Show of Evil

sessions. Jane and I each had one and we both erased them after the trial.

'Our theory is that Stampler is triggering this killer, but we don't know how he's doing it or how he originally made contact with the surrogate. I think somewhere in my conversation with Stampler he dropped a clue, something very subtle to let me know he's the real killer.'

'Why?' Meyer asked.

'Because he's playing games with me. He's a psychopath. I think you better listen to the tape before you ask any more questions. Maybe I'm too close, maybe one of you will hear something I'm missing.'

'Or maybe you're wrong,' Flaherty said, half grinning. 'Maybe he didn't plant a clue at all.'

'You mean I'm paranoid, Dermott?'

'Something like that.'

Vail shrugged and smiled. 'Very possible. The question is, is my paranoia justified? You guys decide.'

He punched the play button and the conversation with Woodward began. The group, including Venable, leaned forwards, rapt in the conversation, zeroing in on every word as Woodward described his almost decade-long experience with Aaron Stampler. The revelation that Aaron Stampler had become Raymond Vulpes created the biggest buzz among the group. Then well into the interview between Vail and Stampler/Vulpes, Dermott Flaherty abruptly sat up and said, 'Hold it! Stop it there.'

Vail punched the stop button.

'Back it up a little and replay,' Flaherty said.

Vail snapped the rewind button, let it run a few feet, and punched Play.

VAIL: Did Aaron and Roy ever talk about killing the old preacher…uh, I can't think of his name, it's been ten years.

VULPES: Shackles.

VAIL: Shackles, right.

VULPES: Roy bragged about that one, all right. They really hated that old man.

VAIL: That's an understatement.

VULPES: Guess you're right about that. He was their first, you know?

VAIL: So I heard.

VULPES: Why, hell, Mr Vail, you probably know more about the two of them than I do.

VAIL: Oh, I think not. How about the others? Did he talk about them?

VULPES: You mean his brother and Aaron's old girlfriend, Mary Lafferty?

VAIL: I'd forgot her name, too.

VULPES: Lafferty. Mary Lafferty.

'There's your clue,' Flaherty said. 'He repeats Mary Lafferty's name three times. I never knew about Mary Lafferty, that's why I didn't catch it at the time. And I didn't include it in my report, so you never knew about it, Marty.'

'Catch what? What are you talking about?' Venable asked.

'The name on the package that Lincoln was delivering when he was killed - the addresser was M. Lafferty. There's no way Stampler could know that, none of those details have been released to the press yet.'

The revelation caused a flurry of conversation. St Claire was the most excited.

'Ain't that enough to stall ol' Woodward in his tracks?' he asked. 'I mean, doesn't that prove Vulpes or whoever the hell he is knew about these killings?'

'It makes no difference. I was Stampler's lawyer of record,' Vail said. 'I can't take any legal action against him, I can't even testify against him in court. Anyway, all we have at this point is circumstantial evidence and hunches, and I guarantee, it would take a lot more than that to stop Woodward. He regards Vulpes as his personal medical victory and Vulpes knows it. But you're right about the package, Dermott, Vulpes thought I knew about the return address. It was his way of letting me know that he was at least involved in the deaths of Alex Lincoln and Linda Balfour.'