John (Jock) Peterson

Was born in Aberdeen

But had lived in Berkhamstead

Since he was three

After leaving college

He travelled for a while

Before working in a car showroom

In Harrow on the Hill

It was here that he met Sylvie

With whom he had a brief relationship

One day after they had had sex

Sylvie confessed that she was sleeping

With the owner of the car showroom

Who was not treating her well

Indeed he was quite brutal at times

Insisting that she dressed as a boy

Before he anally penetrated her

She was unable to walk away

As he was blackmailing her father

Who had been involved in something unpleasant

Which if revealed would have ruined him

It was during this conversation

That John decided to kill his boss

It was easier than he thought

As he soon learned that being a homosexual

His boss was often known to cruise

In local parks after dark

So he waited for Sylvie

To take her annual holiday abroad

The attack when it happened was short and brutal

A stolen hammer was used

Which he disposed of in the River Brent

For a while the murder was front page news

John was interviewed by the police

As all the car room employees were

Zardoz

He noted that at the time of the murder

He was in a Harrow cinema

Slightly the worse for wear

He was vaguely remembered

By the girl front of house

Everything was in order

And very ordinary

Sylvie was interviewed on her return

But was never under suspicion

To be truthful the police soon lost interest

As many of them thought that the victim

Had been asking for it

Because of his perverted lifestyle

Their attention was further distracted five months later

When a homosexual was beaten to death in Pinner

They connected the two murders but had no real evidence

Sylvie was the only one to guess the truth

And confronted John on a railway station

When he admitted that he was guilty

She squeezed his hand and thanked him quietly

They never saw each other again

Both faded into history

And the murder now long forgotten

Still remains a cold case unsolved



Joe

Do you think that I will make a crime writer

I wrote this some weeks ago

Josie apologises for using your minimalist style

I found it in my bag the other day

Fuck knows why I kept it in there

Shall I bin it or keep it

Your thoughts

On a train in an hour

Three girls are going to Thessaloniki

Which is about five hours away

I will contact you there

And send you some more (respectable) photographs

I am the daughter of a vicar so I should act like one

Josie xxx