Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue or any of the characters.
Thank you to the lovely reviewers, readers and the people who follow and fav. Your feedback is so very much appreciated and does inspire me!
Hope those who got one had a lovely Easter break. Sorry, this chapter took me a little longer as there is a lot going on for me at the moment.
Hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think!
Warning: There is mention of rape in this chapter.
...
Holly was already at the dumpsite when Frankie and Gail pulled up. They had detoured via Gail's house so she could change into fresh clothes seeing as she had shown up at Holly's the night before in a dress and high heels.
'Do I have time for a really quick shower?' Gail asked on the way over to the house.
'You probably should' Frankie smirked, 'Lisa told me about walking in on you and Holly.'
'Oh god, is nothing private,' Gail said, only slightly mortified.
'Apparently not, according to what Lisa says she saw.'
'Oh god, Frankie she didn't give you details.' This time Gail was mortified.
'Thankfully no,' Frankie said.
When Gail came downstairs dressed in jeans and combat boots, Frankie handed her a cup of coffee and one of Chloe's healthy granola bars. Gail looked at the bar suspiciously but then figured she better eat it. She hadn't had much sleep last night.
Holly seemed to need to play out her relief that Gail had returned unharmed from the undercover assignment on Gail's body. From the moment of Holly's insistent kiss in the kitchen, which had turned into a rough clashing of teeth and tongues and lips, Gail knew that it was all about fucking and it was more than that too. It was as if Holly hoped this onslaught would erase, even temporarily, her fears and bind Gail to her here, now. There was a wantonness to it that Gail found exhilarating. Then as the night wore on things became less frantic and more measured as the urge to possess was replaced by the desire on each of their parts to savor the other, and these gentler careful caresses had a different yet just as explosive intensity.
They hadn't talked much last night. Holly had been relentless until finally exhausted they fell asleep, their limbs tangled, and so they stayed until Lisa's harsh knock on the bedroom door. This morning Gail's body ached deliciously from their exertions and bore the marks of Holly's possessiveness. Even her scalp hurt a little from where Holly had tugged hard on her hair, but the memory of what she had being doing to Holly at the time made Gail smile to herself, the corners of her mouth quirking just slightly.
'You figured out how to work the coffee machine,' Gail now said to Frankie. 'Impressive crema,' she added taking a sip of her espresso and rolling the thick liquid around on her tongue before swallowing it, appreciating the bitter but smooth taste and anticipating the instant jolt the caffeine would give her. She knew people thought it weird given her sweet tooth that she'd taken to drinking this type of coffee. Her somewhat fancy espresso coffee machine scared off most people when they discovered it wasn't a drip filter coffee maker.
'I worked in a coffee shop in high school,' Frankie replied, reminding Gail that she didn't know much about the detective's past. Frankie might have boasted about her sexual prowess when she first met Gail but had divulged little about herself since, even when they had been sleeping together.
'I bet you gave the customers hell,' Gail said.
Frankie shrugged but didn't deny it. 'I made good coffee though.'
On the drive to the dumpsite, Frankie filled Gail in on what she knew. The women had been found just off a trail in Rogue Park that was popular with joggers. Duncan and Peterson had secured the scene after calling it in.
As they approached along the narrow roadway, Gail could see the area had been cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. Holly and Rodney were waiting a little further up on a slight embankment, where Gail guessed the bodies had been dumped. Holly was clutching her red lunchbox, no, Gail corrected herself, forensic kit. She could see Andy and Chloe with a guy who she guessed was Kevin Michaels, the jogger who found the bodies. A crowd of people, many dressed in running gear, had gathered to watch the spectacle.
'It's a much less secluded area than the last dump site,' Gail observed.
'Do you think he's upping the ante?'
'Could be,' she said as she unbuckled the seatbelt, 'this is a well-used trail for joggers. He must have known the bodies would be discovered quickly. It has to be intentional.'
As they exited the car, Frankie sighed. A van from a local TV station had driven in behind them. So far they had managed to keep the investigation out of the media but Gail had guessed it wouldn't be too long before some journalist got wind of it. Serial killers were good for ratings she thought a little bitterly, because everyone loved a celebrity monster.
She supposed it was the question of what drove someone to kill again and again, and usually in the most violent and cruel and random of ways, that fed the public's macabre obsession. Yet, even though she had come face to face with a serial killer, had experienced that insanity and the chilling callousness and the casual sadism, she could not explain why such evil existed. Perhaps ultimately it was this that lay beneath the public's fascination, that you could never truly comprehend the sheer depravity of a serial killer.
