Beautiful Death (18 page)

‘Delusional, I think. Acting as though this hasn’t happened to me.’

‘Again, normal, Jack. Go with it. It’s going to protect you if you are determined to remain on this case.’

‘I am.’

She paused. ‘Was there something we needed to talk about? Change an appointment or …?’

‘No. I just wanted to thank you again for your time last night. It … well, it helped, shall we say. It got a few things into perspective.’

‘Good, but I’m determined to help you a lot more yet.’

He smiled. ‘I can’t wait.’ He wished he hadn’t said that and quickly veered away from wherever that might lead. ‘Is your day packed?’

‘Steady. I imagine yours is going to be frantic.’

‘And unpleasant.’

‘Well, you know where to reach me. You can call me any time. Leave a message if you hit voicemail; I promise to call you back the minute I’m free.’

‘That’s very generous.’

‘Jack, I want you to catch this murdering bastard as much as the next person. Hell, it could be me on that slab! Ah, forgive me; that was insensitive. I was talking as a member of the public, not as your therapist.’

‘Don’t apologise. That’s the very reason I’m here. If this killer can take someone like Lily then he could take you or indeed anyone. Everyone is a potential victim but he’s taken someone I cared about deeply. It gives me even more incentive in wanting to find him.’

‘Be careful, Jack. Harness that anger. Channel it into being productive.’

‘I will, I promise. See you soon.’

‘Looking forward to it,’ she said, and he blinked as he heard the phone go dead.

‘Sir?’ Kate was back at the doorway. ‘We’re all ready if you are?’

‘Absolutely. Let’s start.’

He followed her out into the main ops room. It was a bleak day across London. The skies were predictably overcast and gloomy. Rain was already threatening. It was nearing 0800.

‘Thanks for all being here so early,’ Jack began. ‘There’s been no further development through the night, although I suspect we’ll get back some
forensic details today. Joan, I think we have photos coming in this morning?’ She nodded. ‘Good, let’s get the board set up and all the victims and as much as we know about them detailed so everyone can refer to it and add info as it comes in.’

Kate caught his eye and when he nodded, she began. ‘Just reminding everyone that we have our profiler coming in this morning. And also our translator. He’s not so important for everyone to meet, but it wouldn’t hurt as you may have to call upon him throughout the case.’

Everyone nodded.

Jack began. ‘Kate has come up with a compelling theory I’d like her to share and, based on Sarah’s detailed research into the theft of human body parts that are traded on the black market, I’m inclined to give this some oxygen. It’s bizarre and ghoulish but hear it out. Kate?’

Kate took the floor and repeated all that she’d aired with her boss. ‘… I know this sounds like it’s something out of a sci-fi movie but this technology is real,’ she summarised. ‘It’s not a case of
if
it’s possible but more likely
when
it will be achieved,’ she added, before sitting down.

‘So do we go with this, chief?’ Cam asked.

Jack nodded. ‘It’s a plausible theory and it seems to fit all aspects of the case. I think we’ll ask the profiler but at this point, yes, I think it’s certainly something we have to keep firmly in our minds.’

‘But that means we’re dealing with a corrupt surgeon,’ Angela clarified.

Jack nodded. ‘And not just any surgeon but someone who is likely to be specifically involved in facial reconstruction.’

‘Well that would narrow down the field,’ Sarah
piped up. ‘Around the world you can count those physicians on perhaps three pairs of hands, probably fewer. I’ve just checked. In Britain, there are probably only a very small number of surgeons involved in the field.’

Jack sighed, glanced at Kate. ‘And it’s probably now that I should let you all know that Ms Wu was considering marrying a prominent London physician, who also happens to be a very senior consultant surgeon to the Oral and Maxillofacial Unit at Royal London Hospital.’

He expected some sort of outcry. Instead a chilled silence gripped his audience. They stared at him aghast.

Jack continued, trying not to show any of the anger he was feeling towards Chan. ‘We will have to move carefully, but the coincidence is too strong to ignore. Kate and I will be meeting with Professor James Chan today.’ A murmur finally flickered around the team. He moved on. ‘What else? The doorknock yesterday, what have we got?’

Dermot looked over at Angela, who smiled and gestured for him to take the floor. ‘Security cameras picked up two men who dumped the van. I’ve got it ready to show, sir,’ he said, pointing to the nearby TV screen.

‘Okay, let’s do it,’ Jack said.

