Database
“But Professor we have statements from 15 witnesses confirming that Michael Marsh was drinking in the Rising Moon between approximately 5:30 pm and midnight. Mr Ramesh, the owner of the Indian Post takeaway remembers serving a very drunk man, matching Mr Marsh’s description at around 12:15. We’ve checked the takeaway’s CCTV which shows Mr Marsh getting there at 12:20 and leaving at 12:33. The post mortem shows that Amanda Jones died at sometime between 7 and 9 pm, so that puts Mr Marsh out of the frame”.
“But Inspector, Marsh’s DNA was found on Amanda’s body, in her bathroom and on one of the wine glasses. The DNA database never lies”.
“Strictly off the record Professor I’ve never trusted the database”.
“With respect Inspector, independent studies have shown the database to be at least 98 percent accurate as regards catching criminals. As you know every child’s DNA is now taken at birth and stored in vaults with security at least equivalent to that used by the Bank of England. Those with direct access to the samples are cleared at the very highest level. I can tell you the security services wanted to know about my entire personal life including my brief flirtation with a lady from the International Marxist Organisation. She was a complete crackpot but great fun in bed”.
Inspector Martha Beckett glared at the Professor. “I’m not in the least bit interested in your love life Professor! Coming back to the matter in hand I, personally have my doubts about the database. There are rumours that those independent studies where funded, behind the scenes by well known gene therapy companies and that those organisations have unofficial access to the DNA database”.
The Professor’s hands tightened around the arms of his chair, his knuckles turning white with the pressure. “What, exactly are you implying Inspector? Slander is a very serious matter”.
“I’m not implying anything Professor, I’m merely repeating what is all over the internet – the rumours that the DNA database is in bed with leading players in the gene therapy industry”.
“I don’t believe it, a policeman who objects to an organisation which makes the task of policing easier. You will be telling me next that you’re a card carrying member of the Free People Party with their crazy ideas about abolishing identity cards, destroying the DNA database and radically reducing the presence of CCTV in public places”.
“My politics are my affair Professor” the Inspector said flushing with anger. “Look Professor the fact is that a jury simply won’t convict on the basis of DNA evidence alone and they certainly won’t return a guilty verdict when the evidence shows Mr Marsh couldn’t possibly have done it”.
The Professor changed tack. “Look Inspector we have the same interests at heart. We both want to put whoever raped and murdered that poor girl behind bars for a very, very long time. We have that man, Michael Marsh. His DNA is all over the crime sceene. I’m sure with a bit of digging some at least of those witnesses who say they saw Michael in The Rising Moon could be discredited. The pub’s a known haunt of criminals after all”.
“What makes you say that?”
“Haven’t there been stories in the paper about the place?”
“If there have I’d be interested to see them”.
“Maybe I’m getting the pub confused with another place”.
“Look, Professor I do genuinely appreciate your help in this investigation, however, as I’ve already said a jury is highly unlikely to convict given that at least 16 independent witnesses will swear blind that Mr Marsh was 10 miles away when the crime took place. On the basis of the evidence I will be releasing Mr Marsh. He is, in any case “helping the police with our enquiries”, he hasn’t been charged.
—
The sound of crashing waves filled his skull. He reeled grabbing hold of the desk for support. It was always the same, the sense of drowning, of losing control. He must assert himself, show them all that he was not a mere cog grinding away, lacking all individuality in the great impersonal machine. When he killed blessed silence reigned for a while but he knew that the release was merely temporary, that the breaking waves would soon fill his head, driving him mad again.
Finding loners wasn’t particularly difficult. He usually chose alcoholics. It was easy, buy them a few cans or bottles and the poor sods would be your friends for so long as the booze lasted. A man, once drunk will tell you his life story. It wasn’t difficult for him to ascertain their personal information or at least enough to be able to tie it to the DNA stored on the national database.
Dressed in a disposable lab suit from head to foot he left no trace. He made sure to spread DNA before leaving the crime sceene. He could have left no DNA at all but given the presence of everyone’s material on the database he took the view that this would arouse suspicion, so the DNA of an innocent man was used to cover his tracks. They where alcoholics, the scum of the earth. No one really cared what happened to them despite protestations to the contrary. On returning to the lab the suit would go into the furnace together with the condom leaving no trace of the Professor’s involvement in the crime.
He had made a mistake with Michael Marsh though. How could he have known that the man would break his usual solitary habit of drinking in a sparcely populated park and decide to spend the evening in a crowded pub? Yes choosing Marsh had been a big error of judgement. He must, the Professor thought be more careful in the future.
