The Dark Web Murders

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Thursday, 23rd August. Mid-morning 

"Gee, God! Perversion doesn't even come close to describing that stuff. That's absolutely bloody horrible." Connors was speaking for himself, but he was echoing the thoughts of the other team members who were again gathered together in the Serious Crimes Room. 

Sheehan, with Stewart pitching in occasionally, had given the team a summary of what they had found and learned from their visit to The Club the evening before."When Stewart and I saw that depraved menu," Sheehan said, "it was about as much as we could take. We got outa there and let the Task Force get on with it.""

If they need any help rounding up those bastards," Miller said, "count me in. No overtime required. Arrogant perverts! Think money allows them to do anything they like." 

"Don't worry. Superintendent Owens was very shaken by what they found at The Club," Sheehan said, "but he will make darn sure that every one of those degenerates is caught and put away for a very long time." 

"Were many arrests made?" McBride asked. 

"Only a few of the staff, and a couple of members who had dropped by," Sheehan told him. "It seems that activities were sporadic after the judge's death. But there won't be a problem. Notebooks full of names and addresses were found in the judge's office safe. Looks like he was setting himself up for some lucrative blackmail in the future. Thanks to his greed, few if any of The Club's members will escape the full weight of the law." 

"Where are they all?" McCullough asked. 

"All over the place ... England, France, Belgium, Germany. One guy from South Africa flies in on his own plane from time to time. He's one evil,depraved son of a bitch. Records indicate that at least three young men had been whipped and beaten to death in the dungeons, and the South African guy is the chief suspect. Interpol is trying to track him down." 

Most of the team were shaking their heads in disgust. 

"What are we going to d-d-do about it?" McNeill asked. "Or does it all g-g-go over to the T-T-Task Force now?" 

"No need to worry," Sheehan replied. "The Task Force has it well in hand and they have loads of help from law enforcement agencies in the other countries." 

"What about our suspects?" Allen asked. "Does the Task Force get them?" 

"No. They are in the process of arresting the group that were at the judge's that night, all right, but since they are still officially regarded as suspects for the Dark Web murders, our team gets initial access to them. We'll be interviewing them separately here in Strandtown to see what we can squeeze out of them." He paused to give them a meaningful look before adding, "And there'll be no kid gloves this time." 

"They'll be looking for bail," McCullough said."No bail until all have been interrogated and charged with whatever charges might apply." 

"The money they have," Allen said, "they could easily abscond if they get bail." 

"True. But if the judge has any wit, it's unlikely bail will be granted in circumstances like these."

 Solemn faces stared back at the chief but, apart from one or two grim nods,no one spoke. 

"In the meantime," Stewart said, "there's been another development, or the threat of one." 

Eyes stared at her. 

Rising from her desk, she distributed some pages to the members of the team. "There's been another blog," she explained as she walked around. "I took another trawl through the Dark Web while I was waiting for you all to arrive and I found this. It's quite disturbing. Study it now and we'll discuss it in a few minutes."