Raj had remained silent until now. ‘When and how did it all start?’
‘My teeth never developed. Like I said I was a huge disappointment to my father. I suffer from a rare genetic disorder known as anodontia. I think at one time father thought I was his big life challenge... Or I had been sent by God to test him. He used to be a religious man my father did, until his misdemeanour – then I guess he couldn’t really face them... Although of course it was me not him...’ Woodcock’s eyes were as round as saucers. ‘He had dentures made for me when I was young. They were good ones. Uncomfortable as hell. I refused to wear them. He hit me but he would not break me. The ridicule I suffered....didn’t have friends. Instead I spent all my time following my father around. He taught me all about teeth, in an attempt to get me to accept my condition I guess. I studied taxonomic science for a while. When I got older he’d even let me do extractions when the patient was unconscious. He liked doing extractions too my dad did. It made him happy.
‘What made you start killing people for their teeth?’ said Dylan.
‘Teeth are nice and white when new.
They make a smile and help you chew.
In your skull long after you’re dead,
I’d like to remove them from your head...’
‘I don’t follow?’ Dylan said. It was his turn to frown.
‘Don’t you see? I’ve never had a relationship with anyone other than my overweight drunken father – useless as he ended up being, he gave up everything for me and was all I had to aspire to. He told me often that I would never find anyone to love me because of the way I looked, if I didn’t wear my dentures. After visiting him when we had been told he was terminally ill I went back to the family home and into his office. The old tools – they brought back fond memories.’
‘So am I to understand that these were sexually motivated crimes? Would we be right to use the terminology odontophilia?’
‘The terminology you’re looking for is exodontia Inspector!’ Jim Woodcock stood. He banged his chest like a monkey.
‘Teeth are nice and white when new.
They make a smile and help you chew.
In your skull long after you’re dead,
I’d like to remove them from your head...’
He sat with a bump on the chair. The detectives’ masks still didn’t slip.
‘They were a lovely feature in the fish tank don't you think?’
‘We appear to have more teeth in our possession from you than we have knowledge of taken from victims we know about. Are there more we don’t know about?’
‘More teeth or more victims Inspector?’ he said with a raised eyebrow. ‘You think you’re so clever don’t you Inspector. I wouldn’t want to spoil your fun. You tell me. I’ve been labelled a serial killer. Which is all I want? How many more I’ve killed doesn’t really matter does it?’
‘It does to their families Jim. Their loved ones may be dead but they will carry the life sentence. Could you not bring yourself to at least try to give them closure?’
Woodcock looked Dylan straight in the eye and slowly he shook his head in short jerky movements.
‘No matter what people call you, or what label they attach to your crimes you are nothing more than a sadistic killer with a strange perversion who shows no remorse to his fellow man.’ Dylan said. He waited for a fall out from his remarks.
‘Perhaps some would say that, others may say I was true to myself. Remember teeth are everlasting wherever they are... Like me, a survivor. Your wife has nice teeth Inspector doesn’t she?’
Dylan didn’t respond but it made him think. Had he seen Jen or was he just lashing out? He would never know.
Dylan terminated the interview.
Woodcock sat looking down at his hands. He sang quietly to himself over and over again the poem he had recited earlier in the interview...
‘Teeth are nice and white when new.
They make a smile and help you chew.
In your skull long after you’re dead,
I’d like to remove them from your head...’
Then he laughed... throwing his head back and opening his mouth to reveal his barren gums. Saliva escaped from the sides of his mouth and formed spittle that gathered at the corners and remained.
The officers left the interview room and his solicitor followed them.
‘Charges soon?’ she said. ‘What would you say? Mad, bad, or a bit of both? I guess we should never be surprised in our line of work should we?’ said Ms Perfect.
Dylan arranged for Raj to charge him.
ACC Wendy Smythe was waiting for Dylan in the incident room. ‘Shall I contact the press office?’
‘If you like. A man will appear charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder,’ said Dylan.
‘Can I name him?’
‘Crown Prosecution Service may not like it but I think the public would like to know. Speak to Jacki Stanley and see what she says,’ he said. ‘I’ll update Professor Stow, Beryl and the team at the forensic laboratory. Update PC Mitchell, PC Bullock and PC Burkett will you Raj, the victims’ families need updating.’
‘On it sir,’ she said.
‘I’ve spoken to Yin at JJ Associates. According to his passport he was in Hong Kong at the time of Fan Huang’s murder,’ said Vicky. ‘And with what he has just said in interview it may be that her murder may now be detected.’
