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the body. 'Seen better days, hasn't it? Can I have a little
more of that menthol, please?'
The request wasn't addressed to anyone in particular. After a
moment one of the forensic team grudgingly went out to get it.
Steepling his fingers, Irving listened without comment as Gardner
briefed him. When the agent returned, the profiler accepted the
menthol without acknowledgement, dabbing a neat smear on his top
lip before holding out the jar for her to take.
She looked down at the proffered jar before taking it. 'Any time.'
If Irving was aware of the sarcasm he gave no sign. Tom shot me
an amused look as he took another specimen jar from the bag and
turned back to the body.
'I'd rather you wait till I'm done, please.'
Irving spoke without looking at him, as though taking for granted that everyone there would naturally defer to his wishes. I saw annoyance
flash in Tom's eyes, and for a moment I thought he was going
to respond. But before he could a sudden spasm crossed his face. It
was gone so quickly I might have imagined it, except for the pallor
it left behind.
'Think I'll get some fresh air. Too damn hot in here.'
He looked unsteady as he headed for the door. I started to go after
him but he stopped me with a shake of his head.
'No need for you to come.You can start taking photographs once
Professor Irving's finished. I'm just going to get some water.'
'There's iced bottles in a cooler by the tables,' Gardner told him.
I felt concerned as I watched him go, but it was clear Tom didn't
want to make a fuss. No one else seemed to have noticed anything
was wrong. He'd been facing away from everyone except Irving and
me, and the profiler was oblivious anyway. He stood with his hand
on his chin as Gardner resumed his briefing, staring intently at the
dead man on the table. When the TBI agent had finished he didn't
move or speak, his pose one of deep contemplation. Pose being the
operative word. I told myself not to be uncharitable.
'You realize it's a serial, of course?' he said, stirring at last.
Gardner looked pained. 'We don't know that for sure.'
Irving's smile was condescending. 'Oh, I think we do. Look at the
way the body's been arranged. It's been put on display for us to find.
Stripped, bound, and in all probability tortured. And then left face
up. There's no sign of any shame or regret, no attempt to cover the
victim's eyes or turn him face down. This whole thing shouts of
calculation and enjoyment. He was pleased with what he'd done,
that's why he wanted you to see it.'
Gardner accepted the news with resignation. He must have known
as much himself. 'So the killer's male?'
'Of course he is.' Irving chuckled as though Gardner had made a
joke.'Apart from everything else, the victim was obviously a powerful
man. You think a woman's capable of doing this?'
You'd be surprised what some women are capable of. I could feel my scar starting to itch.
'We're looking at a huge, huge amount of arrogance here,' Irving
went on. 'The killer must have known the body would be found
when the rental period was up. My God, he even left the wallet so
you could ID the victim. No, this was no one-off. Our boy's just
getting started.'
The prospect seemed to please him.
'The wallet might not be the victim's,' Gardner said half-heartedly.
'I disagree. The killer's been far too deliberate to have left his own
behind. I'd lay odds that he even made the reservation for the cabin
himself. He didn't just happen along and decide to kill whoever was
renting -it. This was too well planned, too well orchestrated for that. No, he made the booking in the victim's name, then brought him
out here. Somewhere nice and isolated, no doubt scouted in advance,
where he could torture him at leisure.'
'How can you be sure the victim was tortured?' Jacobsen said. It
was the first time she'd spoken since Irving had patronized her.
The profiler seemed to be enjoying himself. 'Why else tie him to
the table? He