It was half-past six and the first jogger of the day went past the bench. The board caught her eye, though, so she doubled back to investigate further. That was when she called the police. Sergeant Garcia attended.

"OK miss. I'll take it from here."

The Sergeant telephoned the Professor.

"Professor? Sorry to disturb you, only we have another board. At the park this time."

"The park? That's unusual. What is it this time?"

"It's a chicken."

"I'm coming down."

Professor Stone rang off, but not before disturbing his wife.

"What is it, dear?"

"Another dissection. A chicken this time. I have to go. It's at the park."

"Well, have something to eat first."

"I will."

The Professor left without eating.

Sergeant Garcia was waiting for the CSI team to arrive. Various joggers went past. One was familiar to the Sergeant. It was Paul. The reporter who was present when the Sergeant found the duck.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here? Another dissection, and here was I thinking there wasn't a story to be told."

"Hello Paul. Yes, there is a story, but you mustn't tell it until we catch the perpetrator."

"OK. I promise. Now, what's the story?"

"For the past three weeks, we have had a spate of dissections. They started off with a frog, then mouse, rat, etc. We even had a cat and a dog. Then we had a sheep, a pig, a cow. All neatly dissected and presented. I have two suspects, one of which is my prime suspect. I just need some more evidence, then I will arrest him."

"How much more evidence do you need? The guy is running around cutting up animals. He is mad and a danger to the public. Arrest him now."

"I can't. I need more evidence. We don't even have a fingerprint to go on."

"Well, I tell you what. I will see if we can't get him angry enough to make a mistake. I have a deadline to meet, so I'd best get on with it."

"OK Paul. Be careful what you write, though."

The Professor arrived.

"Professor."

"Sergeant. What have we here? A chicken?"

"A passer-by found it while she was out jogging. We are still being taunted. What next? I have called the CSI team, but I'm not sure they will find anything. Just like previous."

"I really think we are getting to the end of it all. He's running out of animals."

They stood in silence, looking at the ducks and swans on the lake.

"Swans. I bet that is the next bird."

"You might be right, Professor. How can we guard against it? I think I will watch the lake tonight. He will have to get a swan, dissect it, and then leave the board on the bench. I will watch the lake and get two officers to watch the houses."

The CSI team arrived and checked the board. Still no fingerprints. They photographed the board and took it away. The Sergeant and the Professor parted company.

The Professor drove home deep in thought. He got home and took breakfast to Suzy.

"So, what was it?"

"A chicken. Well dissected, well presented. I think he will dissect a swan next. Then he might finish as he is running out of birds. If only the Sergeant could catch him. He is very lucky, or brilliant, or a mixture of both."

"What does he hope to achieve? He targeted you. Was he trying to upset you? Well, it didn't work. You are incredibly resilient. Even the dissection of poor Henry didn't cause any major upset. No, if he was trying to upset you, he had better try again."

In his house, Dwayne was preparing the swan in his cellar. He tied the feet to the A frame and slit its throat. The blood drained into a bucket below the bird. When it finished, he took the bird down and plucked the body clear of feathers. Next, he opened up the chest and removed the vital organs which were then pinned to the presentation board. In common with the other boards, red thread joined the organs to their places in the bird. Finished, he placed the board on the end of the worktop, cleaned up, and went upstairs.

He called Tanya.

"Hi Tanya. How are you?"

"Oh. Hi Dwayne. I'm well. How are you?"

"Fine thanks. I was wondering if you wanted to come over?"

"Er, sure. Why not?"

"OK. See you soon."

Tanya arrived after twenty minutes. It being a Saturday, there wasn't much traffic.

Dwayne opened the door.

"Hi Tanya. How are you?"

He kissed her on the cheek.

"Hi Dwane. I'm well."

"Well, come in. Have a beer?"

"Sure, why not?"

She took her beer and sat on the sofa.

"Now, what news at the university?"

"We are rushing to the end of the semester, so pretty busy with assessments. We are still getting the presentation boards. They are based on farmyard birds now â?" pigeons, ducks. Goose, chicken, etc. It might be the end of it because there aren't that many birds to dissect."

"What of the Professor. How is he coping with all the stress?"

"He seems to take it all in his stride. I expect it will hit him when it's all over. He even managed the dissection of his dog."

"Wow. He must be strong."

"He is."

"Dwayne. I quite forgot. I need to take a dress back today. I must dash. See you soon."

With that, Tanya left Dwayne's house and dashed home. Dwayne analysed what had just happened. Did he say anything? Did he upset her? All he did was talk about his dog. He went down to the cellar and got the presentation board with the swan on it. He went up through the house and waited until it was dark. The front of the house was being watched. No problem. He went out of the back of the house and deposited the board on the bench at the duck pond. He went back to his house and retired to bed.