There was a brief pause as they waited for more information on who, what, when, or why, but nothing further arrived, the information as vague as the faces around the table.

Mitch broke the silence. ‘Mr Johnson, I have to ask you to turn yourself in. It’s not too late.’

‘I already have, Inspector. Twice,’ he reminded them. ‘Now I have work to do. If you are going to prevent me from taking Heath then there are plenty of others who are worthy.’ There was a clarity in his voice that suggested he believed what he was saying.

‘Does this game of yours have something to do with the Bible?’ asked Mitch.

Chandler was surprised by how tentative Mitch’s question was. Rather than stating it as known fact, he presented his query in the insecure manner of a school kid, as though afraid of being mocked.

‘The Bible? That’s a pretty hazy theory, Inspector.’

Witnessing Mitch losing the chance to maintain the upper hand, Chandler jumped in. ‘How about something to do with your parents? Or your foster parents, Dina and Geoffrey?’

Mitch glared at him but didn’t speak. Neither did the killer on the other end of the phone.

‘Mr Johnson?’ asked Mitch, his glare still aimed squarely at Chandler.

A dead tone sounded. Gabriel was gone.

Flo broke the silence. ‘What did he mean by taking ninety rather than fifty-five?’

This question was directed at her boss. Mitch’s mouth moved up and down as if he hoped some words would ride to his rescue but nothing came out.

‘Does it mean that he’s slaughtered – or he’s going to slaughter a load of people somewhere?’ asked Tanya.

‘Thirty-five more people,’ confirmed Luka.

Spoken out loud it seemed a colossal number. In the absence of direction from Mitch, Chandler sprang into action.

‘Nick, have we had any reports of gunshots, or disturbances of any kind coming over the radio?’

‘Nothing,’ confirmed his constable.

‘Okay. That leaves a possibility that he’s holed up at one of the remoter farms, close to where we last saw him,’ Chandler explained to his audience.

‘Maybe,’ said Tanya. ‘But nowhere has as many as thirty-five people – I doubt there’s even thirty-five people living that close to each other.’

His senior constable was right. To murder thirty-five people would mean Gabriel would have to travel to multiple locations – quickly.

‘Is it a bluff?’ Chandler asked the room.

‘To what end?’ said Mitch, finding his voice.

‘To get us running around like headless chooks.’

‘He’s killed six people, Sergeant. That was no bluff. So we have to consider that he isn’t bluffing now, either.’

Again a pall of silence descended over the office.

‘Any ideas?’ asked Chandler.

‘The Boltons and Easts live close to each other,’ shouted Nick from the front desk. ‘That’s about ten.’

Tanya stepped in. ‘Add in the Cartys and you have sixteen, if you include the dogs.’