The Perfect Husband - Lisa Gardner [123]
Quincy waved his hand and the lights dimmed. He turned on an overhead projector and a time line appeared on the wall. It was marked with red lines, then blue. The blue lines leapt up uncontrollably at the end of the graph.
“Before going to prison Beckett killed ten women over sixteen months. This is indicated by the red lines, starting with the birth of his daughter, and ending eight months before he was caught. The blue lines indicate postprison behavior. He’s now killed six people in less than four weeks. First he killed two corrections officers. He was quiet for three weeks. Then suddenly, in four days, four people died.
“Not all these deaths were necessary. Shelly Zane was his accomplice and would’ve continued to aid him. His penetration of the safe house could’ve been done with less violence. Originally his pattern was one body per letter. For example, he killed one woman in Clinton, Massachusetts, for the letter C. Now he’s killing multiple people at a location. Two corrections officers in Walpole for the letter W. Both Wilcox and Harrison in Springfield for the letter S. Basically he’s gone into a mode of extreme overkill.
“Also, he’s no longer sleeping. Observe the last four days and the distances between the crime scenes. First he killed Shelly Zane in the early morning, dumping her body in Avon, Connecticut. Then he drives up to the Springfield area. He kidnaps, tortures, and kills Wilcox eight hours later. Now he must drive to his hiding place, probably outside the Springfield area, as we’ve turned the immediate vicinity upside down. He has to steal a police uniform, buy his disguise. Then he must assemble everything. Make the phone calls to cover his tracks, etcetera. Then he has to drive back to Springfield as Officer Travis. By six in the evening the next day he surprises and shoots Harrison. Then he has to stay awake in the unmarked police car. One A.M., after thirty-six hours without sleep, he attacks Difford. Then he kidnaps Sam. Now he must run all night. He’s carrying around Difford’s corpse, and Difford is not a small man. Maybe he does get to sleep a few hours in the early morning while Sam sleeps. But soon she’s awake and now he must entertain his daughter. He’s gone over forty-eight hours on minimal sleep, and instead of going to bed that night, he returns to the Difford crime scene. He attacks Ms. Williams and Mr. Dillon, and he sustains a shoulder wound. Once again he must drive back to his hiding place, wounded and having gone fifty-six hours on almost no sleep. Samantha will be awake soon, keeping him up for another day.
“He still has Difford’s body, and he still has some sort of plan.”
Quincy looked at Tess. “I believe it’s all aimed at getting you, Ms. Williams. His rage is getting high, his blood lust outweighing his control. If he can find you, he’ll move. Your idea to serve as bait is most likely the best we can do. Sooner or later there is going to be a confrontation. It’s better that it be on our terms than on his.”
The room remained hushed. Tess felt that silence echoed inside her. She nodded slowly.
Abruptly a phone rang. People looked around, shaken and confused. After a moment it became apparent that the ringing was from the back of the room.
“My cell phone,” Quincy murmured. His briefcase was sitting back there. He nodded toward Marion, who picked up his phone and answered it.
She frowned, then covered the receiver with her hand.
“It’s a Lawrence Talbert requesting ‘Coroner Quincy.’”
Quincy froze. He didn’t say anything, and then Tess understood. It was him. It was Jim. Holy Mother of God, it was Jim.
Suddenly Quincy was gesturing wildly and officers scattered from their seats. Trace the call, trace the call, she watched their mouths cry silently.
Marion walked slowly to the front of the room and handed the phone to Quincy. Her face was calm, controlled. Tess’s fingers dug into J.T.’s thigh.
“Hello? Who is calling, please? Dammit, I know it’s you.”
Quincy