Disclaimer: The characters of Mark Sloan, Steve Sloan, Amanda Bentley, Jesse Travis and Cheryl Banks do not belong to me but to CBS, Viacom et al. All other individuals are my own creation and any resemblance to any living or dead persons is unintentional

Chapter 2 The Bard

The living room was a mess. Files were flung all over the coffee table. Three cups of old coffee added to the mess. Steve sat on the sofa. Cheryl sat opposite on another settee. Katherine paced across the room reading form a file.

"First Victim, Grace Froi, 22 years old. Found 23rd July 1991, by her boyfriend, who was also prime suspect. He wanted a kid, she wasn't interested. Pills found in her drawer. Those first on the scene thought she'd been smothered, but P.M. showed strangulation by condom. Quote I.D. from Othello. Second victim week later. Jenny" she consulted the file again, "Manhattan, 21. Strangled then stabbed 22 times after death. Quote form Romeo and Juliet. Third again 2 weeks later. Diana Forth-Stains, 34. Death initially thought to be natural causes, she'd suffered from a weak heart, but husband insisted on an autopsy. True cause of death strangulation. Quote came from Midsummer's night dream-"

"Interesting choice." Steve said.

"Yeah." Katherine sighed.

She might have said more, but a voice interrupted her.

"STEVE!"

"Down here Dad." Steve said getting to his feet. A tall gentleman with white hair and electric blue eyes entered.

"Steve. I …oh!"

"Katherine Gere. No relation to the actor." Katherine held out her hand. "I'm a lieutenant in Rape."

"It's nice to meet you, lieutenant. I'm Doctor Mark Sloan, Steve's father."

"No relation to John Sloan?"

"My father. If you mean John Sloan in police, though I'd have thought that he was before your time."

Katherine laughed. "I started life in homicide. Back then you put your rookies with the most experience guy. That was John Halliday. He remembered John Sloan. Thought there was something odd about. Turned out he was right"

"Small guy, black curls?"

"Grey by the time I knew him." Katherine said with a laugh "very distinguished. But they say daughters will do that to you." She turned her attention back to the file. "Fourth was Jean Hitch, 19. Found in the river. Quote was from Hamlet. There were flowers all round her."

Noticing the confusion on Dr Sloan's face she added. "I wonder if you remember the Bard killings? Summer 1991."

"Well, I remember Steve not shutting up about them. Was his first big case."

"Mine too." Katherine said smiling. "A criticism of the case from the press, too many young pups eager to make a name for themselves. What they over looked was that had we wanted to make a name, we'd have caught the guy. "She shook her head. "The real reason was there were rumours that a cop or someone connected with the police was involved." She gave a rye smile. "Young calves don't fear the tiger as the Chinese say."

She grabbed another box.

"Here copies of all the quotes. All Shakespeare. The originals are in the lab as we speak. Seeing if we missed something first time round."

"You know it's interesting," Dr Sloan was gazing at the files. "The first 4 have John Halliday's signature on them, but the last one was signed by you."
Katherine gave a smile with no humour in it.

"You have good eyes doctor Sloan." She said in a voice to match her expression. "It's really quite simple. I took over the investigation when John Halliday left due to ill health." she began clearing up the files.

"I'll see you at the station."

She left.

Cheryl glanced at the door.

"Poor Kat." She said calmly. Noticing the confusion on Doctor Sloan's face she added. "Katherine worshipped John Halliday. He recommended her for the force and trained her up. She's always blamed the bard killings for what happened." She also got to her feet. "John Halliday was admitted to the psychological ward at Community General as a voluntary patient, two weeks after Jean Hitch's body was found. He died there.

"I'll see you later Steve." She left.

TBC