“Murder and the attempted murder of several women in the area.”

“What? You’re mistaken. I know my husband wouldn’t—couldn’t do such a thing.”

Sally and Mrs. Liddell chased after Jack and Liddell and caught up with them in the adjoining corridor. A heavily pregnant woman was swiping Jack over the head with her handbag and shouting, “Leave my husband alone, you big oaf.” Jack was trying hard to protect himself while he sat astride the squirming, cuffed Liddell on the floor.

Mrs. Liddell froze on the spot. Sally stopped and retraced her steps to where the woman was standing. “What did she just say?” the stunned Mrs. Liddell asked.

“He’s her husband,” Sally said, feeling as confused as the woman standing in front of her looked.

Sally got out her mobile and called for backup, sensing the situation was about to escalate out of control. Mrs. Liddell walked up to the woman and pulled on her arm. “He’s my husband.”

The younger woman eyed Mrs. Liddell with distaste and rubbed her belly. “He’s my husband, and we’re expecting our first child.”

Sally wormed herself between the warring women. It didn’t take her long to figure out what was taking place. “Ladies, it would appear that Jed has lied to you both over the years. Isn’t that the case, Mr. Liddell?”

Jack jerked the man to his feet, prompting him for a response. “Answer the inspector.”

Jed Liddell’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked at Jack and said, “You can take me to the station now.”

Sally tutted. “Nice of you to want to stick around and face the music. You make me sick. Ladies, count yourselves lucky. Over the past few weeks, your husband here has killed four women and attempted to kill a fifth. Those are the victims we know about. Of course, there could be more murders we’re unaware of right now. Not only that, he tried to make sure an innocent man ended up convicted for the crimes, by placing the man’s DNA at each of the crime scenes.”

“What? Jed, tell me she’s lying,” the first Mrs. Liddell said.

“I don’t believe you!” the pregnant Mrs. Liddell shouted.

Jed couldn’t deny it. They had him by the short and curlies, and he knew it. His two wives glared at each other with pure hatred in their eyes. Sally whispered in Liddell’s ear, “Thought you had the best of both worlds, didn’t you? And it still wasn’t enough for you, was it?”

He turned to her and grinned, causing a shudder to rattle down her spine, one notch at a time. Two uniformed officers joined the affray, and Sally instructed them to take Liddell into custody.

They watched Liddell walk away nonchalantly with the officers. Sally addressed the two women, “Mrs. Liddell and Mrs. Liddell, we’ll need you to come down to the station to make a statement sometime in the next few days.”

“Of course. I never knew. Shit! What about Michael? How on earth am I going to break this news to him?”

Sally rubbed the woman’s arm. “I wouldn’t, not just yet.” Then she asked the other woman, “Can I ask why you were at the hospital today?”

Tears sprang from the woman’s eyes, and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. “I was having a scan on this one. There’s every chance that he has a severe illness. They’re not sure what it is yet.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that. And you live locally?” Sally asked.

“Yes, ten minutes away.”

The other Mrs. Liddell asked, “So when does he stay with you?”

“Only on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. What about you?”

“Fridays and Saturdays. When did he carry out the crimes you say he committed, Inspector?”

“We think on Sundays and Mondays. We’ll get the full picture when we question him back at the station. I’m sorry he’s involved you in this, ladies. Please, don’t take it out on each other, not if there are children involved. They’ll be half-siblings, after all.”

Both women nodded at Sally in unison.

“We’ll be in touch with you both soon,” Sally added.

Sally and Jack left the two women, who were heading back to the family room to await news about Michael, and drove to the station.

“Back there you told the two women not to take it out on the kids as they were related. The thing is, I bet you fifty quid it’s not to Liddell.”

Sally glanced sideways at her partner and raised an eyebrow. “If he used Dorling’s sperm to create the kids… wow, what a bloody mess. I wonder if that’s the outcome he intended when he dreamt up this bizarre plan. Somehow I doubt it.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Sally had to wait over two hours before the duty solicitor showed up to attend the interview with Liddell. Sally stared at the suspect while Jack started the tape and announced who was present in the room as well as the date and time.

Liddell had his hands clasped tightly in front of him, his elbows on the table and his head bowed low.

“Right, where shall we begin? I know, why don’t you tell us about your friendship with Mr. Les Dorling?”

He looked up momentarily, a glare wrinkling the skin around his eyes, then he dropped his head again. “Don’t know him.”

“Well, that’s not what he’s told us.”

“Who is he?” Liddell asked.

“Currently, he’s on remand for something we now believe you are guilty of carrying out.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Liddell replied adamantly.

“Okay, then let’s leave that topic for a moment and move on to the fact that it has come to light today that you’re a bigamist. I suppose you’re going to deny that, too, are you?” Sally asked.

Liddell’s solicitor raised an eyebrow but continued to write in his notebook.

Liddell shrugged and refused to respond.

Sally continued, “You are aware that bigamy comes with a prison term, yes?”

Another shrug. “So?”

“So, judging by your blatant disregard for the law in that respect, why should I believe you when you decline to acknowledge your friendship with Dorling?”

Liddell glanced up at her and, and through clenched teeth, responded, “Friends, phooey!”

“Ah, so you do know Dorling, just as he suggested. Why the denial?”

“Because I’d rather be associated with Jack the Ripper than that piece of shit.”

“That seems a strange analogy. Care to enlighten us?”

“Not really.” Liddell reclined and folded his arms.

“Jack the Ripper was notorious for brutalising and killing women. Are you aware of that fact, Mr. Liddell?”

“What? Of course I’m bloody aware.”

“Is that where your inspiration comes from?” Sally’s heart raced.

“For what?”

“The murders you’ve committed over the past few weeks.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Inspector. You said yourself that you have someone banged up for the offences.”

“I also said that Dorling was innocent—and in light of new evidence that has come our way, he’ll be released from prison in the next day or so.”

“Let’s hope the death rate on your patch doesn’t rise as soon as he’s released, for your sake.”

“I doubt that will happen as long as we have you in custody, Mr. Liddell.”

He laughed. “Is that right?”

“Yes. Once forensics has reported their findings after examining your car, I don’t think we’ll be left in any doubt. Do you?”

His eyes blazed with anger, and his lip curled up at the side. “You won’t find anything in my car, Inspector. Apart from the odd sweet wrapper my child has left there.”

“Talking of which, have you even bothered to ask how Michael is since we brought you in?”

“No. I haven’t had the chance to yet.”

“Mind you, would that really be of concern to you? I mean, if Michael isn’t really your flesh and blood?”

“Who says that? He’s my child! I’ve been there for him since the day he was born. I’m his father.”

“Well, I hope the DNA can vouch for your blind assumption, because I have a feeling that Mr. Dorling, the friend you earlier denied knowing, will show up as being the father of your child. Oh, what tangled webs, Mr. Liddell. Did you not envisage the truth coming out one day?”