The press officer had called the appeal to a sudden halt after Mallender’s admission that the cases may be connected for fear of the journalists concocting a serial killer angle. ‘It needed saying,’ Coupland had said supportively when they were away from the glare of the cameras, but he knew Mallender would be under pressure from Curtis to prove or disprove this as soon as possible before the press starting criticizing the way the investigations were being handled.‘And when exactly were you going to fucking tell me?’ Curtis rounded on Mallender once he thought they were out of earshot. They were standing at the foot of the stairs, five minutes more and they would be ensconced in Curtis’s office but this was a reprimand that couldn’t wait. Coupland hung back in case he was needed but a discreet shake from Mallender’s head told him to keep his distance. ‘Sir, I-’ Mallender began,‘-How do you think that made me look?’ Curtis hissed; at least they were getting to the crux of it.
