Alice wanted to know more about what the police knew. Fortunately, she had a contact.

‘Hi,’ she said. ‘It’s me. Alice.’

Nadia Alexander was a Detective Sergeant – newly minted in the past six months – and best friends with Manjit, Alice and Tom’s neighbour. They had met her at Manjit’s housewarming party, and since then Alice had been out with her on a number of girls’ nights.

Alice dialled her number.

‘Hi,’ Nadia said. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Good, Nads. You?’

‘Busy.’

‘Are you working on the murders?’

‘We all are.’

‘Must be interesting,’ Alice said.

‘It is,’ Nadia replied. There was a guarded tone in her voice. ‘But you know I can’t talk about it.’

‘Of course!’ Alice said. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to. I’m working on my story from the press conference. I wanted to check a few details.’

‘This isn’t really the right process for that,’ Nadia said.

‘I know. But it’s nothing much. It’ll be quick. So, it’s two female victims and one male, right?’

‘Right.’

‘And there are enough similarities to say they’re linked?’ There was no reply, so she continued. ‘Any details on the similarities?’

If Nadia told her something she could use it in her copy. Serial killers were always of huge, morbid interest to the public, so any new information or angle was gold dust, but right now everyone had the same information: three bodies, two female, one male, police treating them as linked. If she could come up with something extra she’d be ahead of the game – and this story would soon be the biggest in the country.

‘None,’ Nadia said. ‘Come on, Alice, you know better than this. I’ll see you soon, OK?’

The phone went dead. Alice stood up and walked over to the window. She yawned and glanced at the couch. It had been another long night.

Jo was sleeping in her basket. It had been twenty minutes, so she’d be asleep a while yet, with any luck.

Alice lay on the couch, and closed her eyes.

Wednesday, 21 July 2021

Alice

Alice walked into the London Bridge pub. It was a few minutes past 5 p.m. but it was already busy, full of early drinkers, or the people who were still working from home and needed to get out of the house and away from their computer screens.

She looked around for Nadia. It had been two days since the press conference and there had been no more news, but an hour earlier Nadia had called and asked if she was free to meet up.

I have something to share, she said. About the murders. Are you free?

Now? Alice asked.

Yes. We could meet in the pub?

I have Jo with me. Tom’s at work. She paused. She could ask Tom’s mum to come. I’ll call you back. Give me a minute.