The Irish Ripper (Chapter 19)

Sean had never heard the company name Gen Search X before, but he knew all about them by the end of that day.  It was founded in England a few years previously in a back garage and had now become a worldwide enterprise after exponential growth employing thousands of people all over the world that was most famous for allowing individuals to discover their genetic history.  After you sent them your DNA, they could tell you what percentages of your DNA came from each region of the world.  This had proved incredibly popular especially with Americans who had varied ancestry throughout the world.  Less so, with the likes of Sean who was Irish through and through, and had no doubts about where his ancestors had come from in the last thousand years or more. 

Sean really couldn’t understand the excitement in Jim’s voice when he said that he had sent a sample of The Rippers DNA for them to analyze and cross-reference with their datasets.  Its Chief Executive Officer had contacted him, first via email but then on the phone when that was ignored and explained that her company had heard that that the investigation had hit a roadblock with The Rippers DNA and that they may be able to help.  Her name was Dr. Jennifer Winston, a quite brilliant woman of immense intelligence who had been with the company since the get-go; fluent in multiple languages with a doctorate in Biology.   

Jim informed her that the police on both sides of the Irish Sea had already failed to find any DNA match for The Ripper and couldn’t see how this company, despite their immense resources, could be of any further assistance.  But then in exquisite detail, she explained what they could bring to the table.  There would be no fee, this was to be a philanthropic exercise and the company was only to get credit of any kind if the help they provided led to his arrest. 

“You see my Irish friend; this time is very different.  They have a huge bank full of the DNA of ordinary people who have used their services.  Who knows maybe The Ripper was interested in his ancestry?  Nah, we wouldn’t be that lucky,” he chuckled. 

“But there has to be a good chance that he has an inquisitive second cousin or maybe even a few fourth cousins.  We can discover his identity through the connections they have with each other, join the dots so to say.  By linking the related DNA from each person.  Now you see why I’m excited!” he finished sheepishly. 

Suddenly, the grounds for optimism dawned on Sean and he too became entranced by the idea.  There was no way that The Ripper would have foreseen this development and Sean wondered was that this the reason his last attack was so different, even desperate.  Compared to his previous butchery, it was far riskier, as if in a panic.  Perhaps, that’s because he had heard of the new-fangled partnership and did just that.  That would point to the leak coming from England.  Without hesitation, he relayed his thoughts to Jim. 

“Well yeah, lots of people have heard about the sample being sent just prior to Christmas.  Oh good gawd, I see what you mean.  It definitely points to some sort of connection with the police service over here,” he replied almost sympathetically for what had later happened, “but it is a good sign we’re getting closer.  To think of all the lives that have been ruined though.” 

It was unlikely to be one of the police officers or an administration worker.  There were none on leave at the times of the different murders, so there was no way they’d have the time to travel to Ireland to commit them.  It must have been someone who is close to a police officer and one that is quite content to talk about the case at that.   

“I’ll put out a general edict to tell officers of my now grave suspicions and for them to come forward if they suspect anyone,” said Jim.  “To be honest I always presumed the leak was in Ireland.” 

Both officers agreed that their discussion would remain private for now, it would be cruel to raise the hopes of so many people only for them to be dashed.  It was just as important that each police officer was fully motivated to follow each line of possible inquiry. 

 Of course, there was one person Sean was always going to tell, no matter what he had promised, but Jim would have guessed that anyway – Laura.  It made for a good nighttime chat as they lay in bed.  Other couples would have been engaged in a passionate embrace or a nighttime snuggle but this was just as good for them.  She was just as excited as they had been if a little disappointed that the potential breakthrough was still a few weeks away.  She was further intrigued by Sean’s theory of why the last murders were The Ripper’s riskiest to date. 

“I don’t know how you do that,” she said, impressed as she gazed affectionately into his eyes. 

“What?” he replied inquisitively. 

“Keep a level head, like in the midst of such horror.” 

Sean had never looked at it like that before.  In many ways, it was a gift but at times it must make him appear cold, unfeeling.  Either way, he had a job to do and that was all that really mattered. 

A few minutes later, they turned off the lights but they both struggled to fall asleep, though hiding it from the other.  Sean was both excited and wary about what lay ahead; the nightmare was hopefully finally coming to an end but how many more murders would be committed first and was there anything he could do to stop them.  Restless, he found himself switching from side to side all the time trying not to disrupt Laura’s sleep. 

Laura was anxious although she hid it well.  She found herself growing Increasingly worried for Sean; he was under so much pressure, but the worst of it he put on himself.  Although it did seem like a very significant breakthrough, she fretted about his reaction if it turned out to be another blind alley, he was putting so much hope in it.  But all she could do at the end of the day was to be there for him and give him as much support as she could.  She knew that Sean would be there for her too and that is what being involved in a committed relationship meant to her. 

