for minor offenses like being late for an engagement or forgetting a birthday. He takes a small gift to a hostess. He invites a new neighbor over for dinner. Because that’s what civilized people do.
“But he’s role-playing. He’s condescending. Behind his hand, he’s snickering at everyone who falls for his act. He’s had nine personas that I know of, but they all originated and were governed by the same distorted psyche, in which he’s far superior to everyone else, and rules do not apply to him.”
“I feel so stupid, so foolish.”
“Don’t, Talia. He played you brilliantly. ‘Not tonight, honey’? Fine. He was the perfect gentleman about it. The epitome of consideration. Never got pissed off, never complained, ultimately stopped asking. Right?”
She gave a small, self-conscious nod.
“That fell right into step with the way he wanted your relationship to be. He mastered without being masterful. What wife would complain about such an ideal husband? That closet, those pristine drawers made you want to scream, but you didn’t, because most wives would regard it a miracle if, for once, their slob of a husband picked up his dirty underwear from off the bathroom floor.
“Jasper deliberately used words and phrases that were disturbing, then contrasted them with utmost thoughtfulness. That kept you off balance. Made you…What was the word you used today? Watchful. That was the turn-on of all turn-ons to him. He sensed your mounting wariness. Nurturing it was his foreplay.”
“Leading to what?”
“Killing.”
“Nucking futs,” Mike mouthed.
Distressed, she hugged the pillow closer. “I’ll never forgive myself for not heeding my instincts and saying something, doing something, sharing my misgivings with Elaine. If I had, she might still be alive.”
“And you would be dead.”
After Drex’s sobering declaration, a silence ensued. Then Gif said, “No doubt he would then have turned to Elaine for condolence.”
“And snuffed her, too,” Mike said.
“That’s one of the points I want to broach with you,” Drex said. “These circumstances were different from all the previous ones. This time there were two women. One, he married. Marian Harris was also a departure from the norm.”
“In what way?” Gif asked.
Drex stood up and went over to the eating bar that separated the living area from the kitchenette. He planted his hands on the surface of it and used his arms as struts.
“I don’t think he buried Marian alive by mistake. I think he had become bored with his routine and wanted to try something new. He challenged himself. He wanted to see if he could do it and get away with it. And so far he has.
“Talia represented another challenge. She wasn’t middle aged, wasn’t meek or insecure, wasn’t an heiress. Not at all like her predecessors, she was much younger, more beautiful, and her fortune was self-made. Could he lure a woman like that? Or, better yet, the biggest coup of all, get her to marry him? He succeeded.
“He was introduced to Elaine. Independently, she wouldn’t have been a challenge. But going for two? Two who knew each other, were friends, who saw each other frequently and could compare notes about him?
“Ah, that was a risk to beat all risks. Even riskier than leaving Marian to die on her own before someone heard her screams. The challenge of Talia and Elaine combined was too tempting to resist. Dare he try?” Drex dropped his head between his shoulders. “He did, and has accomplished half his goal.”
No one behind him moved. No one spoke. Finally, Gif said, “This is his way of escalating.”
“I believe so. It’s his middle-age crazy we talked about. He’s taking chances he’s never taken before, and it scares me shitless.” He paused, then said, “See if you can get Locke on the phone.”
As Drex predicted, the other three in the room reacted to the request with a start. Before anyone could ask why or object, he said, “We need somebody inside, feeding us information, and keeping us updated. Rudkowski? Forget it. Lost cause. Do either of you have a contact in any of the FBI offices in South Carolina?”
They replied with shakes of their heads.
“So you can’t call in any favors. Besides, you can bet that Rudkowski has by now soured them on all of us. Same goes for Charleston PD, sheriff’s office, state police, Homeland Security. Every law enforcement agency.”
“Locke is a member of that fraternity,” Mike said.
“As well as Menundez,” Talia said.
“Yes, but you heard them talking when they were alone in your study.” He briefed Mike and Gif on what he and Talia had overheard from