"I'm sure you don't think me rude enough not to offer you food as well?" He opened his hands as he gestured to the dishes between them on the table. "Eat up. You've had a long day from what Selina and Sybil tell me."

"Is that the only place you get your information?" John kept his arms folded as Anna tentatively reached for a fork. "Or do you have someone else leaking it to you from inside that office?"

"I didn't ask how you got to Blake, Inspector Bates, so please don't break the professional courtesy I'm extending by even deigning to this meeting."

"Is that what this is?" John snorted, "A professional courtesy?"

"Is there another word you'd rather I use?" Mason eyed him, his jaw stiffening enough to tense John's shoulders.

"I might think of one."

"Your love for Indian food aside," Anna pushed some around her plate for working a bite onto a spoon, nudging John in the side with her elbow to ease the tension on his side of the table. "I'd have to wonder why you're bothering to meet with us at all when you sent Selina and Sybil to us in the first place."

"That was kind, wasn't it?"

"Did they even see the man we're looking for?" John cut in and Mason narrowed his eyes before shrugging.

"Whatever they told you is the truth as they know it. I didn't invent anyone to try and drop information."

"Then this meeting's not staged?"

"Absolutely not." Mason pointing at John with his spoon. "I brought about this meeting because I'm intrigued by you and I wanted to meet you in person."

"Is that all there is for it?" Anna leaned forward, "Or is there more to this meeting than you meeting us because you're our biggest fan?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, you're right." Mason took a napkin, wiping at his mouth before sitting back. "There are business matters to consider."

"Like the girls you run?"

"It's about more than just the girls who work for me." Mason eyed them both as he helped himself to more food. "It's about my city."

"Money is king."

"It's what makes the world go 'round, Mr. Bates." Mason stirred his rice in before liberally applying it to a piece of naan. "So you can doubt my intentions all you want but it is what it is."

"It's not doubt without reason." John defended but Mason only smiled.

"I'm not stupid Inspector, so I know you bear me no good will."

"I won't apologize if the feelings aren't mutual."

"I'm sure Mr. Mason has the highest respect for the Guards." Anna gave him a smile that Mason returned. "I'm sure they add to your business as much as they stick their noses into it."

"I'd rather they stick to sticking other things in my business but, overall, you're right. They're mostly a net neutral to my overall existence."

"Mostly?" John frowned, "What's that mean?"

"It means I didn't invite you to my favorite Indian restaurant just to shoot the breeze with you while enjoying lamb vindaloo." Mason wiped his mouth again and straightened on his side of the booth. "That killer you're chasing is causing havoc to my work and I'll be damned if some degenerate's going to ruin my business."

"I do hope the irony of what you said isn't lost on you."

"Not at all, Inspector." Mason gave him a smile before it shrank. "Especially since you're not the only ones to've suffered losses at his hands."

"It is a bit different when the victims are those that everyone forgets matter." Anna's voice quieted. "What do you know? Beyond what Sybil and Selina told us?"

"I know that the killing of Vera Bates wasn't just as a display but retribution." Mason shrugged, "You've got people like that, they want to be part of something. They know they don't belong and they lash out because they're fighting the world that tells them they're wrong. So they try to find other people of a similar depravity and when they also turn away…"

"Things get bloody." John nodded, shifting to lean forward in the booth. "Is that why you lost Ethel Parks to him?"

"People like him've been attacking women like Ethel from the beginning. It's not excuse for his behavior but the first victims of people like this are always those easiest to get to. It's not a hunt when they're learning their craft."

"Analysis like that could put you in my job Mr. Mason."

He gave Anna a gray-bearded smile. "Ay it could, but I doubt you could do my job in return so we'll just stick with what we know then eh?"

"Fair enough." Anna almost spared him a smile of her own before pressing forward. "What do you know about Vera's work?"

"She was a drug runner. Brought them in for the big organization she worked under. Not anything I took part of, per se, but something a few of the girls under me were aware of."

"As customers or vendors?"

"Could be either. Probably was both." Mason waved off the raised eyebrows. "As long as they do their work for me I've no issue with what they bring in on the side. Everyone's got a side hustle these days right?"

"I wouldn't exactly consider drug running a 'side hustle' John made quotes in the air with his fingers. "But what did Vera have to do with them?"

"As far as I know, nothing. At least not in the same vein as what this bugger wanted from her." Mason's voice lowered. "I know she had someone in your department. Someone passing her the goods on all of you after the little fall out with you and her."

"I wouldn't use the word 'little' to describe that either."

"Use whatever words you like but she had someone in your department."

