The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth Page B

added another log to the fire and then watched as a shower of sparks flew up the chimney. Behind him the doctor, too, was gazing into the flames, his eyes clouded with thought. Sinclair returned to his seat.
    ‘What did you make of it, sir? The crime itself, I mean? As you probably know, John thinks this man has killed before.’
    ‘So he said. And I can understand why. One must be cautious when drawing conclusions from evidence that is purely circumstantial, but there are strong indications that this was no ordinary predator,’ Weiss said.
    ‘You’re referring to the post-mortem assault, I assume?’ Sinclair sat forward in his chair, curious now. Weiss nodded.
    ‘The battering of the girl’s face was most unusual. Although abuse of the victim’s corpse is a common feature in cases of this kind – most often it reflects the killer’s contempt for the body that has served its purpose – so deliberate an assault has the appearance of a ritual. One should not overlook the care which this murderer took with his preparations, either. Am I right in thinking he carried the child’s body some way to the spot he had chosen for the assault?’
    ‘Yes. Through quite dense undergrowth.’
    ‘To where there was a stream. An important detail. Perhaps he already had a picture in his mind of what was to follow. Perhaps he knew he would have to wash the blood from his body afterwards. If we see all this as part of a pattern, then it is hard to believe this man has not committed similar crimes in the past.’
    The doctor broke off. He’d shifted his gaze from the fire and was looking at Sinclair, who sat pondering.
    ‘There’s something you don’t know, sir.’ The chief inspector frowned. ‘I only told John about it this morning. We’ve come across a case that might have a bearing on the Brookham murder. It involves a young girl who went missing three years ago in Henley-on-Thames and was presumed drowned. Recently her body was recovered from the river and it was found that her face had been damaged. In the opinion of the pathologist who examined the remains, the injuries were caused by blows. It’s too late to tell whether she was raped, of course, or even how she died, but the facial wounds point to a violent assault of some kind.’
    ‘And you think these two cases might be linked?’ Weiss’s expression showed interest.
    ‘It’s a possibility, certainly, and the only lead we’ve got. But since there’s no other indication a killer of this kind has been active in the past, no trace of him in our files, the odds are against there being a connection. I haven’t told you, but the Brookham investigation isn’t mine as yet, not officially, it’s still in the hands of the Surrey police. However, I expect it to arrive on my desk before long, and when it does I’m going to have to decide how to proceed with the inquiry.’
    Sinclair paused. His eyes met the analyst’s.
    ‘What is it, Chief Inspector?’ Weiss set his glass down. ‘Is there something you wish to ask me?’
    ‘It’s more of a favour I’m seeking, sir.’ Sinclair grimaced. ‘You may find it an odd request, but I’m looking for advice of a particular kind which only someone in your profession could offer.’
    ‘And what might that be, I wonder?’ Weiss smiled. ‘I’m curious to learn.’
    The chief inspector hesitated. He cocked an eye at his companion.
    ‘Let’s assume John’s right – this is a man who has killed before, who may even have been active for some time without our being aware of it. Let’s go even further and say the Henley girl was one of his victims. Now, as a rule, sexual offenders tend to draw attention to themselves. They become solitaries. Pariahs. Men who stick out like sore thumbs in the community. Even when we can’t charge them, we generally know who they are. So what I want to ask you is this – how likely is it that such a man could have slipped the net? Have managed to disguise his true nature and somehow