Текст книги "Scent of a Killer"

Автор книги: Kevin Lewis

Соавторы: Kevin Lewis
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8

DCI Anderson felt as though his whole investigation had arrived at a fork in the road and that he had absolutely no idea which way to turn.

Within the Metropolitan Police there was always great reluctance to label any murder the work of a serial killer until it was absolutely necessary. Most serial killers went after a particular social group – prostitutes, the homeless and so on. In cases where there seemed to be no link between the victims, news of a potential killer on the loose would do nothing but spread panic.

There was also the issue of feeding the fantasy of the killer. Many such psychopaths were known to get a thrill from seeing details of their handiwork reported in the press or on television. The oxygen of publicity could easily encourage the murderer to strike again.

On the other hand, failing to warn the public of the potential threat could lead to complaints and even legal action. All it would take was for the family of one victim to claim that he or she would never have left their house on that fateful night had a proper warning been issued. Then there would be more than enough shit flying around to ensure some of it would stick to everyone involved in the case.

Anderson needed to know exactly what he was dealing with, and that meant talking to an expert. A profiler. Michelle Rivers, the usual first choice for many senior MIT officers, was on secondment in America, so instead he had asked Dr Jacques Bernard, a Canadian professor of forensic psychology who was teaching at King’s College, to come in. The professor had been highly recommended by officers in both the UK and US who had used him in the past.

Rather than briefing the whole team, Anderson decided it would be better for him to first have a quiet word with Dr Bernard in order to help him decide on his next move. Tall and distinguished looking with dark brown hair flecked with grey at the temples and a heavy moustache, Dr Bernard looked more like a film star than a university professor. All female eyes in the room drank in his features as he made his way across the office floor. As the guest made himself comfortable in the corner of the DCI’s office, Anderson gave strict instructions that he was not to be disturbed for the foreseeable future.

‘Well,’ said Anderson as he sat behind his desk opposite Dr Bernard. ‘What do you think?’

‘I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this before in my life,’ he said, his accent a perfect blend of Canadian French and English. He reached into his briefcase and pulled out the copies of the files that Anderson had sent him earlier in the day. ‘There have been cases before where several mutilated bodies have turned up at one time, particularly when it comes to battles between rival gangs of bikers back home. But this, this is different. What you have here is not just someone who wants recognition for their work, but someone who wants to be identified as a leading serial killer right from the word go. As I’m sure you already know, the classic FBI definition of a serial killer is a person who kills at least three times with a cooling-off period in between murders.

‘The reality is that most of the time serial killers can get away with what they do because we don’t even know they are out there. You have three bodies from three different time periods. Had the killer not dumped them in plain view, it’s unlikely that anyone would ever have known for sure that they had been killed.’

Dr Bernard paused as Anderson shifted some papers to one side of his desk to make way for a ruled pad on which he began making notes. ‘Please, continue.’

‘There are many elements in this case that I find particularly disturbing. The victimology is one. Every serial killer is different but the thing they all usually have in common is that their victims tend to be similar. They all go after people who are short and slight. The reasons are obvious – such people are easier to attack, move around or dispose of. Small men, slight women and children. That’s why female serial killers tend to go after babies or the elderly. But even male serial killers tend to choose victims who are smaller than themselves. They don’t want to risk someone being able to get the better of them.’

Bernard sorted through the pages in front of him, searching for details from the initial autopsy reports. ‘But look here, Raymond Chadwick was a big man. Six feet two inches and more than seventeen stone. Miller was smaller – only five ten – but still fit and strong. Your unknown was somewhere in between the two. They are not typical serial killer victims.’

‘What does that tell us?’

Bernard shrugged. ‘I think it’s too early to tell. Could be you have more than one person involved in the murders.’

‘Great.’

‘There’s also the fact that two of your victims appeared to be successful businessmen. Serial killers tend to go after runaways, prostitutes or drug addicts – the kind of people who are easier to target because they live on the edge of society. The sort of people who, when they disappear, nobody even misses.’

‘Makes sense.’

‘What that says to me is that there is a specific reason why these people are being targeted, but as of yet there is no clue about what that might be.’

Bernard rotated one of the photographs from the autopsy through a full three hundred and sixty degrees before placing it back in his file.

‘I also have grave concerns about the MO.’

‘Why?’

‘Because it’s identical in each case.’

‘I don’t understand. Surely the fact it’s identical proves we’re looking for a serial killer.’

‘To some degree, but not as much as you’d think. If you look at crimes other than murder, criminals tend to be fairly consistent. If you burgle houses and you like to break in through the back door, you’ll probably do that every time. But burglars go out to work several times a week. Serial killers murder only once in a blue moon. There might be years in between. When they become ready to kill again, they often try to fix or change anything that failed to work properly last time around. Or they might have found a way to get much more of a thrill.

