ONE YEAR LATER
James Langton, now Commander, stood by the window of the conference room at the MET headquarters. He's been summoned by the Deputy Commissioner and he has no doubt it's regarding the slow-going case of the Murphy family massacre.
The case is already a national sensation, and the pacing is far too slow for the liking of the higher ups. He agrees but even with his help, the team, led by Mike Lewis, is yet to find the killer. It is frustrating to say the least and he is feeling the immense pressure in closing the case.
"James, sorry to keep you waiting. Got held up with a phone call", Deputy Commissioner Waters greeted.
James feigned a smile and nodded.
"Judging by the look on your face, you already know why you're here",
"Yes…I wish I can give you some new developments but the team hit a brick wall so to speak", James confirmed.
The man sighed. "It is a bloody circus, James. I've seen the reports and yes, no one can fault you for the current state of the case but we do not control the media and they control the narrative",
"Don't I know it", James scoffed.
"So, I hope you will not take any offense but the case has been assigned a reviewer", James wanted to protest but it made sense given the delay in the case. He knew that's going to happen sooner or later. "It is not to find fault in Lewis' team or your guidance. Far from it. It is to aid the investigation and hopefully, to bring this case to a close", Waters said.
James nodded. If it is going to help solve the case, he's all for it. Hell, they can use all the help they need.
"Well, who is it then?" he asked.
"Detective Superintendent Anna Travis", Waters answered.
James halted.
He knew Anna was transferred to the Review Case Department. He was the one who recommended her after Sarah Mitchell's case. The post was meant to give her more time to herself and she had accepted it. After she got her transfer, work kept them apart and without him realizing it, it's been a year already.
What stunned him is the rank attached to her name—Detective Superintendent. Dear god…she is really moving too fast. He's not one to question Anna's skills. He knows she is a brilliant detective but it's been a while since someone climbed up the ladder that fast. It took him decades to reach that said rank even her father. Anna has barely reached a decade in the force and yet, she's already a DSI.
"I have no idea she's been promoted to DSI", he muttered.
"Yeah…four months ago. There was an opening and she applied. Her performance in the Review Case Department sealed it for her. She's a great detective",
"I have no doubt about that, Mat", James agreed.
"Well, I have already informed her about the case and she said she'll be there this week so you should inform Lewis ahead of time. If I remember it correctly, she used to be part of his team. I know Mike is a fair lad but I don't want any ruffles in the power dynamic when she comes on board. She outranks him now. Make that clear", James nodded. "It will also be favorable if you will continue to assist with the Murphy's case. I can have someone look after the other cases in your area. Travis will need your help with this one", Waters added.
James frowned at the tone of the Deputy Commissioner. He sounded worried for Anna.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
He knows Waters is fond of Anna. Most of the higher ups are because of her skills and track record. To hear him sound so worried about her made him curious.
"She was sent on a case in Belfast—a 28-day review. When she got there, she discovered it was not an isolated case but a serial killer on the loose. She ended up leading the investigation. She got the killer but there's been an incident", Waters trailed.
"What incident?"
"The suspect got to her in the interview room. She was beaten up bad before the other officers reached her",
James winced. "Jesus Christ…she's beaten up inside a police building cramped with tons of police officers?"
"I know. I know. Believe me, none of us was pleased when we heard the news. We sent couple of officers to get her back but she refused. She stayed for the trial and only agreed to return once the case was officially closed",
Sounds like Anna alright.
"…and the suspect? Please tell me he got a guilty verdict and lock away for good", because if he managed to escape his sentence then all of her hard work has been for naught.
"Oh, he got a guilty verdict, yes, but he was not able to serve it. He hanged himself before they could transfer him to another prison", Waters replied.
James normally would've been disappointed because he believes that's a coward's way of escaping justice just like what Alan Daniels did but he is glad that bastard is dead for what he did to Anna.
"You should have assigned someone else to Murphy's case. Travis deserved the rest", he suggested.
Waters chuckled.