"If you told us who it was," Anna interjected before John could respond. "Would it violate your rule about not asking how you get the information you do from the department?"

"Vera's work and mine didn't really collide so I could tell you what I know."

"When you say your work didn't collide, does that mean you didn't use the same informants?"

"Absolutely not." Mason almost looked offended. "Perish the thought."

"Why say that?" John frowned, "You're both working in operations centered around exploitation of vice."

"But the work I do, for the most part, is legal. It's the kind of thing a solicitor gets around before we pay a fine because someone was on the wrong corner or whatnot. The kind of work Vera did is…" Mason shuffled, "It's deadly."

"And you'd swear your girls've never passed on an STI they got while on the job?" John pressed, "You could claim you're only doing a public service?"

"I'm no do-gooder, that's for sure, but I don't exploit weakness to make a profit." Mason pointed his finger toward the door. "You don't see people lined up in morgues or filling coffins in churchyards because they decided to pay for a few hours of pleasure from someone in my employ."

"Gentlemen," Anna put a hand out, almost shoving it between the two men's faces. "I think you've both brought up valid points but, for the moment, we're on the same side. We're trying to stop a psychopath from murdering women in the city. So, despite our differences, our interests are aligned for now."

She withdrew, ensuring she still held their attention. "Can we act as if we're going to try and be civil in this conversation please?"

John huffed but shifted back in the booth. "What do you know about Vera's business with this nutter?"

"I know she had a man in your department. He's not a regular on my end but we keep a check on the ones who've paid us visits."

"Blackmail?"

"We call it insurance."

"Po-tay-toe, Po-tah-toe, Mr. Mason."

Mason only batted the comment away before continuing. "That's information I'll hand over if you can get that nutter off the street."

"You do mean the killer right? Not the Guard?"

"You can take them both off the streets for all I care. The man's dirty, an enforcer, and all around no good." Mason reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a legal sized envelope, passing it to John. "Those are the negatives of pictures we took. We've got the prints in our files."

"Nothing digital?"

"Given the skills of your cybercrimes division, we can't risk getting hacked." Mason patted the envelope. "You'll get the copies we've got when the man's locked away. I can't risk repercussions for those who work with me."

"What about the girls in the pictures?" Anna pointed at the envelope John had yet to touch. "I'll assume you weren't just a peeping tom trying to catch him with his trousers down somewhere."

"We weren't and those girls are…" Mason smiled, "Let's just say they're out of his reach and enjoying an early retirement from a rather grueling business."

"At least you've got a retirement plan in mind for them." John took the envelope and nodded to Anna. "We'll make sure this information gets where it needs to go but if you're lying-"

"I've got no skin in the game to lie about." Mason returned to helping himself to the food before them. "I've got a business to run and employees to look out for. Helping you helps me, simple as that."

"If only it were." John slid along the booth, as Anna exited it first, and waited when she reached back to shake Mason's hand.

"I'm sure we'll not meet again but it was an unexpected pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Mason."

"And yours too, Ms. Smith." He smiled at her again, "I'd offer you some compliments of my business but I doubt you'd take the offer."

"The sentiment is sweet all the same."

They left the restaurant and turned into the nearest alley where John opened the envelope. When he held a negative up to the light he snorted before passing it to Anna. "I was curious why he never mentioned Vyner's name after cornering us outside Ms. Moorsum's flat."

Anna gave a little scoff of her own at the negative before passing it back to John. "I guess the walls have ears everywhere."

"If this means he's got Vyner with his trousers down, literally, then we could assume he means Vyner's got connections to Vera's operation as well."

"Bringing us back to the question of what Jane Moorsum's picture on Vera's body means to him." Anna shivered, "But back at the office where I won't lose my fingers to the cold, if we could."

They only just made it back out of the alley when a car flashed lights behind them and squawked its horn. Both turned and John frowned at the sight of a Garda patrol car pulling up next to them on the pavement. But before he could utter a word, Vyner exited the passenger side and got handcuffs around Anna's wrists in a second. When John stepped to help her another guard, almost as big as John, shoulder checked him hard enough to drive air from John's chest.

He wheezed as he heard Vyner describe the rights available to Anna, dragging her all the while to the back of the car. She did not struggle or speak, simply rolled her eyes at John and slipped into the seat without a fuss. When the door closed, John finally regained enough of his breath to speak and returned the check to the other man, knocking him with a hip to sprawl him over the bonnet of the car. It gave John the time he needed to block Vyner's path to his door.

"What's this all about Frank?"

"It's about her colluding with the man we suspect of killing all those blighters in that warehouse."