With each passing week, Sean grew tenser.  There had been no further murders since but Sean was anxious for things to progress to the next level.  It had not taken long for the secret to get out and now his superiors on the back of the Minister for Justice were constantly seeking updates that just didn’t exist.  Sean had to keep giving the same tepid response – soon. 

Of course, with each passing day that became a less and less satisfactory response and he soon found himself ordered over to Reading once again to personally oversee the investigation on the British side and communicate with Dublin.  This time though only a select few knew of the arrangement so as not to give any encouragement to the Ripper to carry out a further murder in England like last time.  Laura wasn’t happy to see him go, this time there would be no fixed return date but duty called. 

He was to stay at the same hotel, which he now guessed he should look at as his home from home, at least for the time being.  This time he had to make his own way from the bustling airport using a taxi but Jim promised to meet him first thing in the morning with the promise of news. 

Sean waited patiently for Jim all morning but he did not make an appearance till the early afternoon.  He was quite bored with England now long having lost its luster. Their reunion though when it did come was like that of two old friends who hadn’t seen each other in an age.  For a few moments, they discussed old times like when they first met and how they would never have predicted that they would end up seeing so much of each other.  Then the conversation turned to the matter at hand; the Gen Search results were back. 

As expected, there was no direct match, that would just have been far too fortuitous but some relations had been found.  There were four that were of particular interest, three in Britain and one in the United States.  In fact, one of them lived close by, only an hour away by car.  Jim had already contacted him by phone that morning and much to Sean’s excitement that was where they were heading right that moment.  

With that, they went outside and got into the police car with two other officers.  Jim was too engrossed with the case to bother with any introductions.  It was like he was excited to have a peer to talk things through with, excitedly leaping from one aspect of the case to another.  On the way he explained that they were going to see a student who took the test, like most people, just out of curiosity; he had not yet been told of what the interview was about.  Daryl Cockburn was his name. 

The journey only took about forty minutes so Sean had no time to dwell on what lay ahead.  He was now outside his jurisdiction in any event and had been instructed that his role was only to observe and report.  They pulled up in the parking lot of what appeared to be large, student flat complex, which was teaming with life. 

One of the officers promptly stated that he was in flat-number fifty-seven and reassured Sean that there was wheelchair access.  Sean would certainly have hoped so or else this would have been a wasted journey.  They promptly got out of the car and after asking one of the students for directions headed to the flat that turned out to be just two minutes away. 

Daryl was not what they would have expected from someone related to The Ripper.  He was thin, bespeckled with long, curly black hair in ripped jeans and stunned by the number of coppers that had shown up at his doorstep.  Jim, who had talked to him earlier that day quickly introduced himself but it was soon apparent that he was keener on talking to Sean, whose photo he had seen on the internet. 

The other three students who resided with him were at lectures or had gone off for the day so Daryl invited them into the living room and turned off the television.  Jim whispered into Sean’s ear that protocol would be set aside and he could ask the questions, an opportunity he relished. 

He started off by telling Daryl exactly why they were there and that they hoped he would be willing to assist in their endeavor.  The smile on his face told them that they had his full committed attention.  It turned out that Daryl was quite the talker and only too happy to tell them everything he knew.  This was more interesting than anything he could have expected when he sent away his sample. 

It quickly became clear that there were a few snags.  One was that he came from quite a large family, with over thirty first cousins alone.  The other was that he struggled with some of their names and had no idea when it came to more distant relations. 

“You don’t know the names of all your first cousins?” Sean said somewhere between amusement and agitation. 

“No, some of them sure I’ve barely ever met,” he replied before adding, “It’s my Mum you should really talk to, she’s great with that sort of thing.” 

Sean asked for her number and gave it to one of the officers to see if he could get her on the phone.  Then he turned his attention back to Daryl. 

“The man we’re looking for is athletic, fit, intelligence and strong.  But he’s also a psychopath who would have struggled with relationships and forming a normal human connection with anyone.  Now, I want you to think hard for the next minute or so, does anyone in your family remind you of that?” he said in a deadly serious tone. 

Daryl for the first time went quiet for a few moments. 

“No, sorry sir I can’t think of anyone.  Like, a few of them are a bit mental but nothing on that scale.  Then there are others who like to keep fit, but in all honesty, I wouldn’t call them athletic,” he replied quietly. 

Sean reassured him that that was fine, this was about collating as much information as possible.  Then he thanked him for his assistance.  By then, the officer had his Mum on the phone, who was reticent about divulging any information at first till her son managed to talk her round by telling her that she would never forgive herself if she didn’t help. 