The silent movie whirred into action as Dermot hit the play button. ‘It was late, the time’s up here,’ he said, pointing to the top corner of the screen. ‘They park in Sainsbury’s car park in Whitechapel, get out and walk through the alley which takes them to Whitechapel Road. We can see them on the footage from the HSBC Bank camera and they turn right towards Whitechapel tube and Aldgate East. Now,
they appear at the top of Osborne Street where it meets Brick Lane and we follow them to one of the bagel shops. They emerge a minute later and head further down Brick Lane to Shoreditch or Bethnal Green where the cameras lose them.’ Dermot paused the footage.

‘Can we trace them?’ Jack asked.

‘Yes, sir. One of the PCs at Bethnal Green recognised this one in the Spurs beanie. He’s 26- year-old Denny Johnston. He’s from the Nye Bevan Estate on Roman Road. According to PC Shaw, Denny’s a driver and has served some time in Wormwood Scrubs for stripping stolen vehicles.’

‘Violent?’

Dermot pulled a face to show he wasn’t convinced. ‘Flashes of violence, apparently, but PC Shaw reckons it’s all puff and no substance. Denny’s a coward.’ ‘They probably should take a Trojan unit anyway.

If Shaw is reading Johnston right, he’ll cave quickly at the sight of armed response. And the other one?’

‘Likely to be Alan Barnes, one of Denny’s mates. Barnes is only nineteen. Denny likes to mix with youngsters because it makes him feel like Mr Big. Anyway, Barnes is a casual labourer and known to police, but for really petty stuff. Shoplifting, stealing handbags, that sort of thing. Both will be picked up this morning.’

‘Excellent. Very well done.’

Angela chimed in. ‘We spoke to the bagel shop staff and one woman vaguely remembers them. She couldn’t tell us anything useful though; they just bought some bagels and took off.’

Jack nodded. ‘Right. I want to talk to this Denny Johnston as soon as we have him.’

Dermot and Angela nodded. Joan caught Jack’s attention from the doorway.

‘Your first appointment,’ she said. ‘It’s the translator. And security’s just let me know your next arrival is early. I’m going down to sign her in.’

‘I’ll fetch the translator. You go on, Joan,’ Kate offered as she was closest to the door.

Jack looked back to the team. ‘Cam, can you and Malik spearhead a thorough canal boat investigation? Grab anyone you need. There are eyes everywhere down there — you just have to find someone who’s willing to talk.’

They nodded.

Kate reappeared with a small, podgy man, who smiled broadly at the team and trod lightly across the room on feet clad in very white training shoes that looked as though they’d never been used for anything remotely energetic.

‘Everyone, this is Sarju Rahman from NRPSI and he will act as liaison if we need translation in Urdu or Gujarati,’ Kate said as an introduction.

The team said hello collectively, and Jack moved forward to shake his hand. ‘Hello, Sarju. Welcome. I’m DCI Jack Hawksworth.’

‘I’m very pleased to meet you,’ Sarju said, an East London inflection layering his Bangladeshi-accented English. He looked around and beamed, polite and eager. ‘I hope I can be of help to you all.’

Jack smiled at the innocent charm. ‘I think we’ve had you transferred full time for the duration of the case, is that right?’ He looked over at Kate who deferred to DS Karim.

‘Yes, hope that’s okay, Sarju? I’m DC Karim. Angela.’ She added in Gujarati, ‘It’s good to have you on board.’

‘Ah, who needs me, when you have Angela?’ the little man commented. ‘Or DC Khan.’ His white teeth shone. ‘We worked together some time back, didn’t we?’

‘You have a good memory, Sarju,’ Malik replied, also shaking the translator’s hand.

Sarju beamed again. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Feel free to use me in whatever capacity I can help. I live in Whitechapel and I gather that’s the area of focus?’ He looked around questioningly.

‘It is, indeed,’ Kate responded. ‘Sir, we’ll need to leave in about half an hour for RLH.’ She turned back to Sarju. ‘We’re off to interview some of the people at the Oral and Maxillofacial Unit at the RLH.’

‘Ah yes, I know it. That’s housed in the Dental Institute, not the main building.’

Kate smiled. ‘That’s good to know.’

‘Corner of New Road and Stepney Way,’ Sarju continued. ‘And the entrance is halfway along the building on the New Road side.’ He shrugged. ‘I do a lot of work at the hospital because Whitechapel is so full of Bangladeshi people.’

‘Thanks, Sarju,’ Jack said. ‘Make yourself at home. Okay, everyone, we’ve got our profiler coming in any minute. If I have to leave, Cam is your man.’