'I'm going to call Oliver. We need more uniforms here. Tell McNally and Price to keep the media at a distance. And see what the jogger has to say,' Frankie directed. She pulled out her phone and then, ducking under the crime scene tape, went ahead to where Holly and Rodney were standing.
Kevin Michaels was visibly shaken. He had stopped because of muscle cramps and was trying to loosen up by doing some stretching exercises when he noticed the green tarpaulin. He took this trail everyday and the tarpaulin hadn't been here yesterday morning so he was curious and went to take a closer look. Then he noticed a foot sticking out. He'd pulled back the tarpaulin and discovered the bodies.
'I'm afraid I threw up,' he said apologetically.
'Understandable,' Gail said.
'Then the coach of the high school cross-country team came over and we decided to cover the bodies again.'
That was something Gail would need to tell Holly.
'The coach?' she inquired.
'He and his cross-country team are just over there,' Andy said, gesturing in the direction of a tree by the track, where a group, wearing matching shorts and sweat shirts emblazoned with a school insignia, were huddled. Several had their cell phones out and Gail could guess where the media leak had come from.
There was no way they could keep the investigation quiet now. The media would be all over it. And if the police didn't solve the case soon, the spotlight would turn on them and questions would be asked about their competency. Then the politicians would come out and rail about the need to keep the streets safe and the media would pontificate about whether the government and the police were tough enough on crime, and citizens would ring talkback radio and say they were fearful to leave their homes. Ironic really, Gail mused, given serial killers accounted for less than one percent of murders, and when you were twelve times more likely to die at the hands of a family member. Gail returned her attention to Kevin.
'I passed the cross-country team earlier on the trail, but they caught up when I stopped,' he was saying, 'the coach and I didn't want the kids to see the bodies, to see what had been done to those women. Did I do the wrong thing?'
'No Kevin,' Gail said, 'did you notice if any of those kids took photos?'
'I think a couple may have done. TG, the coach, growled at them for it. Not that they could see much from where they were standing.'
'Did you notice anyone else hanging around? Anyone acting suspiciously?'
'You think the killer was here when I found the women?'
'It's unlikely. I'm just ruling out the possibility.'
'No, I didn't see anyone.'
'Did the foot look like it was accidently sticking out or could the tarpaulin been deliberately arranged so the foot would be seen?'
Kevin looked at her strangely. 'I dunno Detective. It kind of happened so fast. The tarp may have been folded back at that edge, now I think about it.'
'But you're not 100 per cent certain?'
'No,' Kevin shook his head, 'Why is that important?'
'It may not be. Was there anything covering the tarp? Like dirt or leaves?'
Kevin shook his head no.
'So nothing at all?' Gail asked.
'No'
'Okay. Here's my card. If you think of anything else let me know. You'll need to be fingerprinted because you touched the tarp.' When Kevin looked confused, Gail added 'for the purpose of elimination. Officers McNally and Price have your details?'
Kevin nodded. After he left, Gail turned to Andy and Chloe. 'Have you spoken to the coach?'
'Yeah,' Andy said, 'He confirmed what Kevin said. Most of the kids didn't see anything. They hung back when the coach went to help Kevin.'
'Okay we need to move these kids on quickly. I'm guessing they've already posted photos on social media. And probably alerted the media,' Gail said as she observed another car pull up and Martha Fisher, the Toronto Star's crime reporter, get out. Great, thought Gail, only the paper with the largest circulation in Canada. A cruiser followed behind, lights flashing but with the siren off and Gail saw it was Chris and Anna Robinson.
'Tell those kids they need to delete any photos and anything they've posted on social media,' Gail said.
'Can we do that legally?' Andy asked.
Gail shrugged. 'If they refuse, just tell them it's an ongoing murder investigation and we'll charge them with obstruction of justice. And organize for TG to be fingerprinted. I'm going to see what forensics has got.'
The bodies had been left on a small embankment to the left of the trail. Interesting, Gail thought as she made her way up the slight rise, almost as if they were on display, waiting to be unveiled. It was different to the other dumpsite where the killer had used the gully to conceal the bodies and covered the tarps with dirt and leaves so their discovery was left to chance. What had made the killer change his modus operandi, she wondered.
