Page 207 of Murder in the Family

But speaking as a detective, JJ doesn’t have any connection to London that I’m aware of, so I’m struggling to see how he could have even met the Howards orLuke Ryder, much less have a motive—

JJ NORTON

I’ve never lived in London, never studied there, I bloody hate the place—

LAILA FURNESS

(realization dawning)

It’s not London, it’sBirmingham.That’sthe link. That’s where you were brought up.

JJ NORTON

(flushing slightly)

Yeah, so?

HUGO FRASER

I remember now – didn’t you boast about being ‘born and bred a Brummie’?

JJ NORTON

I’m not so sure it was boasting, more like joking—

HUGO FRASER

No, the point is, you said you didn’t just live there, you werebornthere.

LAILA FURNESS

Exactly. Just like the baby Caroline Howard had when she was 16. The one that was adopted by another family, and in all likelihood in the Midlands area.

JJ NORTON

Oh comeon—

BILL SERAFINI

Actually, I think you may have something there, Laila. And didn’t JJ talk a while back about how adopted kids feel about going looking for their birth parents? Wasn’t it when we first found out about Caroline’s baby? I seem to recall it sounded pretty personal.

(turning to Nick)

Am I remembering that right?

NICK VINCENT (Producer)

(nodding)

I even have the clip to prove it.

(Nods to the cameraman.)

FOOTAGE appears on the screen.

MITCHELL CLARKE

If the kid was born in 1979 it’d be 44 now.

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