by Steven Dunne
‘You’re discounting the possibility the Gibsons knew their killer?’
‘For now we are,’ said Brook. ‘Which means he needed to make their acquaintance.’ He moved reluctantly towards the light. ‘Give them time to prepare.’
‘Prepare for what?’ demanded Charlton.
‘Their send-off. In my opinion this was a farewell party. A short celebration of their lives. Champagne, music, photographs of loved ones on their laps. Bang. You’re dead.’
‘That’s why they were holding hands?’
‘I think so.’
‘But what makes you think he got to know them?’ demanded Charlton.
‘Because he took the trouble to ask them their favourite classical track, which was playing as they died,’ replied Brook.
‘Maybe he already knew it,’ suggested Charlton. ‘Their son would.’
‘No,’ said Brook. ‘Mr and Mrs Gibson were strangers. We’ll do the legwork to be sure, but I think the profile is solid. If the killer knew anyone, it would be Frazer and Nolan.’
Noble nodded. ‘First principles – Frazer and Nolan were the first kill.’
‘So when our shooter was ready, he started the series with someone he knew,’ ventured Banach.
‘Why?’ asked Charlton.
‘Every serial and spree killer needs a trigger, and that invariably involves a victim or victims that he knows or has seen, even if only from a distance.’
‘So Frazer and Nolan may not have actually met their killer,’ said Charlton.
‘Also possible,’ said Brook. ‘But being one of the first gay couples to get married in Derby, they were in the public eye and he may have got to know them that way.’
‘We seem to be assuming the killer is a man,’ said Banach, with a glance at the mute DS Caskey sitting nearby. ‘Isn’t that rather patronising?’
‘It’s just shorthand based on the statistics,’ said Brook. ‘Women nurture. Men kill.’
‘Not exclusively,’ argued Banach.
‘No, of course not,’ agreed Brook. ‘We keep an open mind – always – but the figures for organised serial killers are even more skewed towards a man.’
‘Female serial killers are like hen’s teeth,’ added Noble.
Banach shrugged her acknowledgement before glancing again at DS Caskey for support that didn’t arrive. In fact the newcomer was gazing into space and Banach couldn’t even be sure she was paying attention. ‘I suppose.’
‘However Frazer and Nolan came to the killer’s attention, they fitted the pathology and he – or she – started to make plans,’ said Brook.
‘How exactly?’ said Charlton.
‘They were a happy couple,’ replied Brook. ‘Like the Gibsons.’
Chief Superintendent Charlton nodded slowly as though he understood. ‘And after that first kill, like all organised serial killers, he needs more.’
‘Especially if things have gone well and he deems their deaths to have been worthwhile,’ added Brook.
‘So what’s his purpose?’ said Charlton.
‘To feed his urges, his mania, his desire to set the world straight as he sees it.’
‘How?’ demanded Charlton.
‘No idea. But if this man feels he has to kill happily married couples, to find him we’ll need to work out why.’
‘It’s not sexual?’ said Charlton.
Brook shook his head. ‘Forensics says not.’
‘No semen at either scene,’ said Morton.
‘What about prints and DNA?’ demanded Charlton.
‘Nothing,’ said Brook. ‘The victims weren’t touched. The only sign of violence was the bullets.’
‘Then what did he want?’
‘When we know better, we’ll have him,’ said Brook.
‘So how do we catch him?’ demanded Charlton.
‘We do the legwork, get to know him, his methods and how he thinks.’
‘What’s the legwork telling you?’
‘That he’s very careful,’ answered Brook. ‘We have no witnesses to either incident. No one saw or heard anything despite the killer being on the scene for some time. We think he may be an experienced individual, strong and forceful and maybe with a position of some authority in his public life.’
‘How do you conclude that?’ interrupted Charlton.
‘Because he was able to control four people with little struggle or commotion,’ said Noble. ‘Even knowing they were about to die didn’t help Frazer and Nolan. He had the strength of character and physical presence to pacify them.’
‘He had a gun,’ pointed out Charlton.
‘Which helped, no doubt,’ said Brook. ‘But Frazer and Nolan were fit enough. If they thought they were about to die, it would make sense to take him on. Maybe they’d both still be dead, maybe not, but they ought to have tried. Instead they followed his instructions until both were bound and gagged, and by then it was too late.’
