

Rick retrieved the pad and stood up. ‘I’m getting a coffee.’ Jon watched him go, waiting until he was out of earshot before saying, ‘Fucking little smart-arse.’

The lines of halogen spotlights came on and he crossed the concrete floor, the low cellar ceiling muting the sound of his footsteps.

On the other side of the small room he stood before a counter lined with his collection of surgical instruments. He surveyed the rack of scalpels before picking one out and examining its blade, eyes narrowing under the bright light glaring down from above.