Once Gail reached Frankie, who was standing back a little observing the forensic team, she saw that Holly and Rodney were preparing to remove the tarpaulin. As they peeled back the plastic sheeting, Gail noted that the two women had been placed side by side, their arms slightly apart with their palms facing upwards almost in a gesture of supplication. The positioning was identical to the way Susan Phelps and Maura Lees had been left and, just like Susan and Maura, the two women were blonde and blue-eyed. There was one crucial difference. Across the torso of one of the women a message had been written in thick black marker. It said 'You might be next Detective Blondie. I haven't decided yet.'
Holly paled, her normally tan complexion seemingly several shades lighter than usual and for a moment Gail wondered if she might faint and if she should go to her. Then Frankie exclaimed 'What the fuck', her mouth in a grim line.
'This just got personal,' Gail said, surprising even herself at the flippancy of her tone.
Holly turned to her, her expression pained. 'Don't Gail,' she said quietly.
Gail stepped towards her but Holly stepped back.
'Don't touch me,' she hissed, her voice tight and so quiet only Gail could hear her.
'I just want to make sure you're okay,' Gail said, like Holly keeping her voice low.
'You want to see if I'm okay?' Now Holly's voice was louder and for the briefest of moments she looked angry before her face softened slightly. 'Are you alright?' she asked, searching Gail's face.
As Gail started to nod, Holly shook her head in disbelief and sucked in a deep breath. Gail could see Holly was fighting hard to maintain her composure and she hated she was the cause of her distress. Normally nothing ruffled Holly at work. Suddenly Holly drew herself up and looking away from Gail said in an impassive tone, 'I need to get to work. The sooner we can get these bodies back to the morgue the sooner I can start the autopsies.'
Gail nodded again and, as she turned away from Holly, she saw that Frankie and Rodney had silently observed the entire exchange and were now looking at both of them with concern.
After that Holly set to work with a steady determination, only speaking to confer with Rodney or answer Frankie's questions. Gail sensed it best if she left it to Frankie to do the talking. Holly's voice when she spoke was clipped and brisk. It was as if Frankie and even Rodney were strangers.
'We'll know more when we get back to the morgue, but they were probably killed in the last six hours. Rigor mortis is only just setting in. You can see at the moment it's only affecting the face and upper neck,' Holly gestured to the bodies.
Normally, at this point Holly would go into full science mode, explaining that the body stiffened after death because of the loss of Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP from the body's muscles. She'd describe how ATP was the substance that allowed energy to flow to the muscles and help them work and without this the muscles became stiff and inflexible. Holly would point out that rigor mortis started in the body at the same time, usually about two hours after death, although the smaller muscles such as those in the face and neck were affected first. Then, in spite of the grisly topic, Gail would have to suppress the urge to kiss Holly, because she was so adorable and someone how so sexy when in one of her nerd rambles. Gail would know that Holly knew from the private smile that quirked the corner of Gail's lips exactly what she was thinking. Today there was none of that. Holly wouldn't even look at Gail as she detailed her findings.
'And the lividity,' Holly pointed to dark purple stain on the lower half of one of the victims where the blood had pooled, 'indicates they were dumped not long after they died.'
Frankie nodded. She had seen enough homicides to know that once blood stopped being pumped around the body gravity made it pool in the lower extremities. The women's hands and feet were a purplish blue and Gail couldn't help but notice how this made the deep grooves left by the ligatures stand out even more.
'Lividity can be altered in the first six hours after death by moving the body, but after that it's fixed because blood vessels begin to break down in the body. The lividity here corresponds with the bodies being placed on the ground. It and the rigor mortis suggests the victims were killed around the same time.' Holly continued.
'So it's quite possible they were killed after midnight?' Frankie asked, and Holly nodded.
'So our perp could have been at the FindLove thing last night,' Gail finally spoke, and was certain she saw Holly shudder slightly.
After that Holly and Rodney prepared to move the victims into the body bags, and Frankie and Gail left to return to the station.
Duncan and Pedersen were standing by the crime scene tape as Gail and Frankie came down the embankment. As the detectives drew closer, they heard Pedersen say, 'Geez it looked like that Doc was going to puke. I didn't think dead bodies bothered the forensic docs. She's hot though. Think I'll volunteer to go to the morgue for the autopsy. Get to know the Doc better.'