‘You keep referring to a single assailant. EMSOU said different guns were used,’ said Charlton. ‘That tells us there were two killers.’
‘Actually it only tells us there were two guns,’ said Brook. ‘I’ll believe there were two killers when I have evidence to that effect. Everything else points to a single individual.’
Caskey’s features showed her conjuring an objection. ‘So if the killer or killers knew Frazer and Nolan, why wasn’t there music and champagne at their crime scene?’
‘We think there was,’ said Noble.
‘But the killer didn’t get the idea until he got there and found them drinking it,’ said Brook.
‘An emerging MO,’ said Caskey, deep in thought.
‘And in light of the bottle at the Gibson house, we asked Pathology to take another look at stomach contents. Frazer and Nolan had drunk a bottle of their own champagne.’
‘Then why was there no mention in reports?’ said Charlton, turning to stare at Caskey.
‘We suspect the bottle was empty so the killer removed it and washed the glasses,’ said Brook. ‘Only later did it occur to him that he should make it a feature because it fits the pathology of the crime.’
‘With its suggestion of a celebration,’ added Caskey.
‘Quite.’
‘But why wash the glasses?’ demanded Smee.
‘The killer sees them as a distraction from what he’s trying to present to us. For his first kill he only wanted us to see what he’d done to the victims. Thinking about it later, he decided to incorporate the champagne into his next tableau, but even then he removed the bottle and glasses to the Gibsons’ kitchen so they didn’t get in the way.’
‘But there was no music in Breadsall,’ said Caskey, warily.
‘The next-door neighbour thinks the iPod was on when she discovered the bodies, that there had been music,’ said Brook.
‘But whoever put it on didn’t know how to put it on repeat,’ added Noble.
‘Which suggests someone more mature,’ said Charlton. ‘Not au fait with the technology.’ Brook smiled his agreement. ‘So where are we?’
‘Where we always are at the beginning, sir,’ replied Brook. ‘Feeling our way. A bit like our killer.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’s new at this but getting better. The planning is methodical and he’s becoming more confident, refining his MO. Things went smoothly in Boulton Moor. He gains entry without difficulty and doesn’t need restraints. After the preliminaries, he shoots Mr and Mrs Gibson …’
‘… with two separate guns,’ added Caskey.
‘With two separate guns,’ conceded Brook. ‘Then he exits the house, leaving no trace, walks back to his car and drives away.’
‘Where’s he parked?’
‘Walking distance obviously,’ said Noble. ‘But he wouldn’t risk being too close in case he annoys residents, draws attention to his parked car. We’ve widened the canvass to a mile radius, asking for information about anyone seen carrying a bottle or carrier bag in the vicinity of Boulton Moor on Satu
rday evening. It’s a long shot.’
‘Dark nights,’ said Charlton, nodding. ‘Any idea where he went afterwards?’
Noble moved over to a map of the city. ‘Good escape routes from both locations.’ He tapped the map with a ruler. ‘From the Gibson house on the southern extremities of Derby, you’re two minutes from the A50. The ring road is even closer, so he can take his pick. He knows his way around.’
‘So he’s local to Derby.’
‘Undoubtedly,’ said Noble. ‘Breadsall is also on the fringes of the city, only this time north-east. He knows where to strike.’
‘We’re not suggesting victims are selected on the basis of nearby trunk roads, are we?’
‘Not especially, sir,’ said Noble, smiling. ‘But we’re noting the location and the absence of heavy foot traffic. Makes movement easier from vehicle to crime scene.’
‘Nothing on film?’ asked Caskey.
‘We’re trawling through traffic cameras, but we have a big window and only a limited view of the main highways,’ said Cooper. ‘If the shooter knows the area or has scouted out the kill zone, he’d have little trouble parking in a nearby residential street and walking the rest.’
‘Same problem as Breadsall,’ nodded Caskey. ‘Though obviously we ended up canvassing on the two-killer theory.’
Brook didn’t react, aware that the subtle dynamic of his squad was altered by Caskey’s assertiveness. She was rightly protective of the assumptions Ford’s team had reached regarding Frazer and Nolan, but her certainty was at odds with the prevailing ethos of his squad: nothing is certain until it’s absolutely proven.
