“No, he’s in the hospital wing of the prison. I think he’s innocent and probably being set up. I need to know why. We have a preliminary sketch of the real offender, but everyone we’ve shown the sketch to so far doesn’t seem to recognise the person.”

“That’s strange. So where do you go from here?”

“Well, the latest victim is in a coma. We have to pray that she comes out of that coma and can either give us a name of her attacker or give us a positive ID in the form of another sketch. It’s all up in the air for the time being. Can you get that sample rushed through for me? If nothing else, it rules out the man we have in custody and means we can be sure we’re after the man in the sketch.”

“Of course, I’ll get it actioned immediately. I’ll call you with the results as soon as we have them.”

“Thanks, Simon. Before I go, I have to tell you that my chief has given me until the end of the week to conclude the case. Otherwise, he’s hinting at another team taking over the investigation.”

“Seems a bit harsh.”

“I think the super is squeezing him about quotas, as usual.”

“If only the criminals would back off and give us all a break or two, life would be so much simpler, wouldn’t it?”

“It sure would. Talk later.”

Upon her return to the ICU, she found Jack trying to appease a man and woman in their mid-forties. Her partner heaved a relieved sigh when he spotted her.

“Here’s the Inspector now. Mr. and Mrs. Collins, boss.”

Sally held out her hand, but only Mrs. Collins shook it. Mr. Collins threw an irate hand up in the air. “I want someone to tell me what is wrong with my kid.”

Sally raised an eyebrow at her partner. “Haven’t you told them yet, Jack?”

“I was in the process of doing that when you arrived, boss.”

“Just tell us!” Mr. Collins ordered. His tone said he wasn’t in the mood to be challenged.

“Okay, as far as we know your daughter was attacked and left for dead by her assailant.” Mrs. Collins wailed and threw herself at her husband’s chest. Tears welled up in Mr. Collins’s eyes. Sally continued, “At this moment, your daughter is in a coma. The doctor couldn’t tell us how long that is likely to last. It’s the body’s way of shutting down to recover after such an ordeal.”

“Have you caught the bastard?” Mr. Collins asked less angry.

Sally shook her head. “Not yet. The thing is, we need Amanda’s help. We’ve had this man on our radar for a few weeks now, but he’s doing everything he can to evade capture.”

“What?” Mr. Collins pushed his wife upright and took a step towards Sally.

She stood her ground, sensing Jack tense up beside her. I refuse to feel guilty!

“What are you talking about? You knew there was a madman on the loose but neglected to tell the public? I know we’ve just travelled back from Turkey, but they still get the daily papers over there for those of us who like to keep informed about what’s going on back home. I’ve not read anything about this or a similar crime in this area while we’ve been away. Have they suppressed the news deliberately?”

“Yes, you’re right. This case has not hit the media yet. I felt that to inform the public would be tipping off the offender, too. We’ll never catch him if he knew we were on to him.”

“Oh, I see. So in the meantime, you’re happy to sit behind your frigging desk and watch the body count rise. Is that it?”

“Not at all, Mr. Collins. Please, can you keep your voice down? You’re disturbing the patients.”

He scowled at Sally, long and hard. Then he threw his hands up in the air again before continuing in a hushed, yet still-angry voice, “I get it—you’re convinced that leaving this bastard running around out there on the loose will benefit our society. Is that it? Damn, I’m so effing dumb!”

Sally’s own anger teetered. She inhaled and exhaled a few short breaths then replied, “No, that definitely is not the case. The murderer has been tricking us, using someone else’s DNA at the scene to throw us off his scent. We’re trying our hardest to deal with that issue.”

“Murderer? So he’s killed women already? Jesus, this just gets better. So you’re telling us that this animal intended to kill our daughter?”

“We believe so, yes.”

“And tell me this, Inspector; did the parents of the other victims give you those black eyes for giving them a dumb answer to their questions? Believe me when I say I’m sorely tempted to vent my anger out on someone right now.”

“I’d swallow down that temptation if I were you, Mr. Collins.” Jack took a step nearer to the man.

“And who’s going to make me? You?”

Jack puffed out his chest. “If I have to, yes.”

Sally yanked on Jack’s arm and pulled him away from the irate man. “All right. Pack it in. We’ll leave, get on with some real police business, on one proviso.”

“Which is?” Mr. Collins narrowed his untrusting eyes.

“That you ring us the second your daughter regains consciousness, so that we can return to question her.”

Mr. Collins continued to glare at the detectives.

Mrs. Collins eventually broke the silence. “Yes, just leave us alone, please.”

“Very well.” Sally handed the woman a card. “It’s vital to the case, I can’t emphasise that enough.”

“Yeah, because the other victims have all ended up dead. We got that, Inspector. Let’s hope our baby does pull through this, for your sake.”

Sally and Jack walked off the ward and out to the car, where Jack erupted, “How dare he talk to us like that!”

“He dares because he has the right to, Jack. Put yourself in his shoes; you’re a parent. Look at how you reacted to Teresa’s pregnancy news, then triple that rage. I guess you’d come out with the same result as the Collinses are going through at present. I don’t blame them in the least.”

“I suppose you’re right. It doesn’t alter the fact that we’ve been busting a gut to get this fucker, and all our efforts haven’t been appreciated.”

“I understand. I’ll tell you one thing—going forward that swift kick up the arse will probably do our determination more good than harm, eh?”

Jack nodded at her over the roof of the vehicle. “You’re right.”

Sally got into the car and fastened her seatbelt. “The trouble is, it’s not as if we haven’t been trying, Jack. Let’s hope Amanda Collins comes around soon. Otherwise, I can see the body count rising even more.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Sally and her team had to wait another twenty-four hours before they heard from the hospital again. The doctor overseeing Amanda’s care rang Sally on Mr. Collins’s instructions as he was too emotional to place the call himself.

“Will she be well enough for me to bring a police sketch artist along, doc?”

“I doubt it, Inspector. She’s still more than a little groggy.”

“The thing is, doc, we’re on a deadline.”

“I don’t really care about what deadlines you’re working under. All I care about is my patient and her needs. Come in and see her, by all means, just don’t push her. Give her time.”

“Okay. We’ll be there in half an hour.” Sally hung up and immediately called her partner into the room.

Jack appeared in the doorway, frowning. “Boss, what’s up?”

“Amanda Collins is awake. We have the all-clear to visit her but with reservations. Can you call the sketch artist for me? The doc advised me not to take the artist. However, I think we should, just in case Amanda wants, or is able, to give us a description of this creep.”

“I’ll get on it now. Shall I ask her to be ready to go ASAP?”

“Do that. I told the doc we’d be there within thirty minutes. Fingers crossed that this will turn out to be beneficial for all of us.”

Amanda was a sorry-looking sight. Her head was bandaged, she had a black eye, and a cast encased her left arm. Sally flinched when she saw the girl—Amanda’s wounds reminded her of what she herself had gone through during the last week at the hands of her ex and her parents’ neighbour. Amanda looked wary when Sally walked into the room, along with Jack and Kathy, the sketch artist.