Duncan, who had noticed Gail and Frankie approach, was shaking his head and saying 'Ah, Pedersen, ah man, the detectives' before Frankie interrupted.
'Pedersen, I take it you're referring to Doctor Stewart,' she said putting an emphasis on the word doctor, 'and how many times have you puked at an autopsy? Two, no that's right three times. I believe the rookies are taking bets on how often you'll puke by the end of your first year.'
Pedersen colored slightly. As Gail and Frankie ducked under the tape and headed towards the car, they heard Duncan saying, 'I tried to warn you man.'
'Fucking dy-,' the word died on Pedersen's lips as Gail spun round.
'Continue what you're saying and I'll have you up on a disciplinary charge so fast you will be puking,' she said, her voice icy and her expression steely, leaving Pedersen in no doubt he'd crossed a line. It wasn't often that Frankie saw anything of Elaine in Gail, and she knew Gail consciously strove not to be like her mother in any way, but as Gail looked at Pedersen as if he were a cockroach she wanted to squash beneath the heel of her boot it immediately made Frankie think of Elaine. Pedersen seemed to visibly wither before Gal's gaze.
'But I'm going to give you another chance Officer Pedersen,' Gail said, her voice oozing a sweetness that Frankie knew was anything but, 'when you've finished here, you will drive straight to the lunch place near the morgue, you know Café Chaos?'
Pedersen nodded.
'And you will buy a grilled chicken and avocado sandwich on rye with black pepper, and no tomatoes. If it has tomatoes I will put you on a charge. And then you will deliver that sandwich and a flat white coffee to Dr Stewart's office. Have you got that rookie?'
Pedersen nodded again.
'Good. Remember no tomatoes, ' Gail said.
'Um, so do you want me to stay at the morgue for the autopsy, detective?'
Gail looked at Pedersen like he was an imbecile. 'No. You're just the delivery boy,' she scoffed.
Once in the car, Frankie tuned to Gail with a slight smirk. 'That was sweet,' she said.
'What? Berating the rookie?'
'No,' Frankie said, 'Getting food for Holly.'
Gail shrugged. 'She probably hasn't eaten. Anyway I 'm not getting the food. Pedersen is.'
'Semantics,' Frankie said, as she put the car into reverse.
Weirdly Frankie hadn't said anything about the latest victims or the message the killer had left. Gail waited but Frankie remained silent and after a moment, when the only sound in the car was the police radio with its static and staccato calls, Gail spoke.
'So Anderson, I guess he has upped the ante.'
'That's one way of looking at it.'
'What is it about me that attracts serial killers?' Gail said, her voice pensive.
Frankie looked at Gail sharply. 'You go after them. They don't like that,' she said, 'it is always about control for them. You challenge that.'
'You know Aaron called me blondie when we interviewed him and in the bar last night. I think we should go and talk to him.'
'Yeah, Matt and I'll do that,' Frankie said, 'If he is our killer and if he did leave that message it is probably best if you keep a low profile. Let him believe that you have been taken off the case. Still I don't know how he could be the killer with a broken leg and arm.'
'Could he have faked it?'
'Those plaster casts looked real, but lets pull his medical records just to be sure.'
'Are you thinking he could be working with someone else?'
'I don't think we can rule that out,' Frankie sighed, 'I can't believe how little headway we've made on this investigation. Hopefully these two victims can be identified quickly.'
'Could we get Dov to check if any women belonging to FindLove have been reported missing in the last week. Might be the fastest way to identify them.'
'Yeah, that's a good idea.'
'And if they do belong to FindLove we're going to have to tell Sandra to shut down the next event.'
'She won't like that,' Frankie said, 'She already complained that having cops sniffing around was bad for business.'
'Well if FindLove members keep turning up dead she won't have a business at all,' Gail pointed out. 'So if I'm not allowed interview Aaron, what do you want me to do?'
'I want you and Price to go to the morgue to observe the autopsies. It might also reassure Holly to have you near by.'
Gail made a face. 'You think. She couldn't bear for me to touch her back there.'
'Peck, did it occur to you that if you touched her she might not have been able to hold it together. She knows exactly what that guy has done to those women and now he's sent a message saying he's coming after you. She needed some distance so she could do her job.'
'Oh,' Gail said quietly, 'I guess that makes sense.'
