The Mermaids Singing Page 0,47

Which is about ten too few. I've got a couple of bits of information for you, by the way." She filled him in succinctly on the results of her visit to Scargill Street, leaving out Cross's hostility.

Tony listened carefully, making a couple of notes on his pad.

"Interesting," he said.

"I don't think there's a lot of point in pulling in the sex offenders again, though. If Handy Andy's got form, it's more likely to be juvenile of fences petty burglary, minor violence, that sort of thing. Still, I've been wrong before."

"Haven't we all? By the way, I checked with the HOLMES room, and there's no one there who knows anything about statistical pattern analysis, so I've asked my brother to see what he can do for us.

Should I just give him a set of the photographs, or is there some other way of presenting the raw data? "

"I suppose there's less chance of a mistake if he works directly from the photographs," Tony said.

"Thanks for sorting that out for me."

"No sweat," Carol said.

"Secretly, I think he's quite chuffed to be asked. He thinks I don't take him seriously. You know, he writes games software, I do the real thing."

"And do you?" Tony asked.

"What? Take him seriously? You bet I do. I respect anybody that understands something as far beyond my grasp as computers. Besides, he earns about twice what I do. That has to be serious."

"I don't know about that. Andrew Lloyd Webber probably earns more in a day than I do in a month, but I still don't take him seriously." Toby stood up.

"Carol, do you mind if I abandon you for ten minutes? I need a quick shower to wake me up."

"Fine, feel free. It's me that's early."

"Thanks. D'you want a brew while you're waiting?"

Carol shook her head.

"I'll pass, thanks. It's cold out there, and there aren't many places a woman can have a pee in Temple Fields in the early hours."

Almost shyly. Tony picked up the sheaf of a printout and proffered it to Carol.

"I've started the work on the victims. Maybe you'd like to take a look while I'm gone?"

Eagerly, Carol took the paper.

"I'd love to. I'm fascinated by this whole process."

"This is just very preliminary," Tony stressed, backing towards the door.

"I mean, I've not drawn any conclusions yet. I'm working on that."

"Relax, Tony, I'm on your side," Carol said as he left the room. She stared after him momentarily, wondering what it was that had unsettled him. By the time they parted in the afternoon, they had built up an easy camaraderie, she'd thought. But now, he was edgy, abstracted. Was it that he was tired, or was it that he was uncomfortable to have her sitting in his home?

"God, does it matter?"

she muttered to herself.

"Concentrate, Jordan. Pick the man's brains." She focused on the first sheet and studied the data.

Ethnic origin Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian approx.

Nationality British British British British Criminal None None None None Age 18 31 ? o 17 record Star sign Gemini Cancer Scorpio Capricorn Connection None known None known None known None known Height 5'io" 5'" " 5'n" 6' to scene of Weight i47lb i36lb i5ilb i6olb crime Build Medium Slim Medium Medium Status of Urban Urban Suburban Urban Musculature Good Average Average Excellent body-recovery rural Hair length Abv collar Collar Abv collar Abv collar site Hair colour Brown Dark brown Brown Reddish Site of first Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown brown contact with Hair type Wavy Straight Straight Curly killer Tattoos No No No No Site of death Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Clothing None None None None Disposition Semi-hidden Semi-hidden Hidden; note Openly Occupation Civil servant University Solicitor Police officer of body to cause short to cause short to police via displayed but lecturer delay before delay before newspaper in area Place of work City centre South of city City centre Southern discovery discovery required unattended centre suburbs until specific Car owned Ford Escort Citroen AX Ford Escort Classic Austin time Healey Body posed?

No No No No Hobbies Working out, Walking Working out, Car "Has the Yes Yes Yes Yes angling theatre, restoration body been cinema washed?

Residence Modern Edwardian Thirties semi; Modern Cause of Throat cut Throat cut Throat cut Throat cut terraced town terraced no garage detached death house, house; no estate house; "Ligatures?

Wrists Wrists Wrists Wrists integral garage attached Ankles Ankles Ankles Ankles garage garage ; Adhesive Adhesive Adhesive Adhesive Relationship Divorced Single Single Single '; gag gag gag gag status Lived alone Lived alone Lived alone Lived alone