Evil Games (29 page)

‘Let’s play two for one.’

Jeez, this man forgot nothing. One of his techniques was to let the patient ask so many questions before he could ask any. The number was the ratio of questions.

‘Three for one,’ she stated.

During their brief time together she had learned more about him than he ever had about her, or so she’d thought at the time.

She knew the love of his life had lost her fight with cancer at the premature age of thirty-seven. She knew that he was a keen gardener and took the odd cutting from overpriced garden centres. She knew he hid his collection of Terry Pratchett novels in his bedroom so as not to unsettle his patients, and that he stayed up until all hours watching late-night poker. She also knew he was the closest she’d ever come to sharing her past with another human being in her entire life.

He nodded his acceptance. ‘One pass.’

‘Three passes.’ There were certain things she would not discuss anywhere.

‘I accept the rules of the game. Let us commence.’

‘Okay, first question, what exactly is a sociopath?’

‘It’s a person without a conscience. It is simply missing from their genetic make-up. They are unable to feel concern or love for any other living thing and it is surprisingly present, in about four per cent of the population.

‘These people are often charismatic, sexy, entertaining and have a superficial charm that allows them to seduce people.’

Kim recalled how initially Bryant had been bowled over by the charisma Alex had radiated and she herself had to admit that she’d become intrigued by the woman.

‘It’s all a front. Sociopaths have no interest in bonding emotionally despite their ability to draw people in.’

‘Do they understand the difference between right and wrong?’

Ted nodded. ‘Intellectually, of course, but they have no inner guide advising them to adhere to it. Conscience is not a behaviour. It is something we feel. You have police officers that report to you?’

‘Of course.’

‘And after a day working longer hours than normal, what do you do?’

‘Tell them they should have worked quicker.’

Ted smiled. ‘Amusing, my dear, but answer the question.’

‘Buy them supper and tell them to come in later the next day.’

‘Why would you do that? It’s their job.’

‘Just because.’

‘Do you do it to become popular with the team?’

‘Oh yeah, ’cos that keeps me up at night.’

‘Precisely. It’s a decision made in your conscience. It’s the right thing to do. It’s born from an emotional attachment.’ He held up his hands. ‘Oh, I know you’re going to dispute that point, but you’re not a sociopath.’

‘Thanks for confirming I’m not insane, Doc.’

‘Ah, but neither is the sociopath. Their behaviour is the result of choice. They understand the difference between right and wrong but chose not to adhere to it. Just as some people learn to live without a limb, a sociopath must learn to live without a conscience.’

‘But how do they become one in the first place?’

‘Well, evil doesn’t attach itself to any racial group, physical type, gender or societal role. And I think you’ll find I’ve answered three questions.’

Kim rolled her eyes. ‘Shoot.’

‘What happened in foster home number two?’

‘Pass. So is it born or does it develop?’

Ted smiled. He’d expected that. ‘Studies show probably both. A predisposition for the condition may be genetic but the environment dictates how it is expressed.’

Kim remained silent, knowing he would elaborate without her spending another question.

‘There is a theory that maternal rejection can contribute to a sociopathic disposition. Attachment Theory is relatively new, but to summarise: disturbances within the parent and child bond in the early years may have a huge effect when the child becomes an adult. That is beyond my area of expertise, however there is evidence to suggest that the wider environment plays a bigger part.’

Kim tipped her head.

‘Western philosophy rewards the pursuit of all things material.’

‘Are you saying there are less sociopaths in Eastern society?’

‘Interesting question. There is far less sociopathic behaviour in, let’s say, Japan.’

Kim was confused.

Ted continued. ‘Okay, let’s say you’re a budding sociopath and for entertainment you’d like to insert a firework into a kitten’s mouth just to see how the blood spatter would look on the wall.’

Kim shuddered.

‘Yes, quite. But would you be quite so eager to carry out the experiment if every single person around you believed it was a bad thing to do? Sociopathy is as much about the behaviour. Now, as a young sociopath, the urge to blow up kitty would be the same but your choice to act on it might be different based on the overriding culture.’

