Catherine Maxwell was dressed in her pink scrubs, awaiting Lucy’s arrival. She’d found a couple of unidentified fibres on Melanie Benson that had been sent off for examination, and was wondering if she’d find any on Stacey Green. Lucy and Mattie were shown into Catherine’s office, where she ushered them into the chairs.

‘What have you got so far on the Benson case?’

Lucy leant forwards. ‘Not an awful lot. We have no murder weapon, no suspect. Well, we did have one in custody from yesterday’s killing, but he’s escaped.’

‘What?’

‘The man arrested at the scene managed to walk out of the hospital this morning.’

Catherine shook her head. ‘So that’s what all the fuss was when I arrived?’

‘Unfortunately.’

‘And do you think he’s a viable suspect for both victims?’

Lucy shook her head. She wouldn’t normally speak so openly, but she trusted Catherine a hundred per cent. ‘I’m not convinced. There’s the problem of the missing shoes. I think that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time yesterday morning. He’s a drug addict and a petty thief; I don’t think that he’s a cold-blooded killer. There’s something about both these murders that strikes me as too organised. If Lewis Waite had killed Stacey Green, who also happened to be his ex-girlfriend, I’m sure it would have been in a fit of rage. An angry, violent attack. I don’t think he would have stopped to pull her trousers down, fan her hair out and tuck a sanitary towel under her arm. What would be the point? He’d have got away from there as fast as possible and gone to ground.’

Mattie was nodding; it did make sense.

‘What do you think, Catherine?’

‘You know that’s not for me to say, Lucy. My findings are completely scientific and based on fact alone.’

‘I know they are, and I wouldn’t dispute that, but seriously – what does your gut say?’

‘Well, if I had to come up with a hypothetical answer I would say that my gut is leaning in the same direction as yours. Come on, then. Let’s get started and see if we can find anything to prove or disprove your theory.’

Catherine smiled at Lucy, making her feel a whole lot better. If the doctor thought she was on to something, there was a good chance she really was. She didn’t often agree with anyone.

Catherine was immersed in her preliminary observation of the body when she turned and picked up a magnifying glass. Bending down, she stared at a bright blue fibre, turning the instrument one way and then the other. ‘Bingo.’

Lucy stepped closer as Catherine picked up the tiny piece of trace evidence with a pair of tweezers and placed it onto a microscope slide. She examined it through the lens and Lucy found that she was holding her breath waiting for the doctor to speak.

‘Well, it’s not for me to say for definite – that’s down to the trace evidence examiner.’

‘But?’

‘But I would say that this fibre is a pretty good match for the ones I found on Melanie Benson. They will be able to say whether or not they’ve come from a common environment; one with which the killer and the victims have all been in contact. This common environment will repeat in the killer’s world. I’d say that these fibres are more than likely from a rug, his car or a carpet. What this does demonstrate is that both victims have had contact with the same offender. I don’t need to explain Locard’s principle to you; I’m sure you know it better than I do. “Every contact leaves a trace.”’

‘So he’s clever, but he’s not as clever as he thinks he is?’

Catherine nodded. ‘No one is ever as clever as they think they are.’

‘Did he think changing his MO would fool us? Or is he working to some sort of plan, and it’s all part of the big picture?’

‘Now that is definitely your department, Lucy, but I’d say unofficially that you’re looking for the same man for both murders.’

Lucy shook her head in concern. Whoever it was might be planning his next move this very moment. This was excellent forensic evidence for court; however, there was now the huge problem of finding the killer before he made his next move. She looked at Mattie and knew exactly what he was thinking: they had to figure out who he was, otherwise more bodies would turn up.