condoms.”
Craig nodded. “Exactly. For a rape to be violent enough to cause death it probably requires more than one man and risks blood exchange, even with a condom. That wouldn’t have stopped them using objects, but, as we know, John found no signs. So what does that mean?”
Ken answered. “That they saw drug use as her main crime, hence the Heroin.”
“Yes. Good.”
Annette made a face and Craig backtracked.
“Sorry, not good, but a useful analysis. Right, back to victim two. Anything else on him?”
A voice echoed across the floor. “The local gay scene. He might have been known.”
It was Jake. Craig was surprised to see him.
“I didn’t expect you in.”
The sergeant shook his head. “My grandmother was tired so she went to bed. I nipped out for a few hours to clear my head.” He gestured at the board. “I meant what I said, sir. If he was gay he may be known. It makes sense that I canvas the scene.”
Craig nodded reluctantly. He didn’t like stereotyping; female officers too often got slotted into talking to relatives and holding children’s hands, while male ones went Rambo on the criminal’s ass. Sending a gay officer to investigate a possibly gay victim seemed trite, but it made sense if Jake knew the Belfast scene.
Jake pressed his case. “I know the local clubs and bars; it’s logical.”
“OK, but I want you to take Ken as well. He knows about the torture used.”
Jake sat beside Ken and nodded, looking relieved to be back at work. Strange when someone’s murder became a copper’s R and R.
“OK, that takes us to victim number three. Sam Beech. Annette can tell you about him.”
As Annette ran through how Des had made the I.D. and their interview at the school, Craig crossed to where Davy was sitting at his desk and tapped on his left hand screen. He’d expected to see the translation of their tattoo but he didn’t. As he heard Annette’s tone signal she was summing up he retook his seat.
“Thanks, Annette. OK, in my view Sam Beech is the victim that may help us break this case. The first two victims had something in their lifestyle that might have put them at risk, not high risk necessarily but risk all the same.”
Jake interjected. “You’re right. The gay scene isn’t all sweetness and light. Get two men in a relationship and what might start as a simple disagreement can often turn to blows. But that’s not what worries me here; it’s the weekend tourism that’s the real issue. The area around the Cathedral Quarter and Dunbar Link has seen the opening of a lot of clubs, bars and gyms that cater to the gay community. There are people coming in for sex weekends from all over Europe now and some of them are rough. Someone young who was new to the scene would have been a prime target.”
Craig nodded. “And if this had been a death accompanied by other injuries I would agree with you, Jake; assault linked death is commonplace everywhere. But this is something different. There were no general signs of assault on victim two or any of them; even their drownings left only slight indicators of being held down. This isn’t GBH by a weekend tourist, this is someone snatching people and meting out their version of punishment.”
Jake conceded the point. “OK. I’ll ask around. If there’s a vigilante out there someone might have heard a rumour.”
“Good. OK, back to Sam Beech. Davy can correct me on this but Des found absolutely nothing on his body, yes?”
“No signs of drug abuse, s…sexual activity, nothing.”
“So a potentially low risk lifestyle except, as we’ve just heard from Annette, Sam had issues.”
Liam had been sitting quietly, wondering what was for dinner, now he woke up. “So one of his mum’s ex-partners abused him. How?” It was said with heavy innuendo.
Annette shook her head, ignoring the hint. “We don’t know yet. Probably physically.”
Liam was undeterred. “Or he was a kiddy fiddler. Either way, if he skedaddled a while
Craig nodded. “Exactly. For a rape to be violent enough to cause death it probably requires more than one man and risks blood exchange, even with a condom. That wouldn’t have stopped them using objects, but, as we know, John found no signs. So what does that mean?”
Ken answered. “That they saw drug use as her main crime, hence the Heroin.”
“Yes. Good.”
Annette made a face and Craig backtracked.
“Sorry, not good, but a useful analysis. Right, back to victim two. Anything else on him?”
A voice echoed across the floor. “The local gay scene. He might have been known.”
It was Jake. Craig was surprised to see him.
“I didn’t expect you in.”
The sergeant shook his head. “My grandmother was tired so she went to bed. I nipped out for a few hours to clear my head.” He gestured at the board. “I meant what I said, sir. If he was gay he may be known. It makes sense that I canvas the scene.”
Craig nodded reluctantly. He didn’t like stereotyping; female officers too often got slotted into talking to relatives and holding children’s hands, while male ones went Rambo on the criminal’s ass. Sending a gay officer to investigate a possibly gay victim seemed trite, but it made sense if Jake knew the Belfast scene.
Jake pressed his case. “I know the local clubs and bars; it’s logical.”
“OK, but I want you to take Ken as well. He knows about the torture used.”
Jake sat beside Ken and nodded, looking relieved to be back at work. Strange when someone’s murder became a copper’s R and R.
“OK, that takes us to victim number three. Sam Beech. Annette can tell you about him.”
As Annette ran through how Des had made the I.D. and their interview at the school, Craig crossed to where Davy was sitting at his desk and tapped on his left hand screen. He’d expected to see the translation of their tattoo but he didn’t. As he heard Annette’s tone signal she was summing up he retook his seat.
“Thanks, Annette. OK, in my view Sam Beech is the victim that may help us break this case. The first two victims had something in their lifestyle that might have put them at risk, not high risk necessarily but risk all the same.”
Jake interjected. “You’re right. The gay scene isn’t all sweetness and light. Get two men in a relationship and what might start as a simple disagreement can often turn to blows. But that’s not what worries me here; it’s the weekend tourism that’s the real issue. The area around the Cathedral Quarter and Dunbar Link has seen the opening of a lot of clubs, bars and gyms that cater to the gay community. There are people coming in for sex weekends from all over Europe now and some of them are rough. Someone young who was new to the scene would have been a prime target.”
Craig nodded. “And if this had been a death accompanied by other injuries I would agree with you, Jake; assault linked death is commonplace everywhere. But this is something different. There were no general signs of assault on victim two or any of them; even their drownings left only slight indicators of being held down. This isn’t GBH by a weekend tourist, this is someone snatching people and meting out their version of punishment.”
Jake conceded the point. “OK. I’ll ask around. If there’s a vigilante out there someone might have heard a rumour.”
“Good. OK, back to Sam Beech. Davy can correct me on this but Des found absolutely nothing on his body, yes?”
“No signs of drug abuse, s…sexual activity, nothing.”
“So a potentially low risk lifestyle except, as we’ve just heard from Annette, Sam had issues.”
Liam had been sitting quietly, wondering what was for dinner, now he woke up. “So one of his mum’s ex-partners abused him. How?” It was said with heavy innuendo.
Annette shook her head, ignoring the hint. “We don’t know yet. Probably physically.”
Liam was undeterred. “Or he was a kiddy fiddler. Either way, if he skedaddled a while
Similar Books