"I did tell her that but you know her better than I do. I don't think she believes in vacation",
"Same old little Travis then",
"Yeah…so, you focus on this case, James. Anna will report sometime this week and help her out, will you?"
"Don't worry. I got her", James responded.
The doorbell rang and Anna went to the door to answer it. To her surprise, James stood before her and as soon as her face became visible to him, his eyes widened. "Oh, for Christ's sake!" he exclaimed before pushing the door wide open and letting himself inside her flat.
Anna took a second before she comprehends his reaction. Her face. She is yet to put something on it but forgot because she's spending her time reviewing the Murphy case in the kitchen.
She closed the door and followed James who is now in her living room, pacing. "How did you know where I live?" she moved after she got promoted to DSI. With the paycheck, she's able to afford herself a bigger space. Few months back, she wouldn't have bothered with it but after being transferred to Review Case Department, she got more free time on her hands and therefore, more time spent in her flat. She wanted some change so she bought a new bigger flat.
"I'm a detective remember", she made a face at him. "Just…what in the bloody hell were you thinking leading an investigation in bloody Belfast? You were supposed to do a 28—day review and you stayed there for two months! Not only that. You refused to return after that bloody bastard beat the shit out of you inside the interview room no less!"
So, he's been updated. Her money is on Waters.
"It's part of the job, James",
"What? Getting beat up inside a police station?"
"Yes!" her temper is rising as well. "We didn't sign up for a glamorous job, James. If that's what we're after, we've been working somewhere else. It's an unforeseen incident. I wasn't the only officer inside that room and the suspect was able to overpower them before he got to me. I'm still here and he's not. That's it",
She couldn't understand his reaction. It's not like he has never put himself on the line for the job before. Hell, he's been stabbed while on duty few years back.
"Jesus Christ, you know I nearly had a heart attack when I was told you were hurt. I know my reaction is a bit late but forgive me because I just found out", he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "How are you feeling?"
Anna smirked.
"…like I've been beaten up?" James pursed his lips. "Sorry, bad joke. I'm fine. I wouldn't be discharged if I wasn't. It looks worse than it is, promise", she answered.
James sighed in relief though the panic is still there in his chest. The bruises on her face don't help.
"So, you've been told about the Murphy case?"
She nodded. "Yeah…I was just studying it when you came bursting through my door. Want something to drink?" he nodded.
He followed her to the kitchen where he saw the case files on the counter. Yup, she's been studying alright. That's the Anna Travis he remembers, always ahead of time, always prepared. He watched as she got a bottle of wine and took out one glass. She then poured him a generous amount before they settled on the chairs.
"You're not drinking?" he asked.
"…not with the painkillers",
"…and you said you're fine", he deadpanned.
"I am. As much as I want to stop taking the meds, bruised ribs are not a walk in the park", his eyes shot up. "They're healing nicely", she tried to salvage it.
He wanted to protest but he knows if he does, Anna will snap at him for being overprotective.
"So, I guess I owe you a congratulations, Detective Superintendent",
He could have imagined it but he could have sworn that she just blushed in embarrassment.
"I was meant to call you but I got thrown in Belfast so…"
"Well, congratulations. You deserve it, Anna",
"Thank you", she then stared at the case file. "It's quite sad, isn't it? This case. An entire family gone this way. The world is all screwed up", she muttered.
James could only nod.
"Anything caught your attention?" he asked.
Whenever she chewed her lip, there's something going on inside her brilliant head.
"Nothing that hasn't been covered by the reports. I'm going to need to hear the complete brief, I think", she answered.
Anna rarely lies but when she does, she's terrible at it. She can play mind games inside the interview room but not with him. He knows she is already angling towards something but decided not to push. It's not the time nor the place.
"So, how's Belfast?" he changed the subject.
Anna scoffed.
"Grim, dull…everyone thought I was there to make them look bad. An officer from London reviewing their case. Then, there's the whole media fiasco and that little annoying journalist that kept on getting into my business",
"Your business? Why would that interest a journalist?" he asked.
