Flat number 20 was cordoned off when Derek arrived at the crime scene. He had asked his DI to meet him there. From a brief glance it was nicely decorated and felt very homely. In stark contrast to what had happened there earlier.

Forensic Investigators were now all over the place, buzzing around like flies around shit. He hoped that meant there was a lot of evidence catching their interest. The main spot appeared to be the kitchen. Milk spilt on the floor didn't seem out of place. It was a fairly usual occurrence in his own kitchen. It was the blood that was more sinister. Spatters and streaks on the tiled floor told their tale which the FI's were trying to decipher.

"Sorry, Sir," DI James Booth said as he found his boss waiting for him. He was a youngish man in his thirties. Nicely dressed in a three piece suit, a bit overdressed really if Derek was honest. A bit of a high flier. Derek knew his time in VCU would be fleeting before he was on to higher things. "Rush hour traffic,".

"Not to worry. You're here now," Derek said.

"Welcome back. Nice holiday?".

"Seems so long ago already," Derek replied. He already wished he was back in the sun. On the beach in Tenerife with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandkids, rather than this crime scene.

"What's this case then, sir?" James asked.

"We might have a serial murderer on the loose," Derek replied. "Only he's fucked up and left his latest victim fighting for her life,".

"How come we got this case and not MIT?" James asked. Not that he minded. A serial murder case was big. If he did a good job on this, he would get noticed.

"Latest victim is a copper on MIT. DI Fleming,". James' eyebrows shot up. This was a very big case. "Targeted by a stalker who seems to have upped the ante somewhat. Possibly related to a similar case MIT are currently investigating,".

"Is this where it happened?" James asked.

"Yes. Her home," Derek answered. "Postie found her this morning when he noticed her front door was ajar. Found naked, hands tied and badly beaten,". A pile of opened letters caught Derek's eye and he approached them. Putting a latex glove on he picked up a letter and started to read. It was one of the stalker's. "Get these bagged and taken to VCU. Get a couple of the team to go through them,".

"Letters?" Checked James, not sure how they would help.

"DI Fleming's stalker sent her lots of correspondence," Derek explained. "I want to know if there's anything in here about tying her up and attacking her," he continued and James was quickly on the phone.

An hour later the rest of the VCU squad had arrived at the scene. Most were currently involved in door to door questioning of residents of Kate building, seeing if they had heard or seen anything suspicious.

James was in charge of the team involved in questioning those on Kate's floor. Frustratingly no one had heard much. The only person to have seen Kate recently had been the neighbour who lived directly opposite her. He knew about Kate's stalker as she had confided in him about it. They were friends as they lived so close. Had met at the residents gym and had the occasional drink since he had moved in a couple of months previously. Would look after each others parcels, that type of thing. He claimed to have seen her with a man about a week previously. She was going to move into his for a bit just to escape the stalkers attention. Working away from home quite a bit he had nothing more to add. James noted it down and went to find Derek to tell him of the only positive sighting they had of the victim.

"Sounds like it might be this Steve person," Derek said.

"Who?".

"AC-12 officer who worked with Kate when she worked there," Derek explained. "Apparently she's been staying with him for a bit,".

"Right," James said. "Shouldn't we be talking to him?".

"I think it's time," Derek said. "We'll go to the hospital first and then on to AC-12,".

The two police officers easily found Kate's bed on the ITU. The armed officers stood guard in case the suspect found out his victim was still alive and returned to finish off the job were a bit of a give away.

Through the window, they could see a woman who had been heavily beaten on a ventilator. She had been beaten so badly that she had received swelling to her brain and been placed in an induced coma whilst the swelling went down.

As they entered the room they found a forensics officer in a white suit leant over the bed, taking photographs of Kate's bruised body. She stopped what she was doing when she saw she had company.

"Have you managed to find anything?" Derek enquired, once introductions had been made.

"I'm afraid in order to save Kate's life, the hospital has removed any evidence that there might have been on the surface of her body," the FI replied. "But that's not to say we haven't drawn a complete blank," she added when she saw the police officers dismayed faces.

"Go on," Derek urged. Having thought it was bad news, he was a little hopeful.

"We have semen in the vagina," the forensics officer announced. "She had recently had sexual intercourse,".

"Rape?" Derek asked. The victim MIT were investigating hadn't suffered this fate, but then he had been disturbed, Derek remembered.

"Possibly," the FI confirmed. "Certainly there is some genital bruising and trauma to support that,". James made a note. "I'll run the sample through the DNA database, see if we can get an identification," she continued. Derek nodded.

"Anything else?".

"The anaesthetist who intubated her-"

"What does that mean?" Derek asked.

"Put the tube down her throat," the forensic officer explained. "He found what looks to be a pubic hair between her front top incisors. There is a root. Again I can get DNA from it and run it," the FI continued. James made another note as both the police officers wondered what sort of attack Kate had had to endure for the hair to be there. "And I'm no expert," the FI said,"but I think we have a bite mark on her left breast. I'm going to run it past a forensic dental expert. When you catch the person responsible we might be able to match it to their dental imprint," she concluded.

"That's it?" James asked. It wasn't much but at least they had a possibility of DNA evidence which juries loved if this case ever went to court.