‘No vehicles on film common to both scenes?’ asked Charlton.
‘None,’ replied Cooper.
‘Should married couples in west Derby be worried?’ ventured Charlton, to a ripple of amusement. ‘If the killer is striking at different points on the compass …’
Noble’s smile was cryptic. ‘It’s not a factor we’ve considered, sir.’
‘The victims are connected by cause of death,’ said Brook. ‘Using a gun implies a need for speed and precision. The killer wants the victims dead but takes no pleasure in the kill. He lingers on the celebration but not the murders.’
Noble clicked his mouse until all four victims were together on a split screen. ‘Four bullets, four victims.’
‘Two guns,’ repeated Caskey.
‘Two guns,’ agreed Brook. ‘Again we keep an open mind, but all science on this type of crime suggests a lone gunman. And the champagne at the Gibson house would tend to support that,’ he added quickly, as Caskey began to form an objection.
‘How so?’ said Charlton.
‘There were only three glasses,’ said Banach. ‘Both victims had champagne in their stomachs, so …’
‘That leaves one washed glass for the killer,’ concluded Morton.
‘Maybe the second gunman didn’t drink,’ offered Charlton.
Brook shrugged. ‘Like I said – open mind.’
‘So being a series, Matthew Gibson is now out of the picture,’ remarked Caskey.
Brook and Noble exchanged a look. ‘Almost,’ said Noble. Charlton raised an eyebrow.
‘Gibson’s a gun owner and shoots regularly. He owns a deactivated Glock 19 …’
‘Being tested,’ said Caskey.
‘Yes,’ said Brook. ‘But we don’t see him as a viable suspect because he has an alibi and no real motive.’
‘Ballistics on Frazer and Nolan suggested early-model Glocks,’ said Caskey.
‘We saw the report,’ said Brook. ‘But Glocks are plentiful in Britain.’
‘I don’t doubt it,’ she replied. ‘It’s a great gun and there are always rogues in circulation.’
‘For those who aren’t aware, Sergeant Caskey is an Authorised Firearms Officer,’ explained Charlton.
‘A long time ago,’ said Caskey, smiling hesitantly.
‘Do you still shoot?’ asked Smee.
‘Most weeks. I live near the Ripley range and I use a Glock too. It’s the best handgun in the world, and Inspector Brook is right. It’s not hard or expensive to pick one up if you know where to go.’
‘Maybe we shouldn’t dismiss this Gibson so quickly,’ said Charlton.
‘But the Champagne Killer is now a series,’ pointed out Caskey. ‘We’d need to link him to Frazer and Nolan.’
Charlton was crestfallen. ‘Right.’
‘Champagne Killer,’ remarked Read, smiling.
The sudden disdain on Charlton’s face was withering. ‘I do not want to hear that sobriquet outside this room, DC Read. And I don’t expect to see it in the newspapers.’ Read lowered his head, frowning.
‘Sir,’ said Cooper, with an apologetic glance at Brook. ‘We did kind of connect him to Frazer and Nolan.’
‘How?’
‘Matthew Gibson is gay and was acquainted with the first two victims. Also we contacted his brother in Australia, who confirmed that Matthew’s sexuality caused difficulties with their parents.’
‘That was over thirty years ago,’ argued Brook.
‘According to Gibson,’ pointed out Noble.
‘Gibson knew Frazer and Nolan,’ exclaimed Charlton. ‘Then why—’
‘They were acquainted, no more,’ interrupted Brook, glancing at Caskey to see if she was preparing to resurrect DI Ford’s sex killer theory.
‘Could be significant,’ said Caskey, looking carefully back at him.
‘Motive and alibi,’ repeated Brook. ‘He spent the entire weekend with his partner.’ He held up a hand to forestall the objections. ‘I know, I know. But he has no motive and the method makes no sense.’
‘Easy access to the house,’ shrugged Caskey. ‘Gun owner. Does he drink champagne?’ Brook remained silent.
‘We’ll take that as a yes,’ said Charlton.
‘Gibson’s a wealthy man,’ said Brook. ‘And highly intelligent.’
