Chapter 59
EDINBURGH
Now he sat alone in the dark room. The door opened slowly and he looked at the figure standing silhouetted by the light from the hallway behind him.
The figure stepped forward and the door closed behind him.
‘This is very cosy,’ Gabriel Kane said. ‘Except at my age, it’s not a good idea to trip and break a hip. What about some lights, Liam?’
Brodie had his phone out and turned the flashlight on, setting the phone at the edge of a side table where the light shone down towards the carpet, illuminating Kane’s feet. The Crocs that he had to wear in here. What all the patients wore. It wasn’t easy to run in them, apparently.
‘Why all the mystery, Liam?’ Kane asked.
‘We know all about him now, Gabriel. I just wanted your perspective.’
‘You know about who?’ Kane said.
‘We don’t have to play these games any more. We know you didn’t kill those women. It was Dermot Hume. The volunteer who brings you the books.’
‘Dermot. Dermot.’ Kane pretended to think about the name. Brodie could see the man’s face, bathed in shadow.
‘We know how he was communicating with you. The book that was found on Marianne had words highlighted in yellow. When put together, it revealed a message. About killing.’
‘Marianne?’
‘Yes. You mistook what gravestone she was under. Dermot had put her under one closest to his fiancée’s grave. Now we’ve got all his victims, because he was sloppy with one, and a dog walker saw part of her arm sticking out from under the stone. Now can we stop pretending you don’t know Dermot?’
Kane gave a little chuckle. ‘He’s actually a very intelligent man. He was a surgeon before he got hit by the car.’
‘I know all about him,’ Brodie said.
‘The head injury affected him. I don’t think he would have made a mistake otherwise.’
‘He wouldn’t have been a patient of yours if he hadn’t been injured.’
‘You figured that out, too,’ Kane said, again with a chuckle. ‘I have to say, I underestimated you, Liam. I’ve known you for years, yet here I am, in awe of you.’
‘You don’t need to feel in awe of me. Anybody could have figured this out.’
‘But not everybody did. You did, Liam. Your superior officers are going to be impressed.’
Brodie looked at the doctor. He knew what the psychiatrist was doing: stalling for time, trying to get the story worked out in his head.
‘The thing is, Gabriel, I can’t understand why Hume went from being a patient of yours to becoming a killer. And yet you knew about him.’
Kane smiled. ‘Dermot had extreme rage issues. I was worried he would go out and do something stupid.’
‘He did do something stupid.’
‘Not quite. He channelled his rage. Under my guidance. I taught him how to focus. How to kill like I killed.’
‘Makes sense. And please feel free to jump in and correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks like you helped him kill the women who were there the night his fiancée got killed.
And to help him get away with it, you took the blame.
Taking us to the cemetery to reveal one of your victims. Except you got it wrong.
Somehow there was a mistake in translation, as it were.
When Hume told you where he had put the women he murdered. ’
‘Seems like you’ve got this all sewn up, Liam. You don’t need me any more.’
‘The thing is, we could charge you with accessory to murder, but what good would that do us? You’re already serving life in a psychiatric unit.’
Kane smiled and spread his hands. ‘There we have it, then.’
‘Not quite.’ Brodie reached into his jacket and brought out a sheet of paper, handing it over to the doctor.
‘What’s this, Liam?’
‘It’s from the Crown Office, authorising your move to Carstairs State Hospital, where you will be put in a wing with extremely dangerous prisoners. You will be in a room with zero amenities. No books, no TV, nothing.’
‘You’ve threatened me with this before. The no amenities bit.’
‘I have. But as you can see, the move has already been approved. On my say-so. You have it in black and white.’
‘Now my fate is in your hands, is that what you’re saying?’
‘That’s exactly what I’m saying. Nine o’clock tomorrow, on the dot, I’m going to make a phone call. Whether you’re transferred to Carstairs or not, is up to you.’
Kane was no longer smiling. ‘What is it exactly you want, Liam? You obviously need something from me to prevent you deciding to ship me down south.’
Brodie leaned forward. ‘I’m going to tell you. Then you have ten seconds to decide, then I’m out of here.’
Kane opened the letter and Brodie stayed silent while he read it. Then he locked eyes with the detective.
‘Go ahead. I’m listening.’