Anna looked at him before shaking her head.
"I guess Waters didn't tell you everything, huh",
"Tell me what?" he prodded.
Anna leaned back on the chair. "I slept with an officer in Belfast. No, he's not part of the investigation I handled. He's from another team, different department. One bloody night and the whole thing was blown out of proportion. He died the next day and when they sift through his phone, they found his messages sent to my number. Then, they discovered he's involved in some illegal stuff which also included one of the officers working in my team there who ended up shooting himself inside his office out of guilt. Like I said, it's a bloody mess", she revealed.
He's stuck with the part that she slept with an officer from Belfast. Well, he knows she's no prude and that she's been with others before but an officer in Belfast?
"You gave him your number? Did you fancy him?" he asked.
Perhaps, she already moved on from Ken's death. He should be happy for her. All he wants for her is to be happy and he knows her fiance's death put a brake on that.
"Fancy?" she laughed. "Oh, James…just because I slept with the guy doesn't mean I fancy him. No, I did not. Perhaps, it was stupid of me to give him my number. I thought he could handle it, you know…"
"Handle what?" he asked.
"No strings, casual sex, but I was wrong. I was bored in Belfast and I thought it would be fun to have him on the side while I was there but he kept on sending me messages and pictures. Then, I found out he was married. I really do know how to pick them, right?" she chuckled.
James was stunned. He couldn't believe the words he's hearing from her. The Anna he knows believes in romance. She's a commitment kind of girl, someone who wants a man because she loves him and because she wants a future, a family. Since when did she become interested in meaningless sex?
"Now, you looked like Waters did when he found out", Anna shook her head in amusement.
"Well, color me surprise because I am. You've never done this sort of thing before",
She raised a brow at him.
"What? Sleep with someone just for the sake of it? I did. You remember Damien Nolan?"
Oh, that…the brother of the suspect that escaped their grasp, the husband of an accessory to the crime whose wife was sentenced to years in prison for harboring and aiding a criminal, that man.
"Anna…you need to be careful", he warned.
"Careful? With what?"
"You're a DSI now. You're not just some rookie detective who's just starting out. You need to take care of your reputation",
Anna bristled.
"Oh, that's rich coming from you, James. Are you telling me you don't have girls on the side after you remarried?" he has no retort to that. "That's what I thought. How come it's cool for a man to sleep around but when a woman does it, she's a slut?"
"I'm not calling you that", he pointed out.
Anna waved her hand. "Tomato, tomato…don't worry, James. What I do with my personal life doesn't affect my job. I learned how to separate the two. What happened in Belfast was a mess and one I have no intention of repeating",
James wanted to say more but he knows that anything he say to her, she would only flip against him.
"I guess I'll see you in the incident room then", he finished his drink.
"Yeah…I'll be there tomorrow morning",
He stopped himself from saying she should get some rest. Waters already gave her the green light and him telling her that will only set her off. He knows her temper.
"Alright then. See you in the morning",
"Thank you for checking up on me", she replied before letting him out.
Mike was surprised when he told her that Anna has been promoted to DSI and more importantly, she would be the one to review their case. James is aware of the tension between the two ever since Anna came to the murder squad. She's brilliant and has the tendency to bypass hierarchy just so she can solve a case. She often clashed with Mike in the process. Now, she outranks him. He knows that it is a bitter pill to swallow for his dear friend.
When Anna arrived, there is a mixture of feelings in the room. James studied them as they greeted her. He couldn't help but get a sense of déjà vu just by staring at them. Not too long ago, they were working on the Alan Daniels case. Anna was a rookie then. Now, she's a DSI.
"Anna, how are you?" Joan asked with a hug.
Anna fought back a grimace as she accepted the hug. "I'm doing fine, Joan. Thank you",
She knows that they are still thinking about Ken's death. They got that look on their faces whenever they see her after that time. It's like they are just waiting for her to break down or something and she will never give them that satisfaction.
"Congratulations are in order, I suppose, DSI Travis", Mike greeted her next.