‘I know a case in which a serial killer switched from stabbing to strangling because he cut himself while carving up his last victim and got covered in blood. Another who didn’t tie up his first victim and got kicked in the balls. You can be sure he tied up every victim after that. I know other cases in which killers have switched from murdering their victim right away to torturing them to death over a period of days because the first time it was all over too soon and they wanted to have more time to enjoy themselves.

‘Using MO to link crimes can be problematic. An MO could change from one killing to the next; you don’t know what other factors might be in play. Someone who always stabs his victims five times may stab one twenty times because they somehow insulted him. Someone who always rapes his victims may have been disturbed by someone walking their dog or forgotten to pack his condoms or simply changed his mind.’

Bernard spread the autopsy photographs of each victim across the front of Anderson’s desk. ‘But in this case the modus operandi is absolutely identical. This to me speaks of someone who has already perfected their methods and techniques. Even though one of your bodies is two years old, I think you’re looking for someone with a record of crime and violence that stretches back far, far further. There are going to be other bodies and they will be even older than these.’

Anderson stopped his scribbling and looked up for a moment, his face grim. ‘I’m very grateful for all of this, but, at the same time, if you’re correct, this opens our investigation even further.’

Dr Bernard nodded in agreement. It was clear he too wished he had better news to deliver. ‘The MO is worrying for other reasons too. There are dozens of serial killers out there that nobody gets to hear about because, to be perfectly honest, they just aren’t interesting enough. If you want to be a famous serial killer, you have to stand out from the crowd. You kill more than a dozen victims, send taunting letters to the police or do bizarre things to the bodies.

‘What you have here is someone who is not only ensuring that they are counted as a serial killer but who, thanks to the mutilation of the bodies, is ensuring that as soon as the details are released to the public they’ll join the ranks of serial killer royalty.

‘Most killers would have to work their way up to something like this. They would have to practise again and again, refining what they do. As I said before, what you have here is the work of someone who has already passed that stage.’

Anderson put down his pen, then reached up and rubbed his palm against his chin. ‘I don’t know what I was expecting. To be honest, all you’re doing is making me realize that we’re up against someone who is even more steps ahead than I’d imagined they were in the first place.’

Dr Bernard shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t worry. Working a murder case is all about playing catch-up. I just didn’t realize quite how much catching up we had to do.’

‘Do you still want me to speak to your team?’

‘Yes and no. They’re pretty motivated out there and I think something like this could really take the wind out of their sails. It’s one thing looking for a killer who has committed three random murders, quite another to think that we’re part of some bigger, sicker game. I think I’d like to wait until we identify the third victim before you give them a full briefing; that way we’ll know for sure if there’s a connection between them. What I would like in the meantime, however, is just a general sense of the way the mind of a serial killer works.’

‘But nothing specific?’

‘No, that’s not necessary. I think it would be good for them to know what we’re up against. To have an idea of the kind of clues that might be cropping up – the areas they should be concentrating on.’

‘I’ll do what I can.’

‘How long are you over here for, by the way?’

‘Officially just until the end of the academic year, but this is my sixth attachment in London in the past ten years. I really love it here. It’s pretty much my second home. I’ll almost certainly be staying on.’

Anderson opened the door to his office to find DI Collins pacing up and down outside.

She had returned from interviewing Sandra Miller soon after Anderson had shut himself away in his office with the psychologist and given orders that he was not to be disturbed. She had spent the time since making phone calls and collating information. What had started out as an interesting development in the murder case had now evolved fully into a potential lead.

She barged her way into the office, pausing only briefly as the handsome face of Dr Jacques Bernard smiled over at her from the corner of the room. Flustered for a split second, she regained her composure and turned to Anderson.

‘Sir, I think I might have something here,’ she gasped, her voice breathless with excitement.

The brief report she handed over made grim reading. At least four separate complaints from under-aged girls who claimed Edward Miller had molested them had been looked into. Each of the cases had been handled by a separate team of social workers working in a different local authority. Focusing their attention on the victims, rather than on the person behind the attacks, they never realized they were dealing with a repeat offender. The police were brought in each time but there was never enough evidence for them to be able to make any charges stick.

‘How come none of this showed up on the PNC search?’ asked Anderson.

‘The cases were in Humberside,’ Collins said simply.

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake.’

No further explanation was needed. Every officer in the country knew that, up until the mid-2000s, Humberside Police had a policy of destroying all computerized intelligence files. Senior staff at the force had misinterpreted the Data Protection Act and decided they would be in breach of regulations if they kept information about those who were arrested or questioned but never actually charged. No other force in the country made the same error.

