6.
The drive over to the university was mostly in silence as Gerry tried to remember everything about the case he could. He ran a hand over his face as Sandra overtook a cyclist.
"What?"
"Nuffin." Gerry glanced at her. "You really think there is a chance someone at the Uni will remember the girls? It's a bit of a long shot."
Sandra shrugged. "Dunno. Might do. That's what we do, isn't it? Take long shots?" She cursed under her breath as a van pulled out in front of them.
"Yes. But."
"You can stop feeling guilty when you like." She stated firmly. "You are making this case about you and your failings. It's not. It's about two young women who were robbed of their lives."
"I am not!" He snapped. "I want to find the scumbag what did this and lock em up for as long as possible. Lucy's parents will never know the truth! Imagine going to the grave not knowing who killed your daughter and why? I was the same age as Karen's boyfriend. I was married to Paula's mother."
"Alison. I know." Sandra parked the car in the university car park. Gerry ran his hand over his face, exhausted and exacerbated in equal measure.
"Is it so wrong that I regret not finding the murderer back then? That the case gave me nightmares? If Alison hadn't been pregnant I probably would have quit the force over this. So yeah. It's personal. Ok!"
Sandra stared at him. Eyes wide she knew she hadn't seen him so upset for a long time. Gently she touched his hand, squeezing his larger fingers in her own.
"Ok." She smiled as she realised he was on the verge of tears.
"I'm too old for this." He sighed.
"Don't say that in front of Jack." She smiled as he huffed. "Cmon." She opened the car door hoping that they would be able to find the missing link that had eluded the previous team of investigators. Gerry stepped out of the car before following her like a petulant child.
Xxxxxxxx
"Science eh?" Ted smiled as he and Dan walked through the Met's evidence archives. Dan shrugged slightly. "Just when you think things are advanced as they are gonna get science proves us wrong." Dan shot him a sideways look.
"You always insist on seeing the bright side of things." Dan smiled.
"Only way to see life." Ted stated firmly. "No point in looking for the negative. If I did that, where would I be ?" He pushed the door open to the main forensic lab. "Karl? You in ere?" He yelled as a balding, middle aged man appeared.
"Do you have to shout?" The rotund man yelled back.
"No, if you wore your bloody hearing aids! Did you look ati the evidence I asked you to?"
"No." Karl glared. "I went to Miami instead! What do you think?" He huffed as Dan suppressed a smile. "Fibres from Karen's jeans were kept as were two very small samples of hair found in Lucy's trainers. Neither matched the girls so I ran them through the databases from 1980 to 1985. No luck."
"Great." Ted was beginning to think they were hitting a brick wall. Dan rocked back on his heels as he watched his friend seem to deflate.
"So I ran them through samples taken from convicted murderers in the time span of 1986 until 2015."
"Big time frame." Dan stated. Karl raised his eyebrows.
"Two dead women. Big deal."
"Did you find anything?" Ted asked.
"Yes." Karl handed the grey file he had been holding to Ted. "They didn't find the killer at the time because forensic science wasn't as interconnected as now. I traced the sample to the Gold Coast of Australia."
"What?"
"The sample from the denim jeans belongs to a man currently serving life in prison in Adelaide. I suggest you get on the phone and start looking further a field." He watched both men stare at him in shock. "Good day gentlemen." Karl turned on his heel before leaving them stood there looking at the spot he had abandoned.
Xxxxxxx
"You are kidding me." Sasha wanted to laugh as Strickland appeared in the UCOS office. Jack shrugged as Brian and Steve glanced at each other.
"Australia." Strickland sighed. "We have to send someone over there to interview Zachary Lloyd."
"Not me." Jack stated firmly. "I'm not flying that far with my heart. Brian can't go."
"Not after Gibraltar." Brian agreed. "My Esther wouldn't stand for it."
Strickland turned to Sasha and Steve.
"How many of us?"
"Sasha, you are to stay here. I want one senior officer in the UK coordinating this. Gerry, Sandra, Dan."
"Oh no! Hollie is home from university. She's due surgery for her scoliosis. I'm not leaving her." He held his hands up, adamant. "And Steve and Charlie have a new baby. Family friendly policy yes?"
"Ok, Ok." Strickland held his hand up. "Sandra and Gerry have to go. There's no one else." He looked up as the couple he mentioned returned to the office.
"What? Go where?" Sandra snapped, clearly annoyed at joining the conversation late. Gerry huffed.
"Australia." Strickland turned to her. "You and Gerry fly to Adelaide tonight. No arguments!" He left them staring at each other as Brian and Jack smirked.
Xxxxx
