Scorpio's Lot (67 page)

‘What’s the underlining
difference between the two?’ asked Burke.

‘The serial killer will murder
and terror will prevail again at some future date,’ Martin said. ‘The duration
is likely to be within no set timeframe. The mass murderer will lay dormant for
their entire life and then something snaps within to carry out his dreadful
deed on a particular day. The mass murderer does not generally reflect on what
has happened and possibly couldn’t care if he survives the callous act or not.
On the other hand the serial killer will do his utmost to survive, quite often
leading the authorities on a merry chase. Case studies have revealed that
victims have been tortured to prolong the serial killer’s moment of pleasure.’

‘Angus, you made reference to
both organised and disorganised homicidal maniacs before. Could you elaborate
on these aspects for the men?’ Bailey asked.

‘Of course. These categories
emphasise their methods, and their personalities or characteristics. You will
pick up some parallels that separate mass from serial killer. In the case of
disorganised offenders, these are individuals who seize the opportunity to
commit murder when the situation presents itself. They are not likely to plan
the assault in advance. Generally murder is swift and with compelling reasons,
given this type of offender lacks the confidence required to lure his victim to
a desired location. Therefore it is imperative that to control the situation he
will attack instantly and generally from behind to maintain the element of
surprise and minimise the level of resistance.

‘His crime scene is generally
left in disarray, with an abundance of clues left behind for the authorities to
gather and analyse. Victims of disorganised killers are generally subjected to
extreme violence. Often the body or bodies are left behind in full view. This
type of criminal generally lacks the required social skills of today’s society
and is often sexually inexperienced. Chances are he is poorly educated and has
a record of being unemployed for long periods at a time. Possibly he has few
friends, if indeed any, has low self-esteem and takes little interest in the
outside world.’

‘So how does the organised
criminal differ?’ Burke asked.

‘This individual takes care in
planning his objective. Unlike his counterpart, this individual will have
above-average intelligence, most likely be well educated and have stable
employment. He is sexually competent, he most definitely would keep in touch
with media coverage and it is highly probable he comes from a sound family
background. He will avoid the threat of identification, and cautiously choose a
location that is generally isolated and removed from any possible observation.
At times he may seek a specific target and will go to extraordinary lengths to
acquire this victim, who could be a certain gender, age or occupation. He
initially may even take his intended victim into his confidence prior to
carrying out the intended murder.’

‘Two very different
personalities,’ acknowledged Forbes, ‘but are there any notable similarities?’

‘The organised criminal has a
high level of confidence and may even decide to assist with police enquiries,’
Martin explained, ‘since he has the ability to change his behaviour to suit the
need and thus dissolve any possible suspicions by even volunteering as a
witness. There are nonetheless two similarities between these two very
different individuals. Historically they both have very few friends; however,
the disorganised killer is alone because he is socially unacceptable and has an
inferiority complex, whereas his organised counterpart chooses to be a loner
since he’s of the opinion he’s superior to all others. The other similarity is
that both extremes may decide to return to the crime scene to reinforce their
fantasy.’

‘Angus, what other aspects should
we bear in mind?’ asked Bailey.

‘A further aspect for
consideration is the addiction to violence these types of criminals yearn for.
This violence and cruelty can become so enjoyable it becomes their prime
objective. Our research indicates that quite a number of these seriously
disturbed and violent criminals possess above average IQ’s. As a result - and
it’s a disturbing trend for the authorities to address - these killers continue
to learn from past mistakes in addition to refining their methods on the
proviso their psychological requirements are fulfilled. It therefore becomes
increasingly difficult for the victim to escape and at the same time there’s
less likelihood of the culprit being apprehended by the law. This disturbing
trend I speak of becomes apparent since it is the authorities’ objective to not
only arrest these criminals but, more importantly, to catch this serial killer
at the developmental stages of their career.’

‘So where’s the connection with
the criminal having a psychopath disorder?’ asked Parnell.

‘Possibly the one notable
characteristic of psychopaths is their distinct lack of remorse or guilt for
the despicable acts they carry out. Unfortunately these people have no
constraints or what the rest of the general public would call a conscience.
Violence is simply their desired way of life.’

‘Regarding the visual presence of
these people, do they have any giveaway signs that we should be aware of?’
asked Carpenter.

‘Good question. The psychopath is
indeed a very perplexed individual, given he has a mental disease which is
camouflaged by fact that he appears sane. He may give the impression of being
in a healthy and sound frame of mind. Unlike schizophrenics, the psychopath is
in touch with reality and conditioned in his objectives. He has neither
hallucinations nor delusions, which is common with other mental disorders. This
individual is fully aware of his actions and the authorities accept that these
are deliberately chosen.’

‘But the psychopath must be aware
that his actions are of a sinister nature’ said Forbes.

‘Of course he does, but he just
doesn’t care about the consequences,’ Martin responded. ‘This type of killer
does not respect the emotional side of things, and he does not recognise fear
or respect feelings such as anxiety and nervousness. It is his inability to
recognise fear that allows him to carry out these horrendous undertakings. Many
killers perform violent acts and in the process of the assault lose control of
the situation, whereas the psychopath’s reaction is one of calm and calculated
precision.’

‘Which Morgan has demonstrated
more than once,’ said Forbes.