"I'm afraid so," the FI said.

"Ever been to anti- corruption before?" Derek asked James as they approached AC-12.

"Can't say I've had the pleasure," James replied. "You?".

"No," Derek replied as he entered the rotating door ahead of James.

Trips to anti-corruption were not looked forward to by any police officer as it usually meant they were under investigation, but today was different. Today they would be leading the questioning. Producing their ID cards they asked for Steve.

One short phone call later and they were being directed to the lifts where the SIO of AC-12 would be waiting to greet them.

"Superintendent Hastings?" Derek asked as they stepped out of the lift. The man was legendary in the force. He certainly was committed to anti-corruption and Derek had to admit he'd done an amazing job at bringing down OCG's and corrupt coppers to date.

"That's right," Ted greeted his visitors as he held a hand out to shake theirs. "You're wanting to see Steve I gather?" he checked as he led the two VCU officers to his office.

"That's correct, Sir," Derek confirmed. "DI...?".

"Arnott," Ted informed them. "Not in any trouble is he?".

"No, Sir," Derek replied, and Ted inwardly sighed a little breath of relief. "We've been told he may be able to help us with our latest case,".

"Well he should be here shortly," Ted said. "Can I get you two a drink?".

"That's ok, sir. We'll just wait," Derek replied.

Thankfully Ted didn't have to come up with much small talk before he caught sight of Steve in the office area. Getting to his feet he opened his office door and beckoned Steve over with a finger. "Two officers from VCU to see you, Steve," he said as Steve entered the room.

On getting his first glance of the man, Derek instantly was reminded of his DI. Both men were in three piece suits. Well manicured beards.

"Hi," said Steve a little perplexed as he shook hands with both officers, wondering what they were here to see him about.

Sensing he was extra to requirements, Ted excused himself and left the three men in his office. No doubt Steve would inform him what was going on after the VCU officers had left.

"How can I help you?" Steve asked.

"You know a DI Kate Fleming?" James asked.

"Yes," Steve replied hesitantly wondering what Kate had to do with anything. "Are you here about her stalker?" he guessed.

"Sort of," Derek replied. "I'm afraid Kate has been attacked,". This was the part of the job Derek hated most. Delivering bad news to friends or family. It never got any easier.

"Attacked?" Steve asked worriedly.

"Found at her home this morning-".

"Oh I think you have the wrong person," Steve interrupted, quite relieved. "She's living with me at the moment and she got called in to work yesterday. MIT have a new case. She'll be at The Hill with them,".

"DI Arnott," Derek said. "I'm afraid Kate is the new case,".

"No she's not!" Steve retorted adamantly. "She got called in yesterday as I've said. Hang on a minute," Steve said as he fished out his phone and quickly dialled Kate's number. He'd have this sorted out in a second. "Alright mate!" He said once his call was answered. "Listen I've got two VCU officers-".

"Sorry, who is this?" a female voice asked which definitely wasn't Kate.

"Who are you?" Steve asked.

"I'm DS Howard," the voice replied. "I'm in VCU. I'm at a crime scene and heard the phone ring. I'm afraid I have some bad news-" was all Steve heard before he hung up.

Everyone in AC-12 heard the anguished wail that emanated from Steve at that moment as he realised that VCU had been telling the truth. His world fell apart as he realised that Kate had indeed been hurt.

Ted saw his DI collapse in to a chair in what looked like complete shock. "Everything ok in here?" He asked as he re-entered the room, knowing Steve needed him there.

"It's Kate," Steve said and Ted instantly knew it wasn't good news.

"What's happened?" Ted asked.

"I'm afraid her condition is quite serious," Derek informed them solemnly. "She's been badly beaten and...there's no easy way to say this," he continued awkwardly, "she may have been raped,".

"No!" Steve shouted at the last bit of news. "Oh fuck!" he said as tears started falling for his friend. Ted put a comforting arm around Steve's shoulder as the three men let Steve come to terms with the news. "Oh Kate," he said sadly after a while as he gathered himself together. Crying wasn't going to help catch whoever did this.

"You said Kate was called in to work yesterday?" Derek asked once Steve had calmed down. "Did you witness this call?".

Steve shook his head. "I was out," he said.

"Perhaps you could tell us about the last time you saw her,".

"It was yesterday morning," Steve said. "I had a five-a-side football match to play in. Kate loves Sunday roasts and was talking about making one for when I returned," he continued. "She went to the shops because all the stuff was in the fridge when I got back," Steve remembered.

"Was Kate there?".

"No," Steve replied. "I'd received a text from her," he explained as he found his last message from Kate. He showed it to the VCU officers.

'Change of plan. Work called. Got a case. Don't wait up,' it read. It had been sent at 4:30 pm on Sunday afternoon.

"There was no case was there?" Steve asked as an awful realisation hit him. As he had been going about a leisurely Sunday evening after his match, Kate had been enduring a horrific attack.

He looked at Derek who confirmed his worst fears with a shake of his head.

"Her attacker sent that message didn't he?" Steve realised.

"I think so," Derek confirmed. "Stop you from raising the alarm,".

Steve felt sick. Reaching for a nearby bin he soon emptied the contents of his stomach in to it.