‘You mean the sort who plans carefully,’ said Caskey, with a hint of flippancy in her voice.
‘Exactly that sort,’ said Brook. ‘And if he was going to kill his parents, he wouldn’t have done it like that.’
‘He might if they asked him,’ said Caskey. ‘A final celebration before he sent them on their way. And it would explain why they weren’t tied.’
‘Suicide pact,’ pondered Charlton. ‘Did they have health problems?’
‘Nothing life-threatening,’ said Noble. ‘And no reports of depression, though you can never tell, obviously.’
‘If Gibson killed his parents, why would he need a second shooter to help?’ ventured Banach.
‘Exactly,’ agreed Brook.
‘So now it’s two shooters,’ smiled Caskey.
‘And why show up three days later and pretend to discover the bodies?’ demanded Morton.
‘It was rent day,’ said Noble, with an apologetic glance at Brook. ‘If their bodies hadn’t been discovered, he’d have to turn up to collect or it would look suspicious.’
‘So he kills them and returns to the scene to play the bereaved son,’ said Caskey, encouraged. To Charlton she added, ‘Think we’re being a bit hasty putting a line through his name, sir. The man I saw on Tuesday looked pretty calm for someone who’d just found his parents executed.’
‘But he has no motive for Frazer and Nolan, and their deaths were nothing to do with mercy killing,’ said Brook. ‘Both were in good health, even planning a ski trip to Japan. And the fact that they were tied shows they resisted.’
‘Then maybe he had a different reason for killing them,’ retorted Caskey.
‘A gay hissy fit?’ mocked Brook, using Gibson’s own phrase. ‘Organised serial killers don’t have different reasons for killing, Sergeant. They only have one and every kill is a variation on a theme.’
‘Then maybe Gibson’s not a serial killer, just someone eliminating those who have pissed him off,’ said Caskey. ‘Parents, ex-lovers – they top the list of most domestics.’
‘Frazer and Nol
an were not Gibson’s ex-lovers,’ insisted Brook.
‘So they snubbed him and he takes it badly,’ suggested Caskey.
‘There’s no social media or any emails to prove a relationship between Gibson and Frazer and Nolan,’ argued Brook. ‘And may I remind you that ex-DI Ford’s team worked to that theory extensively and found nothing.’ Caskey’s colour began to rise.
‘If Gibson knew them, it’s a connection,’ insisted Charlton. ‘We can’t rule him out. You were the one saying do the legwork, Brook. Start with his alibi for both killings. Did we check out his partner?’
‘James Trimble,’ said Cooper, with a hesitant glance at Brook. ‘Born in Glasgow. Divorced with one son, Sean. The son has minor violence on his sheet, but Trimble Senior served eight years for armed robbery. Out in ninety-nine.’
‘Armed as in with a gun?’ asked Caskey, raising an eyebrow at Brook.
No contradiction from Cooper. Silence for a few seconds.
‘Open mind, Brook?’ enquired Charlton. Brook nodded faintly in response. ‘So what now?’
‘With no forensic leads from either scene, we’re looking harder at the Frazer and Nolan murder,’ said Noble.
‘First principles,’ nodded Charlton, sounding pleased with himself.
‘It’s our baseline,’ replied Brook. ‘Changes he made for the Gibson killing show his development. We’ll know more when we’ve finished playing catch-up on DI Ford’s inquiry.’
‘There’s not a lot to catch up,’ said Caskey. ‘We eliminated most of their friends and contacts.’
‘Most,’ said Noble, flicking at a remote. The photograph of Maureen McConnell and the partially visible shaven-headed man appeared on the whiteboard. ‘We couldn’t put a name to this man, though the neighbour thought he might have been called Alex or Ollie.’
‘That was the only decent picture of him, and we drew a blank on ID,’ said Caskey. ‘But the neighbour told us he was harmless.’
‘Her assessment of harmless would be about as helpful as her memory for names,’ said Brook. Caskey acknowledged with a faint dip of the eyes.
‘Any concrete reason to think this man’s a suspect?’ enquired Charlton.
‘Only that he wasn’t a friend. Frazer and Nolan had just met him and invited him to their party because they felt sorry for him,’ said Banach. ‘He’d recently lost his wife.’
