Brian Freemantle - In the Name of a Killer

Throughout the account the American remained motionless again and looked away from Danilov in absorbed concentration, making no interruption. When Danilov stopped there were a few moments of silence before Cowley stirred. ‘Check me out on the similarities,’ he demanded. ‘Both killings at night, stab wounds from the rear, running right to left across the body. Hair shorn, shoes placed neatly to the right side of the head. But in the case of Suzlev no buttons taken. Hair scattered over the victim’s face, both times. No obvious robbery, in either case. Anything I’ve left out?’

Danilov thought, briefly. ‘The area. Pavin’s marking it out on the map: both were reasonably close together, so the proximity could be a factor. There’s nasal bruising, in each case. Both killings were on the night of a Tuesday, maybe going over into the early morning of a Wednesday. And the measurements of the knife wounds are the same.’

‘Matching the knife missing from the apartment?’

‘Possibly.’

‘What about forensic at the Suzlev scene? Any separate hair or blood samples, other than Suzlev? Fingernail scrapings?’

‘None.’

There was a silence. Cowley broke it. ‘So we’ve got ourselves a one hundred per cent nut!’

‘Nut?’ It was the first verbal misunderstanding.

‘Maniac,’ corrected Cowley.

‘Unquestionably.’

‘What about records; cases of attacks like this in the past?’

‘We’re running checks. And on psychiatric hospitals, obviously. Nothing, so far. Because the area of both killings is fairly contained, I’m having all the police stations in the district asked about prowlers, suspicious characters, street violence that might connect.’

‘You think Tuesdays are important?’ asked Cowley.

‘It’s a possible connection, that’s all.’

‘We’ve got too much,’ said Cowley, distantly, again in private reflection: any thoughts about operational complications between himself and the Russian detective didn’t seem a factor any more. An already difficult case had been compounded a hundredfold and his only consideration was upon the information with which he had just been presented. Still reflective he went on: ‘Too much and at the same time nothing at all. Just confusion.’

A fresh mind with the same conclusion as himself, thought Danilov, disappointed.

Think! Cowley reasoned: he needed to think, to assemble evidence lists of his own, to put things in what he considered the proper order of importance. ‘Why haven’t you connected the Suzlev case until now with what you’ve given us?’ The demand was openly critical — an unspoken accusation that the Russians were holding back — but Cowley was unconcerned at that moment.

Danilov regarded the other man quizzically. ‘I had one personal meeting at the embassy at which I was treated like a fool: denied any cooperation by anyone. The opportunity didn’t even arise to set the situation out. I regard this as the first chance there’s been.’

‘Sorry,’ Cowley apologized at once and sincerely. ‘That was out of order.’ The FBI agent hesitated. ‘You get a lot of serial killing in Russia?’

‘Serial killing?’ queried Danilov, meeting the second misunderstanding.

‘Multiple homicides committed by someone who kills for no other reason other than personal gratification.’

‘No,’ said Danilov. He’d resolved multiple killings where a mother or a father or some other relation had destroyed a family, but nothing within the terms the American had described. He had a vague feeling of inadequacy at not recognizing the phrase ahead of the explanation. He couldn’t believe these were the beginnings of Russia’s first experience of such a crime, but recognized it gave a further cause for all the panic and confusion that Lapinsk and the Federal Prosecutor and the Ministries were showing.

‘Serial murders are the worst, detection-wise,’ offered Cowley. ‘Routine rarely works. You can only hope for some scientific break, to lead you in the right direction. Or a mistake by the guy himself, so you catch him red-handed.’

‘I’ve already accepted another one is inevitable.’

‘What about publicity?’ asked Cowley, following routine that did apply.

The Russian’s misapprehension was slightly different this time, because of his recollection of General Lapinsk’s preoccupation that morning with a press conference. Danilov said: ‘I understand it has been very extensive, in the West. There’s been quite widespread coverage here, too …’

‘That wasn’t what I meant,’ Cowley broke in. ‘Suzlev’s killing was obviously maniacal: the girl’s killing is confirmation, if any were needed. So what about public warnings, through the media?’ Again the American conceded the possibility of offence and again was unconcerned.

Danilov looked down upon his desk for several moments, thinking before he spoke. ‘It was a conscious decision, to withhold the Suzlev killing, because it was obviously the act of someone deranged …’ The Russian smiled, apologetically. ‘… Our press is much freer now but it is still possible to control if there’s sufficient reason. And in this case there was judged to be sufficient reason, to avoid unnecessary alarm …’

‘… Unnecessary …!’ Cowley tried to break in, incredulous, but Danilov raised his hand, stopping the interruption.

‘… I obviously believed there was a stronger consideration when Ann Harris was killed, clearly by the same person …’

‘… Then why not …’ Cowley came in again, determined upon the definite criticism.

‘From the moment of identifying Ann Harris I have been constantly reminded of the political delicacy of the case,’ Danilov pointed out, and this time stopped without Cowley’s interruption.

‘So?’ demanded the FBI agent.

‘Ann Harris was killed after leaving her apartment, where she’d entertained a lover. You’ve read the forensic report on that apartment. There’s no trace — literally not a single fibre of evidence — of any Russian presence whatsoever …’ Danilov halted again, for further emphasis. ‘But missing from it is a knife which conceivably could have been the weapon which killed her. And also killed Vladimir Suzlev.’

‘I don’t see …’ began Cowley but then hesitated, because he did. ‘An American! Someone attached to the embassy!’

‘I’m not suggesting anything, at this stage. I just want the doubt eliminated. And until it is — if it is — then it might be better, certainly from the political aspect, not to put out sensational stories about maniac murderers on the streets of Moscow.’

‘Politically, perhaps,’ Cowley accepted reluctantly. ‘As a law officer, no. There is a maniac out there somewhere, killing people. In America, there would be a public warning.’

‘This isn’t America,’ Danilov pointed out. ‘And are you absolutely sure about there being a public warning in America if there were sufficient political reasons for it being temporarily withheld?’

Cowley weighed the question. ‘ Almost every time,’ he qualified.

‘My Director is preparing a press conference, particularly for the Western media but obviously Russian journalists will attend as well,’ disclosed Danilov. ‘I’m prepared to recommend a warning announcement if you’re prepared to go along with it as well. You can decide.’

Cowley gave another shift of discomfort on the tiny chair, aware, without rancour, how the responsibility had been manoeuvred. ‘Maybe I’d better consult. Set out all the circumstances.’

‘I think that might be wise.’

Cowley was thinking of that morning’s discussion with the ambassador and of the man’s reaction to the slightest suggestion that someone at the embassy might be involved. ‘I feel I should thank you, for the forethought.’