LLEWELLYN’S CHECK OF the neighbouring police stations about other burglaries with violence similar to that used on Edith Staveley didn’t bear fruit. Perhaps any other victims hadn’t got away from the man as had Mrs Staveley, when she ran to her kitchen and prompted the would-be thief to become angry, chase after her and put his hands round her neck.
There had been two opportunistic thefts in the surrounding villages, but neither had been violent. Both the victims were women, which made Rafferty think the thief had studied the houses and their occupants, noting when the woman of the house was there alone. It was a cowardly crime.
Rafferty guessed that the thief had a drug habit and had used the proceeds of his crimes to buy his latest supplies. If he was the same man as had attacked and k
