*
Jensen heard the roar of the vehicle and explosion of glass and plastic. He caught the startled reactions of the ChinaTown shoppers around him in his peripheral vision. The explosion was loud enough to turn heads and the crowd stared off in the direction of the Starbucks cafe three streets away, hidden from sight as it was by buildings and one large theatre. But Jensen kept his vision on the mouth watering prey a scant 47 yards from him.
She smelled wonderful. Perspiration and deoderant and a hint of perfume. Pleasure. Her recent visit to the dingy old shop had left the uppermost trace of dust and stale spices clinging to her clothes. But otherwise, she was divinity inhaled.
The policewoman was walking to her car when she heard the explosion and reacted as everyone else had. She patted her pockets, perhaps looking for the police radio that she left in her unmarked police car around the corner. Jensen strolled at an angle to the policewoman, correctly predicting that she would run to the car to radio in her presence close to the scene.
She moved with a natural grace, honed by regular exercise. She favoured her right side as she ran through the crowd, angling her body to squeeze past an opportunistic gap. Jensen wondered what kind of past injury she may have to cause the favour. Perhaps she had a scar. His hands became moist as he watched her flight and he licked his thin lips wet.
Jensen didn't like the activity of so many people around him when he was in this heightened state of anticipation. The murder should be sweet and savoured, not rushed and immediate, as this would be.
He decided, despite the specific instructions of Papa Doc, that he would kill the policewoman his way. After all, that was where his talents lay, and Papa Doc would not have chosen him for this particular task if he had not realised that.
So Jensen watched Amanda speed off in her car, accompanied by the blare of horns from a taxi driver she had swerved in front of, and savoured the anticipation of her murder. He had already decided what items he would need to acquire from the hardware store. The newspapers had dubbed him the DIY killer. Little did they know that this was a phase he was going through. He shifted through different forms of murder depending on the particular motivation he felt.
The lady Detective matched this motivational profile perfectly. Petite, blond, position of power.
After she disappeared around the corner Jensen walked to Piccadilly Circus and caught a bus heading in the direction of Amanda Morgan's apartment. He ticked off the items he would need from the Hardware store in his head. Later, she would have a surprise waiting for her.