Humberside’s actions only came to light when it emerged that Ian Huntley, the Soham murderer, was able to get a job in a school despite numerous complaints that he had raped or sexually assaulted under-aged girls. Computerized background checks run by Cambridgeshire Police failed to throw any light on his past because the information had been erased.

‘What about the wife? Why didn’t she say anything before?’

‘I think she was ashamed. She saw he had an interest in much younger women, but, so far as she knew, he never did anything to pursue it, at least where under-aged girls were concerned. She hoped it was just a phase he was going through and that, over time, he would fall in love with her as she was, not just yearn for the early days of their relationship when she was little more than a schoolgirl.

‘She hinted at what was going on when DI Hill interviewed her, saying her husband was looking to replace her with someone younger, but he never pursued it.’

Anderson hit the speaker button on the front of his phone, then dialled a number. After two rings the gruff voice of DI Hill filled the room. There was a rushing sound in the background and Collins guessed that he was in his car.

‘Hello?’

‘Hill, you’re a fucking idiot.’

‘You what?’

‘Just get yourself back here a.s.a.p.’

Hill’s voice spluttered as he tried to work out why on earth his boss was delivering such a bollocking. He had barely begun to string a sentence together when Anderson hit the button again and cut him off, turning his attention back to the people in his office.

‘Good job, Collins. I guess DCS Higgins was right. Let me introduce you to someone. This is Dr Jacques Bernard. He’s a criminal psychologist with King’s College. I brought him in to help us work up some kind of profile of the person we’re looking for. Dr Bernard, this is Detective Inspector Stacey Collins, one of the lead officers on the murder team.’

Dr Bernard stood up, moved towards Collins and held out his hand. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ he said. His voice was beautifully mellow. Their palms touched. His hands were large and powerful yet neatly manicured. When Collins went to pull hers away, he held on just a fraction too long.

‘Nice to meet you too,’ she said softly.

Anderson handed the report that Collins had given him to the psychologist. ‘Do you think this could be relevant?’

Dr Bernard frowned in concentration. ‘It’s very hard to say. At the moment, so far as I’m aware, there is nothing to link the other two victims to this kind of activity. It could be nothing more than a coincidence, but I think it is undoubtedly a lead worth pursuing.

‘There have been cases where killers have targeted, say, prostitutes in a belief that they are cleaning up the streets, ridding the world of its filth. Going after sex offenders could be part of a similar mission.’

Anderson nodded. ‘But, as you say, it could be nothing more than a coincidence. I remember talking to a friend about the Soham inquiry. You know the night those girls went missing, a convicted paedophile from Devon who had previously abducted a couple of girls around the same age happened to be in town. Turned out his granny lived there. He had nothing to do with the crime, just a pure coincidence. These things happen. Collins, let’s keep this material out of the briefing for now – I don’t want anyone’s thinking blinkered as a result – but I want you and Woods to follow this up in the morning. Top priority.’

It took half an hour or so before DI Hill and the remaining members of the inquiry team who were out and about returned to the office and arranged themselves in a semicircle to await the promised presentation.

Dr Jacques Bernard moved to the front of the room until he was standing directly underneath the board showing the names of the victims. He took in the faces of those around him, his eyes seeming to linger for a moment when they met those of Stacey Collins, who was sitting on a desk towards the back. Dr Bernard cleared his throat and began to speak.

‘I can tell from the expectant expressions on your faces that you assume I’m about to perform some kind of minor miracle, that I’m going to tell you exactly what sort of person you’re looking for, where they live, how many kids they have, how long they’ve been married and what they do for a living.

‘But sadly this isn’t some slick American television show and I can’t give you anything of the sort. What I can do is tell you everything that I know about serial killers. And you may be surprised to find that much of what you think you already know is likely to be wrong.’

Collins shifted in her seat and glanced over at Woods, who rolled his eyes up at the ceiling. She didn’t like profilers at the best of times and felt that this one, though more pleasant on the eyes than most, was already starting to get on her nerves. It was as if she was back at school with some know-it-all teacher lording it up at the front of the class. She hadn’t liked school much either.

‘Statistically, the typical serial killer is a white male from a lower-to-middle-class background, usually in his twenties or thirties,’ Dr Bernard continued. ‘He is not a lunatic. He is far more likely to be a charming, impeccably dressed, polite individual than an out-and-out oddball. Like the best predators, serial killers stalk their prey by gaining their trust. Don’t go out there looking for someone who stands out from the crowd: the person you’re after will be able to blend in perfectly.