She was of much greater assistance, all of which was dutifully taken down by the officer.  It was with a great sense of accomplishment that Sean was left back to his hotel.  Alas, the next person of interest was a much greater distance away in Grimsby, so they would be setting out early the next morning.  That night, Sean typed up his report and emailed it back to Dublin; though he downplayed his own role in case it would cause any difficulties in the future. 

Then he rang Laura on her mobile and was surprised to find that she would be staying at her Moms while he was away as she was getting a creepy feeling staying on her own.  That was not like her, but he tried to put any worry out of his mind. 

The next morning Jim was there in the foyer as arranged.  There would be only the two of them this time, as no other officer could be spared.  Sean could tell from Jim’s demeanor straight away that he wasn’t overly hopeful of making progress today.  After Sean had maneuvered into the passenger seat, Jim told him that this time, they were heading to a nursing home.  This was not something either of them had expected. 

Sean immediately asked if he was serious, but he insisted that he was.  They were going to see a woman called Martha Delaware.  He wasn’t able to elaborate any further only that she was in her late eighties. 

It was a long drive and the two men had by now exhausted their list of things to talk about leaving long periods of silence.  Sean found himself daydreaming of Ireland and especially Laura.  It was with a sense of relief that he saw the nursing home that was their destination.  It was a large complex, all on the one level.  Everywhere was white, giving it a medical aura.  Most of the residents were in wheelchairs, some looked alert whereas others appeared to be sleeping. 

An attendant, a young woman with a wide warm smile immediately approached to ask if she could be of assistance.  Sean let Jim do the talking. 

“We’re here to see a Mrs. Delaware,” he said in an official tone whilst showing his badge. 

“Oh yes!” she replied excitedly.  “They are expecting you.” 

She pointed to the door that they were to go to.  Neither of the two men was quite sure what to expect as Jim knocked on the door. 

It only took a few seconds for the door to open and they were met by a slender middle-aged woman with a posh accent. 

“My name is Mary.  Please come in.  My Mum is the woman you are here to meet, you really have caused the most unexpected excitement around here!  Even if it somewhat macabre.” 

Martha, who was sitting patiently in her wheelchair beside her hospital bed, gave them a warm welcome.  They were only too eager to answer any questions the officers may have had.  When Martha’s memory became fuzzy, her daughter was there to fill in the blanks. 

It was still painstaking work though as there were multiple large families in her ancestral line.   

“Well Mommy was from a family of eight, her Mom from a family of twelve and her father had six siblings,” Mary said expertly. 

Sean couldn’t but roll his eyes, which led to much laughter all round.  He left Jim the arduous task of jotting down all the names.  Eventually, though he got bored with the recording and decided to go for the jugular. 

“I hope you don’t mind me asking Martha but is there any part of the family that as we say, a bit odd?” he interrupted inquisitively. 

“Well, there’s quite a lot odd in the extended family, but I guess there is odd and then there’s what you’re looking for, I guess.  My brother Robert had a strange one alright, her name was Jackie Huntington.  Some fool knocked her up and did a runner.  She married a right bastard too from what I heard.  None of the rest of the family would have anything to do with her.  She wasn’t just odd; it was much more than that.  She was a cruel and heartless woman.  If there was something she could jeer or torment you about, she would.  She had a younger sister, who was what you call slow and she was awful to her, I was told.  Now that was many moons ago and it is a man that you are looking for but maybe, I don’t know…” 

Martha’s lucidity then failed somewhat and she went off on an unrelated tangent.  Unfortunately, Mary a few minutes later when Martha had needed to rest could add nothing more except to say that Robert was still alive, but only just, having been riddled with cancer.  He was currently getting end-of-life care at a hospice and was only expected to last another two weeks at most.   

“It’s probably nothing, we’ll be in touch if we need further details,” Jim informed her before taking down her telephone number.  The two officers thanked her for the assistance before heading back to the car. 

The drive back seemed to take longer, perhaps it was because they were both tired.  Eventually, Jim broke the silence. 

“Well, my Irish friend do you think we’re getting any closer to our man?” 

“Oh yes, we’ll get there.  Soon the fog will lift and we’ll have him in our sights, there will be nowhere for him to hide,” he replied with a steely conviction that surprised Jim. 

The comments were to prove prescient.  Two days later, interviews had also been conducted with the other two people that harbored some of The Rippers DNA.  Jim raced to the hotel to inform Sean of the results.  They should have listened more closely to the old lady. 

Jim saw that Sean was having his lunch in the hotel restaurant through a window but that wasn’t going to deter him; simply flashing his ID at the waiter and walking past.  Sean was quite surprised when Jim suddenly pulled up a chair beside him waving a piece of paper with a neatly laid out diagram with different people’s names and their relation to each other.  Such was his excitement he didn’t bother with the usual pleasantries. 