On cue, Joan arrived again, this time accompanied by a woman. ‘Dr Lynda Elderidge,’ she announced.

Once again Jack shook hands. ‘I’m sorry to hurry you, Dr Elderidge, but I’m leaving for an interview in about twenty-five minutes. Can we get you started straight away?’

‘Of course, ready when you are,’ she said cheerfully, throwing her overcoat and scarf on a desk, her Australian accent unmistakeable.

Jack smiled. This case was certainly attracting a cosmopolitan team.

The profiler pulled a file from her briefcase, as Kate dragged a whiteboard into place.

‘What can you tell us about this person?’ Jack prompted.

Dr Elderidge slipped on a pair of bright red reading glasses that echoed a thread in her immaculate sweater, and the hint of flamboyance amused Jack. To all intents and purposes she looked to be a no-nonsense sort of woman, especially standing next to the fashion-conscious Kate, but he would put money on Dr Elderidge liking fast cars and dangerous travel. There was something about those scarlet glasses and the curiosity glinting in the intelligent eyes behind them.

‘Here’s my take so far,’ she began. ‘I believe we’re dealing with a man. He’d be in his early forties at least, I’d suggest.’

‘Why?’ It was Angela.

‘Our killer has skill, and it’s of a level that isn’t achieved easily — or without many years of training. Removing kidneys is child’s play in comparison to removing someone’s face.’

Kate glanced at Jack, as if to apologise for the unintended heartlessness of the remark. Dr Brooks’s warning sounded in his mind again. He knew this case was going to get a lot harder for him. He didn’t flinch.

Dr Elderidge continued. ‘I’ve read the pathology reports and according to Rob — er, that’s Dr Kent — the faces of the victims were removed with such precision that nerves and blood vessels were protected. I spoke with Rob this morning, actually, and he told me that the latest victim, um …’ She looked at her notes.

Jack obliged. ‘Ms Wu.’

‘Yes, Ms Wu. Well, the removal of her face was the most skilful in terms of how carefully the structures behind the skin itself were maintained.’

‘In other words there was a use for the face?’ Kate jumped in quickly and Jack knew she was trying to protect his sensibilities.

‘It would seem so,’ the profiler replied. ‘Although I’m no expert.’

Jack moved her on. ‘Tell us about the killer. You’re sure this is a man?’

Lynda nodded. ‘He’s right-handed. He’s arrogant. He’s wealthy, I’d suggest.’

Cam shook his head. ‘How can you make these assumptions?’ He was only slightly chastened by Jack’s steely glance his way. ‘Look, I want to understand. How do we know this isn’t a 35-yearold mother of two, living in Croydon?’

Elderidge smiled. ‘This is not precise science, Ifreely admit,’ she answered. ‘I have to rely a great deal on instinct so I can only tell you what my gut tells me, aided by years of experience. But it does seem to me that to acquire these victims would have taken money. I suspect our killer employs others to choose the victims and snatch them. Using others costs money — real money. Perhaps the flunkies at the bottom of the food chain — who pick out the victims — have no idea what the killer intends to do with them, but you can be sure the closer you get to our guy, the more his helpers, aides, assistants do know. And only money talks when you need to keep people’s mouths shut. He’s wealthy and I say he’s arrogant because of the audaciousness of his crime. Ms Wu was stolen, it seems, in daylight hours. I’d imagine the killer has the victims taken somewhere
he feels safe; after all, Ms Wu, at least, was still alive, still capable of causing him trouble. But he’s not frightened by this. He’s got a haven where he feels secure. It won’t be near his home and I’d go so far as to say it may not even be in central London. It will be more remote. But obviously it is well equipped to perform this sort of surgery — this is no back room or cellar operation.’

Jack nodded. ‘That makes sense.’

‘How many people would be involved, do you think?’ Kate asked.

Dr Elderidge shrugged. ‘I have no idea. But I do wonder why Ms Wu was kept alive after she was snatched. I think the killer wanted her face to be “fresh”, so presumably he would need a clinical team to keep her conscious and machines would be regulating her breathing and so on. Plus, I’m no physician, but I doubt he’d be able to handle all the surgery himself.’ She shook her head slightly. ‘He’d need an anaesthetist, at least. But again I’m stepping into an area I don’t know enough about. What I can tell you is that this man is cool, confident, probably extremely restrained in terms of how much he reveals of his personality and likely to have some perverse sexual interests.’