Equinox

Chapter 41

Oxford: 30 March, 10.38 p.m.

Monroe looked at the clock on the wall of his office and watched the seconds click by. He had just sent out a dozen officers to three different locations in Oxford to try to track down Malcolm Bridges — his tiny flat on Iffley Road, Lightman's house in Park Town in the north of the city, and his office at the Psychology Department. He had little hope that the man would be found at any of them.

So, Bridges had been at the scene of the second murder. He had no watertight alibi for the time of that murder, but he did have one for the first, which meant that he had to be working with someone. But to Monroe this instinctively felt wrong; and besides, there was absolutely no evidence to support the idea.

So what was the situation? Another murder, four separate incidents, six dead kids, and what did he know for sure? Bridges was involved somehow, but couldn't have been working alone, and another

murder was due to be committed tonight, just after midnight. How would he be able to stop that unless he had Bridges? And, even then, would the man's arrest stop the killing? Rubbing his eyes, Monroe suddenly felt incredibly tired.

The phone rang. 'Monroe,' he said wearily.

'It's Howard.'

'I hope you have some good news for me.'

'Well, I do have some news,' Smales replied. 'But I don't really know what to make of it. It's just, well, the sample has thrown up a. . how shall I put it? A rather sensitive ID.'