DI Burkin had pulled out a thick black wardrobe bag, the kind used by the uppercrust type of dry cleaners. It was strong, would have fitted a full-length evening gown, and it had a zip from one end to the other. It was slightly open at one end and he could see a tangle of blond hair jammed in the teeth. They knew Marlow was strong—this had to be how he had carried his victims undetected, zipped up in the wardrobe bag, hung over his arm . . .

It was not for Burkin to find out, that was down to Forensic, but be wondered. He placed it into a see-through evidence bag, tagged it, then bent to check over Marlow’s shoes. They were all neatly wrapped in clingfilm, ready to slip on and walk out, or walk into Della Mornay’s efficiency. No wonder they had been unable to find a single item, a single fiber, in her room.

The tape recorder emitted a high-pitched bleep, and Tennison started talking.

“This is a recorded interview. I am Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison. Also present are Detective Sergeant Terence Amson and Mr. Arnold Upcher. We are situated in room 5-C at Southampton Row Metropolitan Police Station. The date is Thursday the first of February, nineteen ninety. The time is four forty-five pm.”

Tennison nodded to Marlow. “Would you please state your full name, address and date of birth?”

He leaned forward and directed his voice towards the built-in microphone. “George Arthur Marlow, twenty-one High Grove Estate, Maida Vale. Born in Warrington, eleventh September, nineteen fifty-one.”

“Do you understand why you have been arrested?”

He gave a half-shrug. “I guess so.”

“It is my duty formally to caution you, and warn you that anything you say may be used in evidence. You have been arrested on suspicion of the murders of Karen Howard and Deirdre Mornay. Do you understand?”

“I am not guilty.” Marlow turned and looked at Upcher.

“Would you please describe to me the meeting that took place between yourself and Karen Howard on the night of January the thirteenth, nineteen ninety.”

“I didn’t know her name, I was told her name later,” Marlow began. “She approached me. I asked how much she wanted. I drove her to some waste ground and had sex with her. I paid her for sex. I didn’t know her, I had never seen or met her before. Then after I dropped her off at the tube station . . .”

“What about the cut on her hand? In a previous statement you said that she, Karen, cut her hand on the car radio which was between the seats.” Tennison held up the statement for Upcher to see.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“The statement was taken on the fifteenth of January, nineteen-ninety. We have since discovered that there is no radio between the front seats of your car.”