'And from now on I don't want you going anywhere without another police officer. It's a good thing you live with Price, but Gail I think I should move into your spare room until this investigation is over.'
'Geez Anderson I can take of myself. I don't need to be babysat.' Gail didn't disguise the annoyance in her voice.
'Humor me,' Frankie said, thinking there was no way she would let Gail be abducted again.
'And if I say no,' Gail spat out.
'It's non negotiable, Peck. If you want to stay on the case then I want an officer with you at all times,' Frankie said firmly, wondering if this would be enough to appease Superintendent Peck.
...
Back at 15, Dov and Gail began the task of matching the names of FindLove members with any women who had been reported missing. Within half an hour they had two names. Patricia Weston and Claire Beecher. Gail pulled up two photographs of the victims that Rodney had forwarded to her.
'It looks like a match,' Dov said.
'Yeah, I'll call Rodney and ask him to get them ready for viewing by the parents before the autopsy. Do you want to let Frankie know.'
Dov nodded.
'Chloe and Andy can collect Patricia Weston's parents, and Chris and Robinson can pick up Claire Beecher's mother. No father?' she looked enquiringly at Dov who shook his head.
Not long after Frankie and Matt returned from interviewing Aaron.
'He's a charmer,' Frankie said sarcastically, 'he said and I quote who wouldn't want a piece of blondie, but he came home in a taxi a little before midnight, gamed for about an hour and then went to bed. He was still in his pajamas when we got there.'
'And we spoke to the taxi driver who confirmed he took Aaron home from the Cube last night,' Matt added.
'I've just got hold of his medical records. He did break his leg and arm four weeks ago,' Dov said.
'So it can't be him,' Frankie blew out a breath.
'But what about him calling me blondie?' Gail asked.
'It's hardly an original name for someone with your hair color,' Frankie pointed out, 'but I still want to keep an eye on him. I know forensics think we're only looking at one killer, but I don't want to rule out the possibility that Aaron's involved in some way.'
Soon after, Gail and Frankie set off for the morgue to meet the victims' parents. Gail hated this part of the job. They would reassure the parents that they would do everything to find the killer but this would do nothing to bring back their daughters. How could it stack up against the immeasurable grief and pain and loss? The identifications went as expected. Claire Beecher was an only child and Frankie and Gail had to rush forward to support her mother as she crumpled at the sight of her lifeless daughter. The Westons were quiet and dignified, and Gail sensed that this containment was their way of dealing with the horror visited upon them.
Frankie took Andy with her to interview the parents back at the station, leaving Chloe with Gail. They found Rodney preparing the autopsy suite.
'Dr Stewart's in her office,' he told them before Gail had a chance to ask where Holly was.
'I'll just go and have a word with her,' Gail said, excusing herself.
Holly's office was located one floor up. Sally, her admin assistant, an amiable woman in her mid fifties, was seated at a desk in the small reception area that led into Holly's office. Holly's door was shut.
'Dr Stewart is in there,' Sally said kindly, completely aware of who Gail was, 'I'm sure she won't mind if you go in.'
Gail tapped gently on the door before entering. Holly was seated at her desk, staring vacantly at the computer. Her brow was creased but she was entirely motionless.
'Hey,' Gail said softly and Holly jumped as if spooked. 'I didn't mean to startle you.'
'What are you doing here, Gail?'
'Price and I are here for the autopsies. The parents just confirmed the identities.'
Holly nodded her head slightly to acknowledge what Gail had said but her expression was still blank. Then she said quietly and in a voice stripped of its usual warmth, 'I don't know how you do it. How you stand it.'
This is it, Gail thought, Holly has finally realized what a disaster my life is. Even though she loves me it isn't enough to make her stay, to lurch with me from one calamity to another.
Despite everything that had transpired between them, despite Holly's declaration that Gail was it for her and insistence that Gail couldn't push her away, a small part of Gail always feared it might come to this, that she and all her baggage and all the crap that seemed to find her would finally be too much and that Holly would one day walk away. Gail felt tears prick at her eyes but shook her head to stop them. This was no time for self-pity. The action caused Holly to look up and directly at her but Gail couldn't read her expression.
'You know I've been sitting here planning our escape. Between us we could probably work out how to disappear so nobody could find us ever again and none of this evil could follow us. Maybe go to Central America or Greenland or one of those Scandinavian countries where everyone is so liberal and it would be like a clean slate for us and we could keep you safe but you wouldn't come would you,' Holly said quietly.
