Slow Hand

I suppose I knew from the first little jewel of blood that this would become addictive; that they would call me a serial killer.
The murder of Sheila Delaney was almost an accident. Jealousy drove her killer to threaten her with a knife but the thought of killing her simply hadn’t manifested itself. Only wanting to break her dominance but carried away with the moment her killer was surprised at the sensory experience. Driven by thrill that became addictive the killer fixated on another victim.
An intelligent and rational campaign to disguise the all too obvious links between the first and last subjects becomes a journey both pleasurable and stimulating Playing cat and mouse with the police. Hiding in plain sight and academically observing the frustration of the detective the one they called “Slow Hand” relished an acclamation recorded in a diary with hidden pride.

DI Samuel Miller was never comfortable with people but on his up days, he could be charming, intelligent and witty even if a little insensitive. Gradually these periods were becoming fewer as frustration and self-deprecation drove him into depression. However, Sam was never a quitter and moved inexorably closer to tracking down the killer under his nose.
A trail of mutilated bodies with no apparent connection led clearly to one conclusion that a serial killer was active within the Modern Jive community. Miller was convinced that these were more than just random acts of a psychopath but what other motive could there be. The Forensic Psychologist assigned to help find the killer was, it seemed to Miller, wrong about their protagonist but dangerously close to being right about him.

I am intelligent and rational but my ultimate victim called to me like a siren even though I knew she would be my undoing.

Sheila Delaney’s involvement in Modern Jive appeared to be a dead end but for a while, Sam finds relief in taking it up himself. The uninvolved conviviality of the common interest and healthy, almost strenuous exercise suited him. He even finds himself attracted to the bubbly young female instructor. Too late, he realises that this very relationship precipitates the ultimate murder and eventual confrontation with the killer.