Page 12 of M for Murder

‘If Boone is out there, Officer Angell, do you really believe that he would have waited eight years before deciding to kill again? You know the rules with serial killers. They each have their own pattern, their own regime, and they stick to it rigidly. Rodney Boone would never have managed to go for so long without a kill.’

‘He’d want to finish his alphabet, though,’ Rebecca pushed.

‘True,’ Sutton conceded. ‘But, like I’ve already said, it’s not him. Our killer dumped Scott Jagger’s body in the beach entrance of the sewer about half a mile back from where you guys found him. We know because the crime scene boys found an empty bottle of vodka back there that contained two sets of prints. One set of prints belonged to the vic, the other to his killer. We compared the second set to those of Rodney Boone’s and guess what? They didn’t match.

‘You can forget about Boone, Officer Angell, he’s got nothing to do with this murder. I know we never caught him, but I promise you the man is dead. The vic got him pretty bad with a knife and that was before the house burnt to the ground.

‘No, I think it’s more than likely that the guy who killed Scott Jagger is a sick, son of a bitch copycat who’s read about Boone and decided to finish the alphabet for him.’

Rebecca nodded, deep in thought as her brain sifted through everything that Sutton had told her.

‘The thing I don’t get,’ she said, ‘is why start on J? If Scott Jagger’s murder is in some way connected to the original murders, then the killer wants to complete the alphabet, right? If, as you say, the ninth victim got away, why hasn’t the letter “I” been re-accounted for?’

Sutton exchanged a glance with Hickok before turning his attention back to Rebecca.

‘To be perfectly honest, we’re still not–’

‘We do have a theory,’ Hickok said, interrupting.

Rebecca looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say. Instead of answering her, he coughed, clearing his throat, and shifted to a more comfortable position in his chair. He glanced briefly at Vic and then back at Rebecca, an expectant look on his face.

‘Which is?’ Rebecca said stiffly, annoyed that he was making her ask.

‘Well, if you think about it, Boone did actually get victim I. I know he didn’t kill her, but he pretty much went through the motions. It was only by pure luck that the vic left the house on her feet and not in a body bag.’

‘So your theory is that whoever killed Scott Jagger didn’t feel it necessary to go back for a new victim I?’

Hickok’s dark eyes looked her up and down. He gave her a quick flash of his cynical smile. ‘You’re catching on quick, Angell. I’m impressed.’

Rebecca narrowed her own eyes, glaring at him. ‘I’m a fast learner.’

‘So it seems.’

‘Your theory’s a bit weak though, isn’t it?’ she challenged.

To her left, Rebecca heard Vic stifle a laugh. She glanced at Captain Krigg and received a warning look and cursed herself for not being able to keep her temper in check.

‘I’m sorry,’ she apologised quickly. ‘I’m not trying to be difficult. It’s just that if somebody is going to go to the trouble of completing another killer’s murders, I would have thought they’d have made a point of getting the technicalities right.’

Hickok stared at her for a long moment before answering. Eventually, he shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. ‘Like you say, they’re just technicalities.’

‘But…’ Rebecca began, happy to sit and argue her point all day. Remembering the look she’d received from the Captain, she caught herself. Maybe it would be best if she just sat still and kept her mouth shut like Vic, before she got into trouble.

Hickok continued to stare at her. ‘I don’t think you realise quite how many people idolise serial killers, Officer Angell,’ he said in a taunting voice. ‘Do you have any idea how many people there are who would love to finish off what Rodney Boone started? On the other hand, it could just be some sick fuck looking for his fifteen minutes of fame. Now they’re two theories that definitely need investigating.’

‘Which is why you’re here,’ Vic said, scowling.

Hickok grinned and sat back in his chair. ‘Which is why we’re here, Officer Boaz.’ He glanced at Krigg. ‘Captain?’

Krigg, who had been sitting quietly listening to them explain, now sat up straight in his chair. ‘Special Agents Hickok and Sutton are going to be leading this investigation now, so I want you both to give them your fullest co-operation.’

‘What about Blake?’ Vic asked.

‘Detective Blake has been assigned to another case.’

‘Great. The suits come marching in and screw everything up.’

‘You’re not going to have a problem with this, are you, Vic?’ Krigg spoke sharply.