‘You’d be fine on your own. You’d meet people. Like I have.’

‘I know. I’m just not sure it’s for me. What will you do?’

‘Hang around with my friends for a while. Perhaps head over to Europe.’

‘We’re in Europe!’

‘You know what I mean. Paris, Berlin, that kind of thing.’

‘And then back to Perth?’

Brenda shook her head. ‘No way. I’m never going back there.’

‘Why?’ Alice said. ‘What’s so bad there, if you don’t mind me asking.’

‘Don’t mind at all. It’s my parents. We don’t get along.’

‘Any reason in particular?’ Alice said.

‘Every reason you can think of,’ Brenda said. ‘And a few more you can’t. Let’s leave it at that.’

‘So where will you go?’

‘Melbourne, probably. Got some mates there. I can crash with them, find a job. See what happens.’

‘Well,’ Alice said. ‘You’re braver than I am. I need a plan. I can’t go with the flow like that. I envy you.’

‘Thanks,’ Brenda said. ‘But you shouldn’t envy me. My life’s a fucking mess.’

‘That why you’re here?’ Alice said. ‘You’re running away from something?’

‘I sure as shit am,’ Brenda replied. ‘But then we’re all running from something, aren’t we?’

Friday, 20 August 2021

Alice

‘CRUCIFIX’ KILLER MAKES CONTACT: LETTERS SENT

By Alice Sark

In a shocking development, the Crucifix Killer has made contact with the police – and with me. I have received two letters, both sent to my home.

Why the killer chose me, I have no idea, but choose me they did. The first came a few weeks ago. The second arrived today. Of course, the letters are now in the possession of the police as they could contain vital evidence.

Although the content cannot be revealed, the police confirmed they think the letters are genuine as the author includes details only someone who was present at the crime scenes could be aware of.

It is a chilling development, and shows how confident the killer is that they will not be caught. Tina Rhodes, Professor of Criminal Psychology at Liverpool University, said this is not uncommon in these kind of cases.

‘Serial killers often want public attention for their crimes. They suffer from low self-esteem and start killing precisely to bolster their self-image. The crimes themselves become insufficient, and they need to insert themselves into the investigation or control the narrative. One way they do that is by feeding details to the press.’

It seems the killer wants to prove their superiority to those investigating them – and I can confirm that this is the tone of their letters – but it bears repeating: they are a low, common criminal, and they will be caught.

She had written the story first thing and it was on the website by breakfast time.