‘Just to elaborate on this
absence of emotion,’ Martin continued, ‘the psychopath lacks the ability to
learn the difference between right and wrong. The rest of us during the course
of a lifetime learn from our mistakes and the probable consequences or
punishment for our errors. The psychopath is missing this link and is not
daunted by the possibility of reprisals or some sort of penalty. Intellectually
he is aware of his evil doings, but he does not react in the way that the
general public would. He chooses to ignore society’s moral underpinning, be it
parental guidance, peer pressure or the law of the land.’

‘So where do we slot Brad Morgan
into all of this?’ Whittaker asked.

Martin’s face momentarily
registered a slight smile. He appeared encouraged by the continual questions,
nodding favourably following each contribution. ‘Then let’s consider some of
these attributes that qualifies Morgan to be unrelated from your mainstream
criminal lot.’

The psychologist ticked off the
points on his fingers. ‘The guy shows no remorse. This was evident following
the
Molly Bloom
tragedy. His actions are well planned and calculated. He
never rushes or has impulsive reactions. He is well educated, confident and
arrogant, and he maintains awareness of media coverage. Generally he will
select the location - as was the case with the three syndicate members - and
strike when motivated by reason. He is an instigator of sadistic violence who
will most likely have an array of arsenal at his disposal. He strives to
survive and would enjoy taunting the authorities when the situation arises. He
is totally aware of his behaviour and does not appear to have any traits of
paranoid schizophrenia. He is undoubtedly a loner by choice and believes he has
superior intellect to the rest of us. He therefore is categorised as being an
organised killer.’

‘Which brings us to the question
of how our resources should deal with the challenge,’ said Graeme Bailey.

‘In summary,’ Martin said, ‘you
have your Brad Morgan profile. You now have a clearer insight as to the makeup
of this individual, but the question is how to approach the matter. I cannot
give instructions on how this team should conduct the remainder of the case,
for this is not my area of expertise, but what I can do is to provide some
pointers on what to look out for.’

Paul Marsh interjected, believing
his question was relevant to the psychologist’s summary. ‘Does this Brad Morgan
person project any weaknesses, inconsistencies or vulnerable aspects that the
police can take advantage of?’

‘Most certainly,’ Martin replied,
‘and this is an interesting point. Our subject does possess certain flaws which
may lead to his eventual downfall and arrest. First let’s consider his
emotional state, which is contrary to your classic psychopath. We have
witnessed on at least two occasions - the
Molly Bloom
and Esplanade
Hotel - that the guy does in fact have a short fuse and will explode when under
pressure. Given this scenario, we could say our subject is a perfectionist who
needs and relies on total control of the situation at all times. Take away this
comfort zone, even for a short moment, and his anxiety levels will increase
dramatically, to the point where irrational thought will override any
well-planned and calculated purpose. Provoke this individual and his defences
become vulnerable.’

‘And his other liability?’
queried Forbes.

‘His second weakness is his
inability to remain in isolation between serial outbursts. What I mean is, Brad
Morgan continually resurfaces within the community, on one occasion at Tom
Harrison’s house and there have been numerous times at the Esplanade. He’s been
seen by countless people who have witnessed his outbursts at the hotel without
the aid of disguise. This occurs when he’s been provoked or something’s been
amiss with an intended drug transaction. Contrary to the serial-cum-organised
killer who will do his utmost to remain undetected in order to survive, this
individual chooses to circulate in the vicinity of the crime scene, apparently
oblivious to his own immediate threat.’

Martin paused for emphasis. ‘Do
not underestimate the role of both the Keeper and the Piedpiper. They may be
considered figureheads with respect to these atrocities, but their influence
and eventual decision-making will have a major impact on the remainder of this
case. The weakness in their chain is undoubtedly Morgan himself, whose
arrogance alone will tempt the killer to reappear somewhere in Pedley.
Detective Marsh witnessed the exchange at the Esplanade that night so it’s
unlikely we’ll see repeat of this activity. He may be obtuse, but he’s not
stupid. Charlie will remain out of sight, since historically he’s a night owl
who conducts his business in obscure locations and never in the open.’

‘And Charlie’s identity remains
somewhat vague,’ said Forbes.

Dismissing the detective’s
comment, the psychologist continued. ‘Morgan was undoubtedly the chief
instigator with respect to yesterday’s atrocity, but by the same token Charlie
would’ve been a willing participant given his own lust for violence. Morgan
provided the ideas in addition to the tools used to carry out their torture
campaign. Charlie would have assisted, under guidance from Morgan, with the
erection of the three makeshift racks and cosmetics. It’s highly likely that
both inflicted the lacerations prior to and following execution. By definition
Charlie is the disorganised killer, who, without assistance from Morgan, would
most likely have been unable to carry out yesterday’s atrocity. This was
planned mayhem, including the logistics required to transport the racks and
bodies for ultimate display. Charlie, by comparison, would have been more
comfortable with a hit-and-run concept.’

‘So, how do you propose we tackle
this problem?’ asked Marsh.

Again Martin paused. He
deliberated as if in search of the right words.

‘You will need to increase the
patrols of known haunts where Charlie conducts drug deals. I would view this
approach as a priority. Concentrate your resources on Morgan and Charlie who
are by nature more vulnerable to exposure. The Keeper and the Piedpiper will
surface all in good time, for they are the protected species and present a more
difficult challenge to flush out and ultimately prosecute. If an early arrest
of Morgan or Charlie can be achieved, then not only would it be a major
breakthrough, but the resultant disruption and vulnerability it places upon
their inner sanctum could be astronomical. Suddenly infiltration becomes a
viable proposition.