‘That’s fine. It’s more than we have currently.’

‘Righto.’

‘Someone must be missing her and know where she lives.’ I heard the frustration in my voice. ‘We can use reconstructive identity when we’ve got more facial details. Until then it’s fingers crossed the forensic odontology and DNA analysis turn something up.’

*

Ten minutes later I arrived back at the office. There was a buzz of activity in the incident room.

Alexej met me at the boards, waving a print-out. ‘We’ve got a match on one of the sets of prints from the speakers at the flash mob. Guy called Kenny Hayes. Last known address was in Manchester. Before that, he was in Scotland. Currently no fixed abode, and heavily involved with Class A.’ He paused. ‘There were other prints but the CSIs don’t have a match for them.’

Dan joined us. ‘Is he a dealer?’

‘Big-time. At one point the police knew he was dealing but he was clever enough not to sell directly himself, and they couldn’t catch him.’ Alexej was in full flow. ‘Had an army of worker bees who did his dirty work for him. Most of them were illegal immigrants and asylum seekers who were desperate for money while their applications and appeals were going through.’

‘What a scumbag. So, this is what Jackie was talking about. Any idea how he’s involved in the flash mob?’ I felt a rush of blood to my head. ‘Those cases in Glasgow and Manchester. What if this is what Kenny Hayes is up to?’

‘I checked his record,’ Alexej continued. ‘He’s a nasty piece of work. Possession of Class A. Several arrests for physical violence: common assault, assault on a prison officer, assault on a constable in the execution of his duty, ABH and GBH.’

‘Perhaps it’s what Jackie said – he’s involved with social action around anti-gentrification as a front for criminality? You got a mugshot?’

Alexej turned his monitor round so we could see.

‘Check out the scar beside his eye.’ Dan pointed at the screen. ‘Much closer and he’d have been screwed. Doesn’t do much for his looks, does it?’

It was a face that would give anyone nightmares.

‘I’ve distributed his photograph.’ Alexej showed us the range of shots. ‘He’s pretty adept at changing his appearance, but we’ll get him. He can’t alter his height or his DNA.’

‘Any links with LfA?’

‘Not so far.’

‘This is good timing, actually,’ I said. ‘I’ve asked Shen to set up a press conference. We can appeal to the public for information on Hayes too.’

Alexej was still at his computer. ‘I’ve set up google alerts for all flash mobs in the UK, and have set up a dummy account on the LfA forum. I’m about to log in. D’you want to have a look?’