Kim thought about the next question in relation to herself. She was almost afraid to ask. ‘What do they want?’

‘Oh, Kim. Why won’t you let me help you forgive your mother?’

‘I still have a question left but that one is gonna be a Pass. What do they want?’

Ted shook his head. ‘My dear, Indira Gandhi said forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.’

‘And William Blake said it is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend. And if it’s your mother, it’s damn near impossible. That last bit was me.’

‘But if you would …’

‘I passed, Ted. What does a sociopath want?’

Ted opened his hands expressively. ‘They want what they want. Sociopaths are not identical robots. They all have varying characteristics. Some will have a low IQ and may try to control a small group of people. Some will have a high IQ and would aspire to great power.’

‘What about murder?’

‘Very few sociopaths are murderers and few murderers are sociopaths. Murder would only be possible if the person has violent tendencies to begin with. Their only aim is to get what they want; in effect, to win.’

Kim thought about Ruth. ‘Can they control minds, like hypnotism?’

‘Hypnotism isn’t mind control. Hypnotism will not persuade anyone to go against their core beliefs.

‘Manipulation on the other hand is a very different thing. Total mind control is for the movies, but exploitation of a thought, however far in the subconscious, is a very skilful trait.’

‘Go on.’ She urged. That wouldn’t count as a question.

‘To persuade someone to do something completely alien is a pretty difficult thing to do. Let’s say one day after a dressing-down from your boss, you briefly picture yourself emptying a scalding cup of coffee into his lap. The moment is gone and you don’t think of it again. In the right hands, two weeks later, you may well walk into his office and do it.’

Kim could count too. ‘I have my next question ready, but we both know it’s your turn.’

‘Where is your happy place?’

It was on the tip of her tongue to offer another pass, but although the memories were painful they were not life-threatening.

‘Foster home number four. Keith and Erica.’

‘Why?’

Kim laughed. ‘I think you’ll find that’s another question, but I will answer you. Because they didn’t try and repair me. For three years they allowed me to be myself without reproach or expectation. They allowed me to just be.’

Ted nodded his understanding. ‘Thank you, Kim. Next question.’

Kim pulled herself back to the present. ‘What did you mean by the right hands?’

‘Okay, if I wanted to, I could get you to relive the humiliation of being berated by your boss. I’d prod you to make that feel even worse, then I’d get you to visualise the punishment so you could enjoy the revenge, and then I’d give you reasons to justify doing it, and by doing all of that I’d be pretty much giving you permission to walk in there and do it.’

‘But how is that not total mind control?’

‘Because you’d already had the thought in the first place and your actions are being carried out consciously. You won’t even know that the manipulation has taken place.’

Kim thought about Ruth and things began to make a bit more sense. Of course Ruth had fantasised about driving a knife into her attacker. The thought had existed somewhere in her mind and Alex knew that. There was no link between Alex and Allan Harris that she knew of, so what had Alex been trying to achieve?

‘Do these people have no emotions at all?’

‘They have what we call the primitive emotions: immediate pain or pleasure, short-term frustrations and successes. The higher emotions like love and empathy are not present in the sociopath. The lack of experience of love reduces life to an endless game of attempted domination over other people.’

‘Is that how they fill their time?’

‘Oh Kim, we both know it’s my turn. Will you ever let go of the guilt you feel for Mikey?’

Kim shook her head. ‘No.’

‘But don’t you wish …’

‘I answered the question, Doc.’

‘Okay, to answer your question, the boredom is almost painful, like a child that needs constant stimulation. It’s the same for the sociopath. The games eventually get boring, the entertainment wanes and so the games must get bigger and better, more elaborate.’

Kim thought about Sarah constantly running from her sister. How much entertainment had Alex gleaned from that little power play over the years?

Kim felt her frustration growing. ‘But there has to be a way of exposing them.’

‘So, this psychiatrist you’re interested in. You think she may have been instrumental in a murder. What’s your next step?’