She forced a smile.
"Thank you, Mike. Though I want you to know that I am not here to take over your case. I'm just here to assist. That's all", she assured him.
Mike can be sensitive when it comes to turf and authority. She has seen it before when he snapped during a briefing when she posed so many questions.
"Thank you",
"Well, shall we get started? I browed through the files but it's not complete",
"Let's go to my office",
Anna followed and when they got there, James is there waiting for them. She nodded at him before they all sat down.
"So, we got four bodies. Helen Murphy and Peter Murphy and their two children, Sophia and Dan Murphy. Cause of deaths were ruled as murders by stabbing multiple times. There were no DNA left on the scene, no eyewitnesses either. That's why this bloody investigation is taking so long", Mike relayed.
Anna studied the crime scene photos.
"They were found in different parts of the house?"
"Yes. The children were in their beds. Helen was found in the kitchen while Peter was killed in the living room", Mike answered.
She stared at the photos while James stared at her. He can see the wheels in her brain turning.
"He knew them", she whispered. "He knew their routines, studied them for some time. He waited for the right opportunity. It's a lone killer. That's why he needed them in separate parts of the house because ambushing them would create a mess. He's careful. He wouldn't want to leave a trace so he must be wearing gloves and hair protection. Possibly, he got a copy of their house key. I assume there's no sign of forced entry?"
Mike blinked dumbfoundedly as he browed on the folder.
"Uh…no. No sign of forced entry", he answered.
Anna nodded.
"Someone close to the family or worked in the house, but if it's a worker, he wouldn't have known the children's bedtime. He wouldn't have known that Peter Murphy liked to watch TV while his wife was doing the dishes. A family friend", Anna concluded.
James didn't know whether to be impressed or to be scared that Anna came up with that just by looking at the photos. Mike is simply stunned.
"We should interview the neighbors again", she suggested.
"We already did. They didn't see anyone coming in the house that day", Mike said.
"Yes, but they must have seen people came to that house days before that. Frequent visitors, someone who was always there with the Murphy's. We need to narrow down anyone who gained access in their house few weeks before they were murdered", she replied.
James nodded to Mike and the man left the room.
"That's good deduction, Travis", James complimented.
"…not good enough. Has the house been swept through by forensics?" he nodded. "We should start there", she got up and grabbed her coat.
James could only follow her.
He volunteered to drive this time around. She's always been the one driving for him whenever they worked together but he is still mindful of her state and he doesn't want her to exhaust herself.
"So, they were killed in different rooms of the house and that led you to believe it's someone close to them?" he asked.
She nodded.
"It's too much of a coincidence that they would all be separated when it happened. If the goal was to get all of them without so much of a struggle, without the risk of his DNA being left behind, having them separated was the best bet. To have that, he would need to study them close, know the house too well, know their daily routines", she answered while staring outside the window of the car.
James admit that it is a good conclusion. Mike's earlier theory was a break in but nothing in the house was missing.
"Is this the house?" he nodded. "Beautiful garden", she noted.
They went inside the house and James stood back as Anna scoured every inch of it with her eyes. She's not touching anything, just looking. He watched her work, studying her instead of the crime scene he'd seen couple of times before.
Then, she went at the backdoor before walking back to the front door. She stayed there for a few seconds before walking towards the couch where Peter Murphy was found dead.
Anna stood at the back of the couch, just staring at it, then at the TV.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
"He saw him", James frowned before Anna pointed towards the TV across the room. "He saw him through there. The reflection…when you opened the door earlier, it made no sound, no creaking at all. I'm guessing the hinges were newly oiled. He didn't hear the front door opening due to that and the volume of the TV. If one stands here, the TV screen was big enough to cover the height of a person standing from this spot. He saw someone standing behind him, tried to get up and turn around, but the killer was quick. A stab to the neck, hitting his jugular. He slid back to this couch but for some reason, he didn't fell off the floor", she answered.