"You can't believe that."

"Doesn't matter what I believe. What matters is what is." Vyner sneered at John, "Why so concerned Bates?"

"Because this isn't necessary."

"Because you say so?" Vyner only scoffed at him, "Or because you've been shagging her? Which answer will you use Bates?"

"I'll see you back at the station," John said into the car before facing Vyner again. "And I'll see you leaving without your badge."

"This must be bad luck for you. Twice in a row you've picked the wrong woman in the sack and watched her ruin your career." Vyner sniggered as he got around John to open his door. "I wonder if they'll sack you after this."

John bit his tongue as he caught sight of Anna shaking her head from the backseat when his hand inched toward his jacket pocket. His fingers twitched into a fist and he hauled in a deep breath strong enough to flare his nostrils but released it a second later and relaxed his hand. "Yeah, I guess we'll see who loses what."

"Get stuffed Bates." Vyner got into the car. "Crowborough, get in the fecking car. We've got to get to the station."

Crowborough scowled at John, flipping his off as John moved to the pavement to watch the car drive off. It took him a second to flag down a cab and tail them back. By then his hands only shook slightly as he followed them into the station and stopped himself stepping in to stop Vyner escorting Anna into one of the interrogation rooms. He worked around all of them to where Talbot sat in the holding cell.

The man looked completely unbothered by it. His head was back, his hands in his lap, and breathing deeply as if asleep sitting up. John almost ground his teeth before slapping the flat of his hand against the cage. Talbot blinked his eyes opened and turned to see John there.

"I'll assume the knot at the base of my skull is thanks to you."

"I told you we were even."

"Must've been when I was unconscious." Talbot stretched in place before settling. "Why are you paying me a visit?"

"Because the same bugger who arrested you arrested Anna for knowing you."

Talbot only shrugged, "Not sure that's really my problem but I'm flattered anyone paid me enough mind to realize I even have friends."

"Is that what Anna is to you?"

"I'd consider her a friend. What she considers me is, at this point, irrelevant since they arrested her all the same." Talbot's eyes narrowed, "I do hope you're not here to beg me to say something stupid to get her out of custody."

"The idea that I'd even have an inkling of your 'relationship' would land me in deep shit and I need to keep my job for all this to work." John took a breath. "I know she was doing something to help you. "What was it?"

"She obtained the services of a local solicitor for me."

"Someone you both know?"

"It wouldn't endanger the state to answer 'yes'." Talbot gave a small smile. "She's the redhead talking with your partner, if you want to hire her services on Anna's behalf."

"Would you recommend that?"

"It's the only advice I can give you to help." Talbot stood, coming to the cage and lowering his voice. "It's also a wise idea since whatever tosser'll be pressing Anna will rattle her nerves long enough to drive her absolutely mad. She'll say something that could get her into a lot of trouble."

"Give any of this away, you mean?"

"No," Talbot shook his head, his face contorting as if no words could describe how stupid he thought John's comment was. "Enough to get her into trouble because she'll belittle and insult whatever idiot they sent in there with her."

"Then it's best I try to get her out, isn't it?" John nodded at Talbot, "And I do hope you've not got lasting brain damage."

"I'm sure you're overcome with worry about my welfare."

"I didn't hit you that hard."

"We'll see." Talbot put a hand to the back of his head and winced. "If I think things aren't going well for me, I might fake an aneurysm."

"Dick." John pushed away from the holding cell and crossed the room to where the redheaded woman Talbot indicated signed a series of forms at Branson's desk. She glanced up briefly as John stood in front of her and raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?"

"It's more about how you can help someone else for me." John jerked his head over his shoulder. "I think Anna Smith might need some legal advice in an interrogation room."

The woman rolled her eyes, "Which number?"

"The…" John took a few steps backward, craning his head until he could see the window. "Second one."

"She can wait the five minutes it'll be for me to resolve the abysmal paperwork you all filed for my first client of today." She used the pen to indicate Talbot over her shoulder. "I'd go and keep an eye on her, if I were you. Make sure she doesn't say anything stupid."

"You seem to know her well."

"How'd you think I came here today in the first place?" Her plastered smile almost read false before she returned to her paperwork. "Hop to Inspector, and go play interference until I can stop the tragic miscarriage of justice I'll sure I'll find in that room in a few minutes."

John blinked but pivoted on his heel to walk to the interrogation room. He entered it, ignoring Vyner's stare, and took to the back corner to watch. Anna did not look his way, her hands on the table in front of her with the cuffs still on them, and pointedly ignored Vyner's questions. In fact, if John did not know better, Anna simply appeared bored by it all.

