‘By progressive,’ asked Gary Egan, ‘you mean there is the possibility of escalation in behaviour?’
‘Yes. It’s possible that her behaviour could become even more severe, and if the investigation from Rome can be conclusively linked,’ she looked directly at Lynch for the first time, ‘our killer may not be restricted to one victim at a time.’
‘I see.’ Gary Egan leaned back in the chair. ‘Continue, please, Dr Pearson.’
‘Thank you.’ She looked away from the slide to the officers in the room. ‘The killer’s mind can also shift with relative ease from a concentrated and frenzied physical attack to detachment, when she can manipulate the crime scene to a minuteness of detail and creative imagery. In many ways the aftermath of the killing is as important to her as the killing itself.’ She looked back at the double slide. ‘Each of these images is similar to depictions of cards from the Higher Arcana deck of the Tarot – the Hangman in the case of Rick Shevlin and the Hermit in the case of Pierre Laurent. One of the questions I’m pursuing at the moment is who these images or messages are targeting. Are they for the killer herself, or are there other possibilities?’
‘And what is your current theory on that, Dr Pearson?’ Gary Egan sat forward now.
‘The potential options are the victim, someone connected with them, the killer, or someone else entirely. I don’t believe they’re aimed at the victim.’
‘Why not?’
‘For a start, Chief Superintendent, the victims are dead. How the scenes are depicted isn’t going to say a lot to either of them.’
‘I see. Continue, Dr Pearson.’
‘I think these re-creations are pointers or markers in an overall scheme or map in the killer’s mind, which ties in with the Tarot-card connection and a potential card spread.’
‘Let me be clear, Dr Pearson.’ Gary Egan appeared perplexed. ‘Are you absolutely sure the killer is re-creating these Tarot images because of some kind of card spread or map?’
‘Not one hundred per cent, but it’s a strong possibility.’
‘And who is deciding on this spread?’
‘Whoever is holding the deck.’ She gazed at him blankly.
‘Dr Pearson, I’d like you to stay back after we finish here.’ Egan turned to the bookman, Sean O’Keefe, who, Kate knew, under the Irish police system managed the case file, or book as it was known. ‘Sean, once Mark has gone through the final logistics of the current state of play, vis-à-vis ongoing allocation of duties, I want a full analysis of the Shevlin book. I need to review everything we have. This thing looks like it’s going to be moving fast, and I’ll be damned if we’re not up to speed on it.’
SANDRA
IT’S DARK BY the time I drive back to the house in Greystones. I take the diary with me. I haven’t a choice, now that I know someone has meddled with it. On the way, I call Edgar on the mobile. I don’t want him to be suspicious so I tell him I’m going to visit Karen for a couple of hours, hoping it will buy me time.
On reaching the house, I phone her. ‘Karen, it’s Sandra.’
‘Are you okay?’ she asks. ‘You sound frazzled.’
‘Do I?’ I try to control my breathing. Keep calm.
‘Lori phoned earlier. She said you were upset.’
‘What else did she say?’
‘Not much.’
‘Look, don’t mind Lori.’
‘Don’t worry, I don’t.’ She lets out a laugh.
‘I need you to cover for me.’
She doesn’t respond, at least not immediately. Her silence feels like a judgement. Finally she says, ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘I need time on my own, time away from Edgar.’
Again a couple of seconds pass before she says, ‘Do you still think he’s having an affair?’ Her question feels loaded.
‘Look, I don’t want you worrying, which is why I’m asking you to cover for me. I’ve told Edgar I’ll be with you. If he calls, stall him – tell him I’ve gone to the bathroom or something. If necessary, ring me and I’ll take it from there.’
‘Where are you now?’
‘That doesn’t matter. I told you, don’t worry. I just need space.’
For a while, I stay in the car, staring at the house. It looks empty. I know that the longer I wait, the more I risk someone coming back. I feel cold. I think about driving around the block, giving the car engine time to heat up again. I can’t shift the chill, even though my ears are burning and my hands are sweaty and shaking. I think about why I came here. Did I want to see this mystery woman? What if she’s with Edgar? I’ve given them the perfect opportunity to meet. They could be sitting in a bar now, laughing at me. If the house is empty, this is my best chance. How hard would it be to break in? For once in your life take a chance – you know you want to.