“Look!  This explains everything and we’re so very close.  Martha is related down the maternal line whereas Daryl is related paternally.  The other two people’s DNA confirms this.  See, here it appears that the old lady could have been on to something.  It could possibly be a son of Jackie Huntington.” 

Sean immediately set aside his dinner and asked if they had already contacted her.  Jim said that he rang on the way over but she hung up once he said that he was police and from her tone, she didn’t seem like the cooperative type. 

Sean instinctively knew that they needed to get to Robert, while they still had an opportunity.  Taking charge of the situation, he told Jim to ring Mary and find out his whereabouts.  Fortunately, Mary perhaps expecting the call was able to give him the location, but she added that he was now in his final hours. 

Just a few moments later, the two men were driving to St Michael’s Hospice, in the heart of London.  They turned on the siren, every second could prove vital.  For a time, they made great progress but their frustration grew as they hit outer London and were hit with gridlock on all five lanes.  They turned off the siren and tried to be patient.  Gradually, they crawled into the city proper and Jim then had a good idea of the best streets to take.   

“I always wanted to visit London again even if the circumstances are not what I would have expected,” Sean said jokingly to lift the mood. 

“When we get this bastard, you’ll be coming again and I’ll show you all the good spots,” Jim replied sternly. 

A few minutes later they had reached their destination.  It was not what Sean would have expected.  It was on a busy street and it actually took them a few minutes to find somewhere to park that Sean could actually get out safely into his wheelchair.  Apart from the name hanging over the entrance, there was nothing to signify that the red brick six-story building was any different from the ones that surrounded it. 

Anxious to reach Robert in time, they hastily went inside.  The change in atmosphere was immediate.  The hustle and bustle of the street immediately changed to serenity.  There was a shop that was covered in flowers immediately on the left side and a reception desk with seating on the right manned by nurses.  They skipped the queue and went straight to the top where a middle-aged nurse began to admonish them. 

“You can’t do that! Please take your place at the back!” she said in astonishment but once Jim showed his ID, her tone immediately softened and she checked for Robert’s location on the computer in front of her. 

“Oh yes, he is on the fourth floor, in the L Block.  I tell you what I’ll go with you.  This place is like Fort Knox without a swipe card and I’m due a break,” she said helpfully. 

Jim immediately agreed and they began their journey through a labyrinth of corridors and lifts.  Every turn was indistinguishable from the last, the only noticeable change is a change of lettering on the overhead signs.  A chill went down Sean’s spine as he thought of the anonymity of death in places like this.  Sure, the patients smiled as he passed by, but he wondered if they were little more than a number to the people who worked here.  Or perhaps, it was just his distaste for medical settings since his accident. 

After a few minutes, they reached Robert’s room, which he had all to himself though it immediately became clear that probably didn’t make much difference to him one way or the other.  Looking extremely frail and pale, he was being attended by a petite, young attendant who inquired if they were family or friends.  Her face became somewhat despondent when the nurse that had come with us told her they were not, but police who wished to speak with him. 

“I fear that you have come too late, he’s been unconscious now for a little over an hour and I doubt he’ll open those eyes ever again.  I had hoped you were family; I hate when we’re the only people here to say goodbye,” she said with a smile. 

“Did his family visit at all?” Jim inquired noting that there were no photos or flowers in the room. 

“Not that I’ve seen,” she replied sadly, “Well apart from some distant relations.  He did mention when pressed that he had a daughter and a grandson but they’ve not shown up.  I gathered that they were estranged and haven’t spoken for many years.  Shame, because he really was a sweet and lovely man.  To be estranged at ninety-six years of age…” 

“Well he couldn’t have been perfect if the police want to talk to him, was he a bit too fond of the kiddies back in the day or something?” the middle-aged woman who was still standing inquisitively in the hallway interjected. 

This alarmed Jim, who didn’t want to tarnish the old man’s reputation in his final moments and insisted that he was not suspected of any wrongdoing.  Sean then asked if they could have a few moments alone with him to at least pay their respects giving a knowing glance to Jim.  With that, they closed the door leaving the men alone with Robert.  Sean took charge of the situation and told Jim to stand in front of the camera that he had spotted in the corner, hoping it was the only one. 

“Well it doesn’t look like you are going to be able to willingly give us your DNA, now does it?” Sean whispered to Robert, “But you know from what people have told us about you, I have no doubt you would have.  Ah, look, at that drool coming from your mouth.  You’re at least entitled to some dignity.” 

Sean took a tissue from his shirt pocket and wiped the man’s mouth.  Then he handed it to Jim who placed it in a small plastic bag.  Then they waited a few minutes.  In that time, Robert took his last breath.  The two men said little to each other until they were back in the car.  They now had a prime suspect for the Reading Rapist and The Irish Ripper, and possibly the proof to imprison him.