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to say. Some indicators say yes, some say no.”
    “What’s your gut feeling?”
    “Beats me. Your wife’s very interested in the patterns of the stab-wounds, though. She got me to go over them a couple of extra times.”
    “Why?”
    “I think she thinks they’re significant because they’re so similar. Maybe she’s right, I don’t know, but it’s certainly odd that two apparently frenzied knife attacks would result in patterns that are essentially the same.”
    “It is,” Jack muttered, sliding the documents out and taking a look. “So this is what Jane’s focusing on? What about Alex?”
    “The guy’s a loon.”
    “I know, but -”
    “He came through to ask me about internet waves today,” Tomlin continued. “That’s the phrase he used, internet waves . He thinks the internet is broadcasting pornography directly into his mind, or rather through it and out the other side. He’s worried that he might be subconsciously picking up on it, so he wants to make a metal helmet. I point out that if it’s open-faced, the waves would get in and then bounce around inside, maybe making the problem worse.”
    “How did he react to that?”
    “I think he’s considering a closed-face helmet. Like the kinda thing a racing driver wears.”
    “Great,” Jack replied, sliding the documents back into the envelope. “I always knew he was gonna crack one day. Shame it has to happen just as he’s trying to catch a killer.”
    “It might be spreading to Jane too.”
    Jack turned to him. “What do you mean?”
    “Don’t take this the wrong way,” Tomlin continued, “but… Earlier, when I went to give her some test results, I found her alone in the office. Talking to herself.”
    “Are you sure she wasn’t on the phone? Maybe she was using a hands-free kit?”
    Tomlin shook his head.
    “What was she saying?” Jack asked.
    “I didn’t hear. She was keeping her voice down, but it sound urgent, and she sounded pissed off, like she was arguing with someone. Someone who wasn’t there, man.”
    “My wife isn’t crazy.”
    “I didn’t say she was. I just figured I’d tell you what I saw and heard. The thing is…” He paused. “I might’ve picked up on one or two of the words she said, and one of them…”
    Jack waited for him to continue. “Spill.”
    “It sounded like she thought she was talking to Caitlin Somers.”
    “No way.”
    “Sounded like it.”
    “That would be nuts,” Jack continued. “You obviously got the wrong end of the stick on this one.”
    “I hope so, man, I hope so. I like Jane, I wouldn’t want to think that something’s going wrong in her head, but… I heard what I heard, man. Jane was talking to Caitlin like the girl was actually right in front of her, and I don’t know about you, but I reckon that’s not quite right.”
    Jack paused for a moment, before again checking that Greg wasn’t close enough to hear.
    “Thanks for letting me know,” he muttered. “I’m sure it’s nothing, but… I’ll keep an eye on her.” Slipping the envelope into his pocket, he got to his feet. “Let me know if anything else comes up, yeah? You’re doing this town a real service by helping me out. The people of Bowley need to know what’s really going on, and the police clearly aren’t gonna get their act in gear.”
    “Just make sure no-one finds out I’m your source,” Tomlin replied, watching as Jack headed to the door. “I don’t want to start getting funny looks around town.” Getting to his feet, he shuffled over to the jukebox, slipped some coins into the slot, and looking for something loud.

IV
     
    With music blaring all around and the heavy red lights of the club pulsing in time to the beat, Katie leaned against the bar for a moment and tried to catch her breath. Even for The Border, it had been an insane night, and the clients were a lot more boisterous than usual. She could still feel their clammy hands on her bare skin, and for the first time since her initial