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‘What is it?’ Kapoor asked. ‘I’ve just seen you.’

‘Yeah. We had another letter.’

Kapoor lifted an eyebrow. ‘From the killer?’

‘That’s the one.’

Kapoor leaned forward. ‘What did he say this time?’

Dominic pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolled through to the photograph he’d taken and handed it to his boss who took the phone and read through the letter.

Kapoor was silent as he read, then he looked up at Dominic. ‘What do you want to do?’

‘About what?’ asked Dominic.

‘The threats in the letter.’

‘I don’t feel threatened. He hasn’t said he’s going to do something to me if things don’t go his way. He hasn’t been explicit.’

Kapoor let out a long sigh. ‘We don’t always need things to be explicit to understand them, Dom. It’s quite clear that he’s not happy with some of the press releases and he takes it that you’re behind it all.’

Dominic ran a hand through his hair. ‘Look, I’m fine. I’d rather Ruth didn’t know about this though, so if we can keep it quiet as to who’s receiving these letters I’d appreciate that. I don’t want to worry her. She knows too much about the job as it is without thinking the psycho behind it all has a crush on me.’ He laughed.

‘Is this your way of brushing it all off?’ Kapoor asked.

‘Is it working?’

‘I can give you some leeway, but if he becomes any clearer in his messages then you’re going to have action taken. A guard in the evenings while you’re at home, at the very least.’

It was Dominic’s turn to let out a sigh. ‘This job is hard work.’

‘Tell me about it.’

‘You’re getting grief from Connelly, I take it.’

‘He’s getting it from the chief who doesn’t like that his county is scared witless and we’re getting slaughtered in the press for not having caught him. Shit rolls downhill.’

This was why the briefing had been short and not so sweet this morning. Kapoor was trying not to pass it down, but it was hard. ‘Anything I can do?’

Kapoor laughed. ‘Yes, you can catch this bastard.’

‘He’s forensically aware and we’re at the mercy of a US app developer.’

Kapoor stood, his face like stone. ‘I want you to chase that today. I want you to push them. I don’t care what it takes. Let them know this is a multiple murder enquiry and we want the information we’ve requested and we want it today.’

Dominic rose from his chair. ‘I’ll get right on it. We’ve plenty to be getting on with. There has to be a positive lead come out of it all at some point.’

‘I hope you’re right, Dom. With three women dead we can’t carry on this way. We need to make progress, not look like we’re running around like a bunch of headless chickens.’

Chapter 36

Dominic

The results came back from the lipstick tube found near the third woman’s body. As with the previous two, there was nothing of substance they could use. No fingerprints and no material they could test. If there was any DNA on the lipstick, if it was the actual tube he had used on the woman, it had broken down in the time she had been buried with it.

She was still a Jane Doe. A drawing was mocked up of what she probably looked like before the ravages of death, decomposition and animal feasting took her. Dominic had contacted the press office and requested a briefing so he could share the image they’d created. He hoped it would lead to an identification. Maybe she had been reported missing out of the county. Maybe the killer was crossing county borders. Or maybe the poor woman had no one in her life to miss her. He hoped it wasn’t the latter. Everyone deserved someone.

The media briefing room was even more rammed this time than the first briefing they’d conducted. With three murders, there was national attention as well as local press interested in what was happening. Everyone pricked up their ears when the phrase serial killer was used and they were throwing the words around like sweets at a children’s party. They were giddy and excited. To them this was news. To Dominic and his team it was hurt and pain as they dealt with the families left behind. As they dealt with the women he had murdered. None of this was exciting or fun.

He took his seat in front of the boards with the force’s logo printed on them. The table held glasses and jugs of water. Dominic poured himself a drink and took a sip. His mouth was dry. His tongue like a piece of felt, sticking to the roof of his mouth. Kapoor sat rigidly beside him.

They had information to impart. They needed the people in front of them. But in needing them they were opening themselves up to even more pressure and needling about their performance on the Sheffield Strangler case. It was a difficult relationship but one they couldn’t do without.

Kapoor coughed into his hand bringing the room into an unsettled quiet. Reporters were shifting in their seats, eager for news and ready to send it to print or online before any of their colleagues. They had to let the police speak first. Nothing could happen before they had said their piece.

‘You will see on your left DC Rhys Evans moving down the room. He has a stack of paper in his hands. This is the image of the most recent woman found. We would like your help in identifying her.’

Rhys moved along the rows of seats, handing out small piles of paper for the reporters to hand on to their colleagues.

Kapoor continued. ‘The helpline number is still the same and is listed on the bottom of the