The door was partially open and Dawson could see the television. He could also see the armchair, some eight feet inside the room and pointing away from him, in which was curled up the focus of his attention. Dawson gently, softly, pushed the door open so he had a better view of the armchair. Taking the pad in one hand and bracing himself for action, Dawson leaped into the room.

It was a well-rehearsed action, one he had practiced many times. In one bound that ended in a soft thud as his foot landed on the plush carpet, Dawson arrived behind the armchair. Standing up and looking over it, he discerned where the woman's face was in the same instant that the hand bearing the pad of muslin came round from behind the woman and covered her nose and mouth.

The surprise was as instantaneous as it was complete. The half-empty glass of white wine went crashing to the floor in the same moment as the woman tried to sit up, suddenly aware of the intruder. In the same instant, Dawson's strong arm bearing the pad of muslin forced her head back into the chair, where he held her until the woman had breathed in three times through the pad, three breaths that made her world spin, her body go limp and her eyes close in semi-consciousness.

On most occasions, Dawson would have waited until his victim was full unconscious, but tonight was not such an occasion. He removed the pad and walked round the front of the chair. Picking the woman up, he carried her out of the room and into the dining room. The room consisted of a large oval table in the centre of the room, a table around which stood six straight-backed chairs. On one wall was a dresser and Dawson noted crockery and cutlery had already been laid out for the expected guests later that evening. Clearly Selena Johnson had bought the story her husband had told her.

Dawson knew Dave Johnson and his three friends would be coming back with the curry at eight thirty - which gave him just under two hours to complete what he had come to do.