‘See if there is a DNA match to her with any of the teeth that we have found will you? We will need a statement from the tailor’s too where the suit was bought. The dentist that Yin took the ACC to may be able to help,’ said Dylan. ‘Get Woodcock’s brother-in-law in. If he was at the dentist conference like Woodcock said he was we’ll need a statement from him for corroboration. I’d like to hear what he could tell us about the trip to Hong Kong and his possible contact with Fan Huang.’
‘Will do, boss,’ said Andy.
Dylan headed for the Divisional Commander’s suite. ‘I hear ACC Smythe is in with him?’ he said to Janet his secretary. She nodded.
‘They’re having a meeting with Dorothy the duties clerk and Avril Summerfield-Preston in relation to staffing levels,’ she said busily putting a china tea pot and cups and saucers on a silver tray.
‘They must be taking it seriously if they’ve invited the duties clerk supervisor,’ Dylan said.
‘It’s about the cuts. We have to make the spending meet the proposed budget and it looks like the thin blue line is going to get even thinner for us all,’ she said with a look of sadness on her face. ‘I worry for our officers. They look so very young to me these days.’ Janet opened a cake box. Dylan watched her carefully place three cream buns on a plate and take one large custard tart out of a paper bag and place it on its own saucer.
‘Hugo-Watkins,’ Dylan said. ‘I swear one day he’ll pop behind that desk with all the tarts he eats.’
She took a receipt from her pocket, stapled it to a claim form and put it to one side on her desk.
‘The hospitality budget not taking a hit I see?’ said Dylan.
‘No,’ she smiled. ‘Mr Hugo-Watkins wants to impress the Assistant Chief Constable. We don’t see the likes of her rank at our station very often do we?’
Gary Warner came to the secretary’s doorway. ‘They said you were here boss, can I have a minute?’ he said.
Dylan stepped out into the corridor. ‘You’ll be pleased to know my source tells me that Ozzy Moore has left the island without returning to the address he gave us in Godshill on the Isle of Wight.’
‘He has a conscience then.’
‘Maybe, but probably not, he might just be in a hurry. We have surveillance on him and are in no doubt he is travelling to Dover where we believe he will board a ferry this evening. Intelligence tells us that he is travelling to Spain to meet with goods that are scheduled to leave there in the next couple of days. Our counterparts in Spain will take up the surveillance from the ferry when it docks and we will be on him now until he me
ets with his transport. Once they have them in position the whole gang will be stopped and arrested before they leave the country.’
‘Good. So there is no imminent danger to Jen’s dad and Ozzy’s mother then?’
‘No. I told you. The next thing you will hear is that he has been arrested and he will be facing a long jail sentence.’
‘And you’re here to arrest this end?’
‘Yes, we have made contact with the person whom Jen’s dad and Ozzy’s mum met up with to hand over the suitcase at the airport.’
‘You’ll need to speak with them at some point about that won’t you?’
‘Yes, in due course we will need a statement from them and we will ask them to ID the man whom they handed the case over to.’
‘I for one know Jen’s dad will be mortified when he finds out the extent of Thelma’s son’s crimes.’
‘No one can be responsible for their adult children’s actions. We can only hope that the way we bring them up means they will turn out to be well balanced adults,’ said Gary
***
A drink to celebrate the arrest of the serial killer Jim Woodcock would have to wait until another night, after the court appearance. Dylan needed to see Jen.
Her mood was a sombre one as opposed to Dylan’s elation and it was hard not to show his great relief that Jim Woodcock had been caught and admitted to his crimes. However, he was in turmoil to watch his wife suffer knowing what he did about Ozzy, her dad and Thelma’s ordeal. No matter how much he assured her that her dad was going to be okay without being able to share the details until the arrest of Ozzy Moore it would not be enough. His knowledge that the arrest was imminent helped but until then he could only support them and he had to stay silent. And would they capture Malcolm Reynolds this time around? Only time would tell.
‘The court will be packed with reporters when Woodcock appears briefly. I wonder what label he will get in the town Jen,’ he said. ‘All the experts will be out in force with their diagnosis of him.’
‘Why would we care as long as they keep him locked up and throw away the key,’ she said.
Dylan went to the fridge, took two glasses from the cupboard and poured a large glass of wine. Jen put her hand over the second glass to stop him. Dylan looked down at her puzzled.
‘No! You never are, are you?’ he said.
Killer Smile Page 33