‘He will be absolutely fascinated with the police and with authority in general. He probably spends a lot of time reading about police procedures, taking courses or watching detective shows. He may have attempted to become a police officer himself but probably got rejected and ended up working as a security guard or serving in the army. He may even have found a job that brings him into regular contact with the authorities. One thing that is particular to this case: the offender is going to be extremely physically strong, capable of lifting a full-grown man.

‘It’s likely that he also spends a lot of time reading books about psychology and sociology. He will use that knowledge to manipulate situations to help generate sympathy in those around him. This, of course, is the perfect way to get people to lower their defences.’

Collins folded her arms and shifted back on the desk in an effort to get comfortable. This might have been new to some of the others on the team but for her it was old hat.

Dr Bernard continued. ‘In terms of actual background, you’re looking for someone who may have been physically or emotionally abused by their parents. Some serial killers claim that exposure to violent images or events was the catalyst that sent them down the path of destruction, but the fact is that there are many children and adults who have witnessed such events and gone on to become perfectly normal, productive members of society.

‘Although the popular image of a serial killer involves someone who takes a trophy from his victim or tortures and mutilates them, the reality is that this happens only in a tiny proportion of cases. Most of the time killers hit victims over the head, rape them or strangle them, and leave them wherever they drop. It usually happens very quickly. You’re looking for someone who has the ability to put a lot of time and effort into what they do.

‘He will have been extremely careful when it comes to covering his tracks, so it’s perfectly possible that he does not have a criminal record for any kind of violent offence. Instead look out for incidents of arson or cruelty to animals. The small proportion of killers who torture their victims have often practised their brutality on their pets. Pyromania is another key indicator. Serial killers see their victims as objects rather than as human beings. To them, destroying a piece of property and destroying a person amounts to much the same thing.

‘Finally, you’re looking for someone who can remain extraordinarily cool under pressure. Research has shown that psychopaths and serial killers have a greater fear threshold, and are less likely to respond to fear-inducing stimuli or sudden shocks. Some researchers think they are virtually immune to those kinds of emotions.’

Dr Bernard turned around and took a long, slow look at the board that held the victims’ details. ‘Are there any questions?’

‘What’s your view on why the bodies were dumped?’ asked Anderson.

‘It’s impossible to say for sure without having more information about a potential suspect but what I can say for certain is this. In many cases, serial killers who have got away with a number of murders over a period of many years can actually feel put out that no one has recognized what they see as their achievements. This is particularly true in cases where more than one murder has taken place but police have failed to identify a link between the victims.

‘In such cases, it has been known for the killers to begin playing games with the police or the press, writing letters, sending them tapes or using some other way to communicate, all with an intention of steering them on to the right track so that they eventually realize a multiple murderer is on the loose. In such cases, the killers actually want to be caught.’

Anderson nodded. ‘And you think that might apply here?’

‘It is one possible scenario.’

‘If that’s the case,’ said Collins, a mischievous smile spreading over her lips, ‘it will make our job one hell of a lot easier.’ A chuckle of laughter rippled throughout the room. Even Anderson couldn’t help but giggle.

The briefing over, Collins was back at her desk, probing deeper into Miller’s background, when she felt a sudden presence close by. She looked up to see Dr Jacques Bernard smiling down at her.

‘Detective Inspector Collins.’

‘Yes?’

‘Excuse me for saying this, but I couldn’t help feeling that you were, shall we say, a little bit sceptical about some of the information I was providing.’

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be. It’s just that … well, I think that criminal profilers are a bit like psychics and mediums.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘When they talk, people remember the few accurate predictions they’ve made and forget all the stuff that they’ve got wrong. The trick is to use a whole load of ambiguous, vague stuff that can be seen to apply to anything. Smoke and mirrors.’

‘You think that’s what I’ve been doing?’

‘I’m talking in general terms here. I wasn’t trying to be specific to what you had said.’

‘Well, I agree with you to some extent. You know a team at the University of Liverpool has just done a study and found that most serial killers don’t fit into the behavioural patterns and distinctions that the FBI uses to catch them, so maybe you’re right.’

‘Maybe.’

‘But, on the other hand, I don’t always follow those patterns either. I can assure you that everything I’ve been talking about is extremely valid and very useful to someone such as yourself. Perhaps we could discuss it in more detail some day.’ He hesitated then flashed that smile again. ‘Perhaps over dinner? With a spot of PG?’

‘Tea?’

The smile grew wider, more infectious. ‘Pinot Grigio. It’s my favourite wine.’

‘Ah.’

Collins tried hard not to return the smile but felt it creeping across her face all the same. ‘Perhaps.’