Emily and I left the Sparrow's lab feeling less than happy about what was going on. The killer had access to some pretty advanced technology, and probably chemical knowledge. He or she also had access to the drugs market. The question was, how much access?
The radio of the Grey Car buzzed, and Scruff's voice came over the airwaves.
"Sis, there's been another death, a beggar in Leicester Square. Same symptoms. Just listening to the police scanner made me want to throw up again."
That I could understand.
"The Sparrow came up with an identification for the poison that killed the victims. Some sort of exotic poison popular in Italy in the 16th century. Which figures, really."
"Not one used in India today," Emily added. "Or I'd know about it."
And she would. That girl knows a lot about nasty ways to kill people - which is quite handy, really.
"Where to, then?" she asked me.
"Home. There's nothing we can do at Leicester Square - too many police officers. I just have to think outside the box, as it were. Who's behind this?"
The question bothered me all the way home. I mean, this was nasty. REALLY nasty. Jack-the-Ripper nasty, but with poison rather than with knives.
Of course!
"Scruff, I think I have some sort of a lead! I was thinking about Jack the Ripper. There's a similarity here. Jack the Ripper targetted prostitutes. The way he dissected the bodies indicated that he had some surgical skill. Well, this killer has quite advanced chemical knowledge, and it seems he or she hates drug addicts."
"Jack the Ripper was never caught." Scruff pointed out.
"Jack the Ripper didn't have us and the Sparrow after him. Contact Alice, and the two of you can draw up a list of scientists in London who have the skill to make the poison that was used. Then you can find out if any of them have the underworld contacts to get the stuff 'cut' with drugs."
At last, I thought, we were getting somewhere. Perhaps.
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