River’s mouth fell open.
‘So get that Facebook post back up and delete the shit. Make them disappear and celebrate the life of that young man the way he deserves.’
River nodded and wiped his eyes one last time.
She held the door open and watched as he sashayed back to the fish counter. He gave his boss a wink as he passed by. The tall guy burst out laughing.
He looked her way and gave her a smile.
She nodded and walked away.
She had to go trap herself a Jackal.
SEVENTY
‘Okay, Stace, what can you tell me about this Jackal?’ Kim asked once she was back in the car. She could feel the late afternoon slipping away from her and their progress today had been slow. Other than linking that name to their three victims, they had nothing. They had no clue who or where he was.
‘I can tell you that he’s very clever and adapts his methods to his target. He matches them and gives them everything they want. With Sarah he spent a couple of weeks chatting and getting to know her. They’d exchanged almost a hundred messages before Jackal suggested they meet. It was all very gentle and coaxing and a bit coy. It couldn’t have been more different with Liam Sachs. It was right in there with sexual flattery, innuendo and an arrangement to meet up in less than twenty messages.’
‘He basically becomes everything they’re looking for,’ Kim observed.
‘Even though we can’t get to any communication between him and Jamie, I’ll bet he came over as a nervous, unsure, newly outed gay man.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Kim agreed. That would appeal to Jamie. Someone he could relate to, someone he could talk to, someone to take things slow.
The manipulation of each of the victims was sickening.
‘Thing is, boss,’ Stacey continued, ‘I’m currently working through the dating websites and his accounts are being closed. Thurst, gone. Open, gone. Fem, gone. ‘HER— Ooh, hang on. He’s still active on this one.’
‘Why?’ Kim asked, feeling the dread form in the pit of her stomach. His exit from the sites could have meant that his spree was over, leaving them to track him down without the risk of anyone else losing their life.
‘Gimme one sec,’ Stacey said, urgently pressing keys. ‘This site is a bit trickier. And in lesser hands that might be a problem but…gotcha. Okay, he’s only made one connection on this site. He’s been talking to—Oh shit.’
‘What?’ Kim asked.
‘His one connection is with Stephanie Lakehurst.’
‘Shit,’ Kim said as Bryant started the car. The girl had told them the previous day she had a date, finally, with someone she felt she could trust. Clearly, the Jackal had been everything Stephanie had needed too.
‘Bryant, happy for you to put your foot down,’ she said, knowing there were twenty-five miles and a good forty-five minutes between her and knowing Stephanie was safe.
‘Try and get her on the phone, Stace, and if that doesn’t work, call the local station and see if they can check on her any quicker than we can.’
‘Will do, boss.’
‘And if you reach her, tell her not to go on that date and to go sit with a neighbour until we get there.’
‘Got it,’ Stacey said, ending the call.
‘Bryant, I swear if you don’t put your foot down, I’ll—’ She was prevented from issuing her threat by the ringing of her phone. It was a number she didn’t recognise.
‘Stone,’ she answered.
‘Inspector, it’s Charles Stamoran.’
She frowned but didn’t put him on speakerphone. She wanted all of Bryant’s focus on getting them to Much Wenlock as quickly as possible.
‘How can I help you, Mr Stamoran?’