You Are Dead

71

Thursday 18 December

At 5.30 Roy Grace attended the next Gold group meeting. As soon as it ended he sat down with the senior press officer, Sue Fleet, to go through the details for the press conference that was being held at 7 p.m.

‘Our number-one priority is to protect the public, Sue. We’ve got to ensure people are made aware there is now a critical risk to young women on the streets of Brighton. Meantime I’m going to liaise with Nev Kemp and ask him to get every available police resource on the streets of the city, in hi-viz jackets.’

He liked working with Sue Fleet. She was a sensible, pragmatic and totally unflappable person, who always thought at least one step ahead. And frequently more.

‘You need to prepare a very concise message for the conference, Roy. I suggest something along these lines: There is a credible and immediate threat to the safety of women on the streets of Sussex, particularly Brighton and Hove. Women should avoid, where possible, being alone on the streets at any time. They should let people know where they are. Any members of the public who see anything suspicious or who think they know who the killer is should contact the police immediately, using 999.’

Grace scrawled the words down as she spoke.

‘I also suggest you come to the conference having considered the potential questions you are likely to be asked. We can’t afford for you to be stumped on any answer — nor to hesitate. We’ve got to give the impression that you are on top of it, and confident. That’s what the public are going to want to hear.’

‘Yes,’ he replied. And wished he was.

‘We agreed at the Gold group that the Chief Constable will be on the podium with you. That will demonstrate to the press and the public the level of police commitment to this. Also, if you are able to, I think you should pay a visit to the families of Emma Johnson and Ashleigh Stanford. I think it would help comfort them and it would send a good message across. Presumably they’ve got FLOs with them?’

‘Yes, I’ve arranged Family Liaison Officers for each of them, and I was planning to go and visit both families later tonight.’

As soon as Sue Fleet had left he called Cleo, apologetically, to tell her he had no idea when he would get home.