As cheerful as the next sedative, Jane slept walked into her day. strolling past the puddles made from last nights creation, her grey coat hem soaking it up. She found the office awash with files incomplete. One case in particular had pushed it's way through demanding her attention. She had been on it for weeks now, but it wasn't letting up. She read the M.O again of the victims, and a statement given by the only witness to the second murder.

Name: Miss Irene Moore
D.O.B : 12.06.73
White female.
Age : 25yrs.
Occupation: Teacher of Fine Art and Design.
Family: deceased.
Previous convictions : Shop lifting from a florist. 02.03.62

Miss Moore had been found strangled in a garden centre just east off Highway 31 New Brook. No witnesses had come forward in over a year of investigations and the case had been closed . It was as if the whole thing had never happened.

Name : Miss Ellie Shaw
DOB : 13.03.70
White Female.
Age : 28yrs
Occupation : Psychiatric Community Nurse.
Family : deceased.
Previous Convictions : None.

Miss Shaw was found with repetitive stab wounds to the chest, and with soil under her finger nails of the left hand. The crime was said to have taken place in a garden centre just off the east wing of a purpose built residential home for the rehabilitation of offenders in Newham. The body was found 5 weeks later in a garden centre off Highway 31 Newbrook.

Jane studied the witness statement of the second crime with unease. Lois Mayfield had given a full account of what had happened that day.

The Hand over of responsibility carried minimal risk. Peter Francis Blake had been born a psychopath in an age of innocence. His community rehabilitation programme, as it was collectively put, was the first positive step born out of premature legislation. He had killed 17 people in a garden centre in Connecticut. Each murder, premeditated and under similar circumstances. His victims killed quickly with several blows to the head and a single red rose left lying beside the bodies. His logic of the situation being that of a murderous preacher, protecting his family from extinction. He was acting out his faith in what he deemed a necessary manor.

Lois Mayfield had been warden for the night shift, making sure that all residents where safely locked up for the night. Miss Shaw had , had the Hand over report from Miss Mayfield at 8am that morning. Everything had been quite for the night, but the morning did not hold the same sentence. Lois had noticed that the door to number 8, that off Mr Blake was ajar. She had been sure that it had been locked by her during the night. Miss Shaw took the keys and approached the door to lock it when Mr Blake wedged himself between it. The two women had never had any trouble from him, infact he had always been pleasant. They couldn't hold the door any longer. Blake grabbed Ellie by the arm totally ignoring Lois's presence, and threatened her repeating the same words over and over. " The garden needs us, someone needs us?"

She managed to get loose and started to run . He ran after her, as they both headed for Newham Garden Centre.

Lois in shock, managed to break her body free from its rigidity. She ran in the direction of the garden centre. Upon approaching it she could seen no sign of either of them. The Centre a large barn, a hive of activity as employees unpacked boxes of imported rare flowers, and plants shipped in from all over the world. Her surroundings now awash with the scent of a cleverly mixed fragrance.

Know one acknowledged her presence or panic. She asked if anyone had seen Ellie or Blake. They had seen nothing. She reported them both missing that evening. The police had searched Blakes room, and found him strangled in the bath and with dirt under the finger nails of his left hand. The shower curtain had been pulled around and the water left running. Newham garden centre had been searched and nothing was found. No witness to a crime and no Ellie. 5 weeks later her body was found in a garden centre off Highway 31 Newbrook.

That night Lois lay asleep, and was awakened to the sound of her shower running. She was sure that she had not left it running before bed. She was feeling compelled towards venturing out to the Newham Garden Centre. She felt for her clothes on the chair beside the bed, and dressed in what she found. A man's trousers and shirt, which seemed to fit her. She didn't stop to lock the door to her apartment, but ran and ran like someone was hunting her. Finally she arrive at the centre. She heard the sounds of people talking. A man and a women. The women's voice sounded just like Ellie. The voice was getting closer to the window at which Lois stood only paces away from. It called her name. Lois peered nervously through the window. Blake was there on his own. He switched on a CD player and began to dance wildly, arms circling and bruising the air around him. Eyes fixed wide in their sockets the skin settings beaming blue headlights. Tongue erect and held between teeth, his saliva shimmering iridescent on pink lips.

He switched the CD off. Looked around the room, searching everywhere. Lois was sure she would be seen and ducked down. She heard the Music begin again and a dragging sound mixed with the screams of Ellie. She looked up again. Only Blake was present. He stumbled with rhythmic head and left arm, becoming a Vicious Sid. Rubbing his face, he made a play for the cushion beside him. Teasing its tasselled edges and affectionately pressing it against his lower torso. The chair now with its back turned, He blew the words out of his mouth. Lois could not hear what he was saying with the loud music. He switched the CD off. He began to cry really hard, and then burst into laughter his face contorted and eyes lighting the room. He caught Lois's reflection behind the window. She turned away for a moment and everything went silent. She heard Ellie's voice call her for help. As she turned back to look

again, Blake had gone