"I said do you understand?" Vyner tapped the table between them and Anna sighed before looking at him. "Do you realize the gravity of what's going on?"

"Would you repeat it again? I wasn't listening the first time?"

Vyner opened his mouth, his face tinging purple for a moment, but stopped himself to chuckle without mirth. "You must think you're funny don't you? A real comic act coming here and acting like you know what you're about."

"Not sure what you mean."

"How does a girl like you get a license like this?" Vyner held up an ID John could not see from his position but Anna barely glanced at it before her eyes rested fully on Vyner.

"First of all, I am a woman so please don't demean me because you think it'll elicit a reaction from me. Second, it's none of your damn business what that license means. You don't understand it and, therefore, it's not for you."

"Then how about all the IDs I do understand." He rolled through them, laying out a pile of papers on the table between them with various pictures of Anna but in different hair colors, styles, lengths, and languages. "Do you have permission for all of these? Because I only see one that says you're who you claimed to be when you stepped into this office."

"I have permission for them under a special dispensation that you're not authorized to read that goes with a set of documents I have, that you're also not allowed to read, that gives me the permission to carry a weapon if I so choose." Anna shrugged, her hands not moving from the table. "Some things are just better left alone, really."

Vyner snorted and leaned forward, "how'd you get that special dispensation anyway… girl?"

Before Anna's contorting mouth could open to answer, the redheaded woman opened the door and shook her head, "Without the right court order and a judge willing to see to that request, she doesn't have to tell you." She took the seat next to Anna, "How are you doing?"

"Better now that yu're here."

"What the hell?" Vyner looked to John, who only shook his head before Vyner was forced to turn back to the woman. "Who the hell are you?"

"Gwen Dawson, solicitor for Ms. Smith here, and the person about to insist you remove those handcuffs unless you have reason to justify them still be shackled on her wrists when, as far as I can tell, she did not resist arrest, came peacefully, and has acted with all civility here."

Ms. Dawson and Vyner stared off for a moment before John stepped in to unlock the handcuffs. He skidded them to Vyner, controlling his face when the other man almost dropped them onto the floor, and returned to the corner to watch. The balance of power in the room shifted so suddenly it almost threw John but he kept himself steady.

"Your client is suspected of consorting with a dangerous man in our holding cell. A man we think is responsible for multiple killings in this city and she's been conspiring with him."

"That's a baseless accusation. And even more ridiculous when you realize that you've not only not questioned the man in custody but also not taken into account that he only arrived in the country a week ago and, therefore, could not've been committing the serial murders here." Ms. Dawson made a note before turning to Anna. "And I think my client would not use the words 'consorting' or 'conspiring' to describe her relationship with the man in question."

"Semantics."

"Necessity." Ms. Dawson offered a smile that did not reach her eyes. "To suggest consortium or conspiracy, there has to be malicious motive. Since whatever relationship my client may or may not have with the man in question can't be boiled down to either of those motives, I'd say she's no more related to this case than she is to the vendor outside a fair selling candy floss."

"She was with him when we found multiple victims-"

"Happenstance and coincidence, which I could prove before a judge if you needed me to." Ms. Dawson turned to Anna, "Do you have anything you'd like to add or would you like to insist this man apologize for putting you through all of this for absolutely nothing?"

"I'd like to ask him about his relationship with Vera Bates." Anna leaned forward on the table as John crossed the room to block the door and any chance Vyner had of escape. "And why the killer would leave a picture of Jane Moorsum on Vera Bates's body for him."

"I… What?" Vyner spluttered but Anna only gave him a smile.

"It's not difficult, Mr. Vyner. It's a question of motive. About why you're consorting and conspiring with killers and drug lords." Anna's smile only grew less kind. "As to why Jane Moorsum would mean enough to you that her life would be threatened by a serial killer. Why that same serial killer knew about her, and whatever sick fascination you had with her, through your association with Vera Bates and the drug business she runs."

"I… I didn't. I don't-"

"Don't want to lie to us?" John filled in, stepping closer to the table and putting the envelop over the collection of pictures of Anna's various IDs. "I think that's a wise course of action. I wouldn't want you to lie to us either."

Vyner did not touch the envelope as Anna opened it and laid the negatives over the printouts of herself. "These were given to us by someone who's… He's got an interest in insuring himself against what you might do to his business if you decided that your racket as an enforcer wasn't cutting it."

"So tell us, Frank," John tapped the table to bring Vyner's attention back to him. "What do you know about Vera's connection to the killer and why would he use Jane Moorsum as a signal to you?"