'I can't walk away from this, it wouldn't be right' Gail started to say but paused, unsure what to say next.
'Can't or won't,' Holly said, resignation evident in her voice.
'I would if it was an ultimatum, Holly. So I could if you really wanted me to because I can't lose you over this.'
'So you're making me choose, making me the one to decide whether to keep you safe or let some maniac come after you.'
'No, no that's not want I meant,' Gail said, 'and I will be safe. Frankie said I can't go anywhere without her or Price as my bodyguards, and apparently Chloe and Dov reunited last night after the operation so I'm guessing I'll have Dov at home to protect me as well. And Frankie's coming to stay.' Gail made a face and used air quotes when she said 'reunited', but secretly she was pleased Chloe had taken her advice to be candid with Dov about how she felt.
Holly didn't say anything for a moment but held Gail's gaze and Gail could tell she was struggling to come to a decision. Finally she spoke.
'Well, I'm moving in too. Just for now, until we get this guy.'
'Okay,' Gail nodded, 'Can we have really loud sex all the time to annoy the crap out of everyone else.'
'Gail,' Holly said, dragging out the word, her head tilted to one side, and Gail could tell the mood had shifted. 'So where is your bodyguard now?'
'Price is talking to Rodney. I bet she'll come looking for me any moment.'
As if on cue there was a knock on the door.
'See, what did I say?' Gail said with an impish smile. She opened the door to reveal Chloe clutching a takeaway coffee and a brown bag.
'Hi, um Dr Stewart they are ready for you to start the autopsies,' Chloe said by way of greeting, a peppy smile plastered across her face, 'and Officer Pedersen asked me to give you this coffee and sandwich,' she added as she advanced into the room.
'That is very sweet of him, whoever he is,' said Holly looking mystified but taking the proffered offering anyway.
'Believe me its not,' Gail said, 'He's a homophobic ass.'
'Oh, I'm guessing there is a story there Detective.'
Gail shrugged. 'I bet you haven't eaten all day, nerd.'
Holly nodded in confirmation.
'So, eat your sandwich. It's your favorite. Then we can all go down to the autopsy suite,' Gail said.
...
Gail marveled at how once Holly began the autopsy she switched into professional mode. There was no sign of her earlier agitation although Gail knew Holly was doing her best to mask it.
Both victims were photographed from head to toe, front and back, and then weighed and measured and their fingerprints taken. Now Holly was carefully examining Patricia Weston for any signs of trace evidence. Patricia was the victim upon whom the killer had left his message for Gail.
'He has washed the bodies thoroughly again.' Holly leant down and sniffed the body, 'It smells like some sort of chlorine based product. I was hoping, seeing as the victims were found so soon after being dumped, that we'd get some trace evidence,' Holly said as she continued her investigation.
'What about the message? Will it tell us anything? He would have written it after washing the bodies wouldn't he?' asked Gail.
'Yeah, but I doubt it will tell us much. There are no fingerprints so I'm guessing he wore gloves when he wrote it. We could get a handwriting expert to look at it.'
'Can they do that, off bodies?' Chloe asked.
'Don't see why not,' Holly answered tersely without looking up, 'I've not had experience of it but then killers don't usually use their victims as note pads.'
Chloe looked across at Gail with a worried expression. She hadn't meant to upset Holly. She realized how impossibly pressured this situation was for both women. Gail gave a little nod of assurance, but Chloe saw that she was biting her inner lip, a sure sign that Gail was troubled.
'This was a much more violent sexual attack than on the two previous victims. You can see by the excessive bruising on her inner thighs. I don't know if you noticed the mark on her back. It indicates she would have been pushed down with some force while being raped,' Holly said in a grim voice, 'It seems like not only is the time between kills accelerating but so is the violence of the attack.'
...
Frankie was alone in the Incident room going through the case notes while she waited for Gail and Chloe to return from the morgue. Gail had phoned to say that Holly had found a foreign hair on Patricia Weston's torso. She thought it was an arm hair and may have been deposited when the killer was writing the message. It was a breakthrough but would mean nothing unless they found a suspect.
A sound at the door made her turn, but instead of Gail and Chloe, Superintendent Peck stood there, her eyes narrowed and her lips in a tight line.
'I'm taking over this investigation. It has got too big for you to handle Detective and as of now my daughter is off the case.'
