Chapter 8

Silverman had put two police officers outside Jane Brock's hospital room. At this point, they weren't sure if Jane Brock was supposed to have been killed or had just been stabbed as a warning.

The stab wound wasn't fatal and had missed arteries and vital organs.

Daphne and Fred stepped into the hospital room.

Jane Brock was sat up in the hospital bed, she looked ok…maybe a little guilty.

'What happened?' Daphne asked.

'I was packing up, getting ready to leave when he came into my office and stabbed me.' Jane explained.

'He?' Fred asked, 'The killer?'

Jane nodded, 'There's something I have to tell you. I didn't receive an anonymous tip from someone.'

'You didn't?' Daphne asked.

'No, I made it up…ratings.' Jane shrugged a little.

Fred was disappointed with Jane Brock's actions. Daphne rolled her eyes.

'Why?' Fred asked.

'That reporter at FOX news got to the scene of the first murder before I did so-'

'So, you lied to everyone and risked your own life?' Fred asked.

Jane nodded slowly.

'He came to my office.'

'I think I have a plan.' Fred said.

Frank Gleeson heard a creak – he didn't think anything of it he just continued with his work.

The animals needed feeding and Frank was putting no care into it – food spilt over the counter, 'Fuck sake.' He muttered.

He picked up the big bowl of food and took it into the next room where four lion cubs waited hungrily for their food.

He heard the creak again.

He looked around but there was nothing there.

Frank had various exotic animals in his "zoo". He bought them illegally from the black market where various exotics were sold.

Frank looked around at his tiny enclosures.

Aside from the four lion cubs, he also had two panther cubs, a bear cub, and three tiger cubs.

Frank had a great idea that he would charge people to come and pet his creatures and it was a successful "business".

Another creak and Frank scoffed, 'What the fuck is that?'

He stormed back into the kitchen where he saw a dark figure standing in there.

'How'd you get in?' Frank asked.

The hooded figure stepped closer to Frank, and he said 'What you are doing to these animals is cruel and illegal. You should be ashamed of yourself.'

Frank scoffed, 'What you gonna do 'bout it?'

The hooded figure slid a hand into his pocket and pulled out a knife, 'Justice.'

He plunged the knife into Frank's stomach.

Frank coughed, some blood spluttered from his mouth and he collapsed to the floor.

The hooded figure pulled out a small doll and a sheet of paper.

He looked down at Frank – knife in hand – and began to insert the doll into his open wound all whilst Frank was still alive and groaning in agony.

The hooded man looked at him and slashed his throat.

He was a serial killer.

He had killed three people and stabbed another.

But the sounds coming from the room where the cubs were kept tugged on his heartstrings. They didn't deserve to be caged up.

He went into the room and knelt in front of the cage where the two panther cubs were kept and he gently stroked the nose of the one who pressed itself against the cage door, desperate to get out.

He looked back to the kitchen, he didn't want to leave these animals here like this.

He treads back to the kitchen and picked up the landline and dialled 911, 'I'd like to report a case of animal cruelty, there are some animals trapped in a house with a mad man, you should probably come quickly.'

He put the phone onto the table, leaving it on so the police would be able to track the location of the call – then he left.

'Animal control has taken the cubs; they'll stay there tonight to be checked over by a vet before someone from a sanctuary can collect them.' Silverman explained.

Fred nodded, 'As long as they're ok.'

Silverman nodded, 'The son of a bitch bought the poor things from the black market and charged people to see them.'

'So, your plan, Freddie?' Daphne asked.

'Right! As we know from what happened to Jane Brock, the killer doesn't like that she lied about him giving her an anonymous tip. So, what if we find a way to lure him to us?'

'Like, use one of the reporters as bait?' Daphne asked.

Fred nodded, 'I know it sounds dangerous and crazy, but what if this is a chance to catch him?'

Silverman looked between his two detectives, 'Who though? And what if he's smart enough to realise it's a trick?'

'I dunno.'

Daphne thought about the victims.

Doctor Peter Chester – who abused his patients, dead outside his clinic.

First Deputy Mayor – Jeremy Erikson, set fire to homes, then demolished them.

Frank Gleeson – illegally bought exotic animals from the black market and charged people to visit his "zoo", and did not look after the animals.

What did all these people have in common? They all committed a crime, they were criminals.

And he didn't kill Jane Brock because – technically – she didn't do anything wrong, aside from lie about information, she didn't actually hurt or kill anyone. It wasn't even a big lie.

'No, I think I have a plan.' Daphne spoke.

'You do?' Fred asked.

Daphne nodded, 'He's been targeting criminals. He didn't kill Jane because she didn't commit a crime, she just told a small lie.'

'What do you suggest?' Silverman asked.

'My father's a criminal.'

'This guy isn't gonna break into a prison cell to kill a man.' Silverman spoke.

'That's why we get him out for the day.' Daphne spoke, 'We get him out, take him to his office and make sure the reporters are covering the entire movement, and then we wait for him to come.'

'Daph we can't do that.' Fred spoke.

'Sure, we can, legally we can take George Blake out of prison.' Daphne looked at Silverman, he agreed that legally they could.

But could Daphne truly face putting her father's life at risk?

'We'll use my father as bait. As I said, he's targeting criminals, my father is going to be bait.' Daphne turned away from them and she walked into her office to make some phone calls.

'You think this is a good idea?' Silverman asked.

Fred sighed, 'I do, and I don't. If it goes wrong... I know what she's like.'

Silverman grunted, 'Let's hope it works.'

'I don't think you can do this.'

'I can.'

Fred took her hand and squeezed it gently, 'You can't.'

Daphne looked at him, his eyes burning into hers, 'I can.'

Fred shook his head, 'Regardless of how much you hate him right now, he's still your father.'

Daphne pulled her hand away from Fred's, and she rolled away from him, staring at a spot on the wardrobe door. But Fred persisted, he moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her.

'We can find another way.'

But Daphne shook her head, 'No, it has to be this way.'