James studied the couch. It's a normal couch. If someone tried to get up and slid back in, with a dead weight the size of Peter Murphy, he's bound to fall off the couch.
"He was held in place, kept him from falling to the floor. Perhaps, to avoid making a sound", he deduced.
Anna nodded and then went to the kitchen. "The sink was aligned with the entrance of the kitchen so her back would have been turned. She was stabbed on the right side of her torso, right?"
"Yeah…then two at her back", James supplied.
He then followed her upstairs leading to the bedrooms of the children. She stared at the twin beds for a moment before shaking her head.
"They must have been asleep when it happened. Dan first then Sophia. He could have covered Dan's mouth as he stabbed him so he wouldn't scream and wake his sister. It was quick, one stab to the chest but not with him. He woke up on the first stab so he covered his mouth and then stabbed him again", he noted a tone of detachment in her voice before she left the room to stand in the hallway.
Anna was taking a deep breath as she leaned against it. James stood closely.
"Stop what you're doing", he muttered.
She turned to him with a frown. "What?"
"You're doubling, Anna. Don't think I am not aware of the method. There's a reason it's not recommended for detectives",
Doubling a dangerous method of putting one's brain into the perspective of the killer in order to understand them, their methods, their motivations. In most cases, those who dabbled with it ended up sympathizing with the killers or developing depression. A few numbers of cases wherein detectives developed a fascination with the mind of the killer and a rare number wherein they became one.
"Profilers do", Anna argued.
"From a distance…they look at the case file, the evidence, and they give their educated hypothesis. They don't go to the crime scene and plunge their psych into the headspace of the killer. Anna, don't do this to yourself", he replied.
Not only it is dangerous, it is also a form of a bloody torture. Doubling doesn't end with visiting crime scenes, staring at photos of the victims' bodies. It means taking it with you until you sleep, straight to your dreams. It is consuming.
"I am fine, James. We need to solve this case and find the killer. Don't worry about me, alright? We should head back", she said.
At the station, Mike was baffled with the information Anna gathered just by visiting the crime scene. James didn't mention about the method she's using because that would only create a ruckus within the team.
She visited the lab whilst he joined Lewis in interviewing a few neighbors. Just as Anna suggested, they questioned them about the visitors in Murphy's residence few weeks earlier the date of the murder.
"Oh yeah…Peter got this friend. He used to come to their house every Friday night. He would bring basket of fruits and toys for the kids. He was a great guy. I can't remember his name though", one said.
"They did have a handyman working a month ago. The front door was damaged after the storm so they had it replaced, but that's the only time I saw him around. I asked Peter for his number because we got some things needing fixing too but I think he forgot about it", another said.
An old lady two houses down to the left stared at James and sighed. "You're here about the murder again",
"Just a few questions, if you don't mind, ma'am", he said politely.
She let them in and made them tea.
"How many times are you going to come here asking questions though? It is a tragedy what happened to those poor souls and I, for one, would like to move past it. I am an old woman and the thought of those poor children…" she sniffled. "It breaks my heart",
"We were hoping this is the last one. We were wondering if you noticed any visitors of the family few weeks prior to the murder. Anything might help us", James asked.
The woman sighed and started to ponder.
"Well, there is that man who came every Friday. Larry…I think that's his name. Peter introduced him once while I was watering the plants outside. He smiled at me and offered some oranges but I declined. I knew they're Sophia's favorite so I refused the offer. He's there every week. They didn't get many visitors. I don't think they even held parties in that house. They're very quiet family", she sipped on her tea, her eyes filled with loneliness. "After the storm, Peter asked me if I knew anyone who knows how to replace a door. I recommended my handyman, Norman. He replaced their door. That's just it", she recalled.
It's consistent with the other neighbors' statements. Only two visitors within a month: the handyman Norman and the family friend, Larry.
Anna let that information brew in her head. Without the last name, Larry would be hard to trace but Norman is not considering the old neighbor gave his information.
"You want to question the handyman?" James asked her.
"No…Mike should. This is his case", she answered.
