left them behind, in the victim’s hands, which may also have some significance.
‘I’d also pose the idea that the lips and genitals, together with the stabbing and even the quirkiness of the blue paint, are the glue that binds these people. They are meaningful only to the killer and his victims. I don’t believe that any of the knifework or the paint is a message to the police or the public at large. I’d suggest it’s more likely a private message to the people he’s taking revenge on, and I feel all three ways in which the blade was used are connected. That is, they were all meaningful to the act of payback.’ He looked around. ‘That’s all I have.’
There was a moment’s silence before Jack spoke. ‘Thanks, John, lots there for us to consider.’
The psychologist nodded, smiled sympathetically at his audience and departed, a young PC accompanying him to see him out.
‘Right, has anyone got anything to add to the profile?’ Jack asked. No one did. ‘Okay, then. I want one of you getting final confirmation from pathology that we are indeed looking for a left-handed killer. That will help narrow down the field a little.’ He nodded with understanding at the groans that greeted this understatement.
‘Bill, as soon as you can, get across to the Lincoln scene and get a full briefing from the boys at Louth. And go lightly. Remember, we need to act as the umbrella guys on this and I don’t want complaints that the Yard team are stampeding over local investigations.’
‘On my way, Hawk.’
Jack knew Bill would have the right touch. It was Brodie he was more concerned about. ‘Cam,’ he said, ‘you do the same over at Hackney. And remember, don’t leave any footprints.’
‘You know it’s going to be just another day, another body, to them, sir,’ Brodie said. ‘Lower Clapton Road’s not called the Murder Mile for nothing.’
‘I realise that. But Clive Farrow is someone’s fiance, someone’s son, and so we’ll treat his death as though it’s the first murder we’ve ever investigated.’
Jack turned to the room at large. ‘For all of you newbies out of Hendon, Hackney is considered a poor, relatively deprived borough. It’s home to a large Hasidic Jewish community, as well as large Asian and Caribbean populations, and tends to be overrun with Yardie gangs. It’s not unusual to find bodies around there, which is why Cam said what he did.’ He gave Brodie a brief hard gaze to warn him about the youngsters on the team who needed education and encouragement, not the assumption that their efforts were pointless before they even began.
‘Kate,’ he said.
‘Sir?’ Her expression of resignation told him she was anticipating the tiresome task of wading through files, finding out about blue paint suppliers or something equally tedious now that the two plum jobs had gone to the blokes.
‘We’re going to visit the families of the victims. We’ll start in Lincoln.’ He didn’t wait for her response and flicked his gaze away from her grateful look of surprise. ‘The rest of you, I want to know what brand of paint is on the victims’ hands, where it can be bought, and ideas on why it might be significant. I want to know what knife was used by the killer, and as soon as you do know, I want the brand, where it can be purchased and someone compiling a list of those stores to visit or contact. Someone else, go back over the scenes of thetwo crimes — constantly ask yourself, have we missed anything? What questions haven’t been asked yet?’
‘What about cold cases, sir?’ DS Jones asked.
Sarah Jones was a bright young woman, definitely a rising star, and Jack had witnessed her efforts on a previous case. She didn’t have Kate’s instincts but she possessed an enviable trait of attention to detail and a need to tie off every loose thread — both of which had led to her receiving specific training on the national police indexing system.
‘Tell us more,’ he said, hoping to
‘I’d also pose the idea that the lips and genitals, together with the stabbing and even the quirkiness of the blue paint, are the glue that binds these people. They are meaningful only to the killer and his victims. I don’t believe that any of the knifework or the paint is a message to the police or the public at large. I’d suggest it’s more likely a private message to the people he’s taking revenge on, and I feel all three ways in which the blade was used are connected. That is, they were all meaningful to the act of payback.’ He looked around. ‘That’s all I have.’
There was a moment’s silence before Jack spoke. ‘Thanks, John, lots there for us to consider.’
The psychologist nodded, smiled sympathetically at his audience and departed, a young PC accompanying him to see him out.
‘Right, has anyone got anything to add to the profile?’ Jack asked. No one did. ‘Okay, then. I want one of you getting final confirmation from pathology that we are indeed looking for a left-handed killer. That will help narrow down the field a little.’ He nodded with understanding at the groans that greeted this understatement.
‘Bill, as soon as you can, get across to the Lincoln scene and get a full briefing from the boys at Louth. And go lightly. Remember, we need to act as the umbrella guys on this and I don’t want complaints that the Yard team are stampeding over local investigations.’
‘On my way, Hawk.’
Jack knew Bill would have the right touch. It was Brodie he was more concerned about. ‘Cam,’ he said, ‘you do the same over at Hackney. And remember, don’t leave any footprints.’
‘You know it’s going to be just another day, another body, to them, sir,’ Brodie said. ‘Lower Clapton Road’s not called the Murder Mile for nothing.’
‘I realise that. But Clive Farrow is someone’s fiance, someone’s son, and so we’ll treat his death as though it’s the first murder we’ve ever investigated.’
Jack turned to the room at large. ‘For all of you newbies out of Hendon, Hackney is considered a poor, relatively deprived borough. It’s home to a large Hasidic Jewish community, as well as large Asian and Caribbean populations, and tends to be overrun with Yardie gangs. It’s not unusual to find bodies around there, which is why Cam said what he did.’ He gave Brodie a brief hard gaze to warn him about the youngsters on the team who needed education and encouragement, not the assumption that their efforts were pointless before they even began.
‘Kate,’ he said.
‘Sir?’ Her expression of resignation told him she was anticipating the tiresome task of wading through files, finding out about blue paint suppliers or something equally tedious now that the two plum jobs had gone to the blokes.
‘We’re going to visit the families of the victims. We’ll start in Lincoln.’ He didn’t wait for her response and flicked his gaze away from her grateful look of surprise. ‘The rest of you, I want to know what brand of paint is on the victims’ hands, where it can be bought, and ideas on why it might be significant. I want to know what knife was used by the killer, and as soon as you do know, I want the brand, where it can be purchased and someone compiling a list of those stores to visit or contact. Someone else, go back over the scenes of thetwo crimes — constantly ask yourself, have we missed anything? What questions haven’t been asked yet?’
‘What about cold cases, sir?’ DS Jones asked.
Sarah Jones was a bright young woman, definitely a rising star, and Jack had witnessed her efforts on a previous case. She didn’t have Kate’s instincts but she possessed an enviable trait of attention to detail and a need to tie off every loose thread — both of which had led to her receiving specific training on the national police indexing system.
‘Tell us more,’ he said, hoping to
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