It wasn’t his turn but she answered it anyway.

‘To get a warrant?’

Ted laughed out loud. ‘On what grounds? She is well respected in her field, I’m sure. I’ll bet you there have been no professional complaints about her conduct. The woman in prison is unlikely to speak against her unless you can convince her just how deeply she’s been manipulated. So, how exactly will you get a warrant? Your superiors will think you have lost the plot and now your credibility is completely gone.’

‘Thanks, Doc.’

‘I’m just being honest. Sociopaths can fall, but it needs enough people to stand up and point them out. I think it was Einstein who said, “The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”’

‘Can they be cured?’

‘Why would they want to? Responsibility is a burden that other people accept but they can’t understand why. Sociopathy as a disease causes no discomfort whatsoever to the sufferer.’

‘But counselling …’

‘You’re missing the point, Kim,’ Ted said, exasperated. ‘They are completely satisfied with themselves. They have no wish to change.’

‘But don’t they get lonely?’

‘There is no frame of reference. It would be like asking a person who has been blind all their life to describe the colour blue. They have no reference of what blue is.’

Kim thought her head might explode at any moment with everything Ted had told her.

He opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hands to stop him. ‘I know it’s your turn but I’ve got one pass left which I’m definitely gonna use, so I wouldn’t bother wasting your breath.’ She smiled to soften her words. If she had ever chosen to share her past with anybody, it would have been him.

‘You always were very good at this game, Kim.’

‘So, any advice on how to deal with this woman?’

‘I repeat my earlier instruction. Stay away from her, Kim. You are not equipped to come out of this intact.’

Kim felt the conversation turning back to her. She drained her coffee and stood. ‘Well, Doc, thanks for your time.’

He remained seated. ‘Won’t you even consider coming back to see me?’

Kim shook her head and aimed for the side gate.

‘You know, of all the children I saw over the years, I always viewed you as my most abject failure.’

She spoke quietly, without turning. ‘Why, Doc – ’cos I was just too broken to mend?’

‘No, simply because I wanted to help you so much it hurt.’

Kim swallowed the emotion that had gathered in her throat. She had the urge to give him something.

‘I have a dog.’

‘That’s good news, Kim. I’m pleased that you got yourself a dog, now you just have to work out why.’

FIFTY-FOUR

Kim parked the car and turned to Bryant. ‘I’ll lead this one. We need to tread carefully.’

His guffaw was covered by a cough.

She appraised the property before her. A row of four three-storey town houses had been built in the space previously occupied by two bungalows. The new, orange brick stood out against the rest of an estate that had sprung up in the late fifties. The driveway held a shiny silver Audi with a Corsa parked in front on the road.

‘Bloody Nora,’ Bryant said, turning sideways and inching crab-like between the Audi and the wall to the next property.

The door was answered by a male dressed in a navy suit. The burgundy tie had been loosened at the collar. The strong chin showed just a light stubble that had probably crept up during the course of the day.

‘Can I help you?’

‘Detective Inspector Kim Stone, Detective Sergeant Bryant. May we speak with you for a …?’

‘Step away from my property, Detective Inspector. I will not allow you to torture my sister further.’

His face had changed season. The tolerant smile reserved for unexpected visitors was replaced with pure disgust.

Kim could understand it. She had been less than pleasant to his sibling on their last meeting.

‘Mr Parks, if I could just have a minute …’

‘What the hell could
you
possibly want?’ Wendy asked, appearing beside her brother. Although Bryant was beside her, the disgust was obviously reserved for Kim alone.

A small look of triumph passed across Robin’s features as he folded his arms across his chest.

Kim could see instantly that Wendy had lost weight. Already slight, and with her black hair pulled back from her face, Kim was reminded of Olive Oyl.

Pure hatred shone from her eyes.

Kim realised quickly that she had to rethink her interview strategy. Robin Parks was definitely a hostile subject and would not answer any questions directly and it looked like Wendy could cheerfully gut her like a fish. But she had to get in the house.