The nearest of the ladies championing Chapman rounded on the Bell-Smith supporter. “A killer proven is a killer proven!” she insisted, refusing to be swayed in her convictions by any amount of evidence or reason. “Mark my words, Claudia,” she turned back to her friend, “Chapman or Klosowski, whichever name you prefer, he’ll turn out to be the Ripper! I’m sure of it . . .”
While overhead, on the immense SLUR television screen, the scholarly debate raged on. “—a very common pattern,” Scotland Yard Inspector Conroy Melvyn was saying in a taped interview with fellow Ripper Watch Team member Pavel Kostenka, “for a male serial killer to attack and kill prostitutes. Bloke sees ‘em as a substitute for the powerful woman in ‘is life, the one ‘e feels powerless to strike at, instead.”
“Indeed,” Dr. Koskenka was nodding. “Not only this, but a prostitute represents a morally fallen woman. And prostitutes,” Dr. Kostenka added heavily, “were and still are the most easily available women to such killers. Add to that the historical tendency of police to dismiss a prostitute’s murder as less important than the murder of a ‘respectable’ woman and streetwalkers surge into prominence as victims of mass murderers—“
Skeeter tuned out the debate as best he could and grunted under the weight of massive steamer trunks, portmanteaus, carpet bags, leather cases, smaller trunks and satchels until his back ached. The arriving luggage was transferred case by case to a growing pile at the base of a newly installed, massive conveyor system which Time Tours’ new baggage manager had finally had the good sense to install. Skeeter glanced up to the gate platform, five stories overhead. Thank God for the conveyer. Some of those steamer trunks weighed more than Skeeter did. Considerably more. He eyed the gridwork stairs he’d be climbing soon and blessed that conveyer system fervently.