"He's been there only once. It couldn't be him. You said the killer was knowledgeable of the house and their routine", he pointed out.
Anna nodded.
"…but he did replace their front door. That would mean replacing the locks",
"So, he could have access to the front door",
"Yes…not enough to go on but it's worth a try to question him", she said.
The next day, Norman is at the station. Anna watched from the viewing room as Mike and Paul sat with Norman. She's not very keen in sitting in that room just yet. Besides, it is Mike's case. She doesn't want to step on his toes or make him feel she's stealing the case from him.
"You replaced the front door of the house of the Murphy's correct?" Mike started.
"Yeah…Mrs. Gibson asked me if I could help them out. I worked for her many times and she's always recommended me for jobs in the neighborhood. That's the only time I did work for the Murphy's though. I offered to take a look at the house for any more damages from the storm but Mr. Murphy said he already did and it's only the door so I didn't insist anymore", Norman answered.
They went on and on about the day he went there. The entire job was done in a day so there's not much room to find any implicating evidence against Norman.
"They're going in circles", James muttered.
"He's innocent", Anna said.
"Bloody yes, he is. I'm going to stop this—" Anna stopped him from getting up. "What is it?"
"He said he did the work on November 8?" James nodded. "James, it's a Friday", she said.
James took a second to realize what she's trying to say.
"It's a Friday", he repeated and there's another person who frequent the Murphy's residence every Friday.
James went out of the viewing room and knocked on the door of the interview room. Mike went out to meet him.
"Ask him if he saw a visitor coming in that day. November 8 was a Friday, Mike", he instructed.
Mike also understood immediately what he was trying to do. He nodded before returning inside the room.
As suspected, Norman saw a man came to the house that day with a basket of fruits. He didn't know his name but he was certain that there's someone else other than the Murphy family in that house that day. They also asked him to give a description of the man so they could provide a sketch.
Anna kept quiet as the team brainstormed in the incident room. Her brain is still going and she couldn't stop it. If this Larry came that day while Norman was fixing the door, it is possible that he could have gotten a spare key. Norman couldn't remember if there's one missing because he handed the entire set to Peter once he's through the job. He didn't count it.
"You should go home", Mike said to her.
"I'm fine, Mike. Good job in there earlier",
He scoffed.
"I know it was you…the one who figured out that November 8 was a Friday. We wouldn't have been able to get something out of that interview without that bit",
Anna turned away. "It's not about the piece of date, Mike. Interviewing a person is more than throwing facts and questions across the table. You know that",
Mike nodded. As much as he hates the fact that she outranks him now, he never denied how great of a detective Anna is. Perhaps, it is his ego or his insecurity at play sometimes but he respected her and she gets the job done.
"How are you feeling? I heard of what happened in Belfast", he asked.
He didn't know much of it just a tiny bit of gossip about Anna being attacked inside the police station there. When she appeared in the station with bruises on her face, he knew then it was true.
"I'm doing fine. I stopped with the painkillers so it's a good sign", she answered with a smile.
A lot has changed in her since the last time he saw her. He knows it started with the death of her fiancé. A horrible tragedy. He couldn't imagine it. He almost lost his wife twice to illness and it's been difficult for him. He couldn't begin to comprehend what it must be like for Anna to lose the man she loved in that way—from a killer obsessed with her.
"Well, you should refrain from drinking still. We still need you here so you don't have the right to faint any time soon",
Anna chuckled.
"I promise not to faint any time soon",
It was James who suggested for Anna to go home a few minutes after Mike did and she knows that she couldn't say no to him this time. He's as stubborn as she is and refusing would only result to argument and she has no energy left in her to argue.
Once she gets inside her car, she winced in pain when she made a wrong turn trying to place her bag onto the passenger seat. She took a few deep breaths, composing herself, before she started the car and drove off.
Meanwhile, James was just outside of the building watching her and he wished to god that Anna would acknowledge the importance of taking a break just so she can start taking care of herself but he knows he is wishing on deaf ears.