‘Rory Robertson. Do they join him, ever?’
The psychiatrist frowned. ‘It’s possible. Jimmy and Rory are often together so it wouldn’t surprise me to discover that the neighbour joins them too.’
‘Got a name for this neighbour?’
‘In the visitors’ log. We’re very strict about keeping that up to date.’
‘Would there be any CCTV footage or indeed does the photographic ID you give to each visitor remain on file somewhere? I’d like to see an image of Jimmy’s visitor.’
Dr Mara pressed a button and spoke into her phone. ‘Can we retrieve images taken for the ID lanyards, Bex?’
She listened for a moment then said, ‘Bex will check that for you. Now, I have another meeting, but I’d like Bernie to be in the vicinity when you chat with Jimmy. The two of them get on well.’
She gestured to a smiling nurse who approached. ‘These are the visitors I mentioned to you Bernie. Keep an eye on him, won’t you?’
‘Sure, Dr Mara.’ And with a smile she was off walking smartly back into the facility, her long dress flowing behind her.
Chapter 62
Bellbrax Psychiatric Facility, Scotland
Ihave to draw before the voices come again. Jimmy’s not happy. Something’s wrong. I can tell. His fists are in his pockets and I know the voices will come. He’s still missing his visitor.
I flick the paper over and start to draw. I don’t want to draw this, not really, but when I’m upset that’s what I draw. I start with her feet. I can never forget her feet. That day they were the nicest part of her. I didn’t kill her.
‘Yes, you did, Rory. You killed her.You killed both of them.’
‘Stop it!’ I say the words in my head, so the nurse doesn’t come over. They don’t like it when I draw this, but I just can’t help myself.
‘You’re weak Rory, that’s why. You draw her because you’re weak.’
‘I didn’t kill her.’ I look round. I’m not sure if I said the words out loud or not. Nobody’s looking at me so I must have said it in my head. Thank God. I don’t want them to see me drawing this.
My pencil flies across the page. I’ve drawn this same picture four thousand and thirty-three times. That makes me sad. The girl with the dark eyes and black hair stole some. I know it was her – who else could it be? Now I only have four thousand and twenty-two of these sketches. I was beginning to like her. She was kind.
‘You fancied her, you fancied her.’
‘Stop it! I don’t fancy her. I don’t!
‘You’ll kill her just like you did the others. Rory is a killer,Rory is a killer,Rory is a killer.’
‘Stop it! Stop it right now.’
‘Rory is a killer, Rory is a killer,Rory is a killer.’
‘Stop it, stop it, stop it.’ I get up. I’ll stand with Jimmy, that’s what I’ll do.
‘Rory is a killer, Rory is a killer,Rory is a killer.’
‘Stop it, stop it, stop it.’
Jimmy looks at me. ‘Voices again, Rory?’
I can’t speak. I nod.
‘It’s OK, Rory. Soon they’ll go away. Just hang in there.’
I turn and walk away, the voices are quieter, but I won’t draw that picture now. Instead I’ll draw one to make Jimmy happy. I don’t like Jimmy looking so sad.
Chapter 63
Bellbrax Psychiatric Facility Scotland
Jimmy Cameron held a marked similarity to some of the worst criminals Gus had ever interviewed. The ones who looked through you as if they were considering the necessity of your continued existence in the human race and opting to annihilate you. By most people’s standards, Professor Carlton – with his OTT tartan apparel and neon specs was by far more noteworthy in terms of appearance than Gus who wore a bog-standard T-shirt and jeans.
However, Jimmy’s dead eyes drifted over the ebullient professor, strayed to Gus, and remained there. Gus’s eyes narrowed. He loosened the tension in his body, prepared for any sort of onslaught that might occur and changed his stance, so his body widened and gave out a ‘don’t mess with me vibe’. Despite the fact the older man looked frail and hunched, Gus wasn’t prepared to take any chances. He’d been in too many fights to dismiss someone’s ability to cause physical damage purely on appearance and age alone. Although he kept his gaze on the older man’s face, Gus was well aware of Jimmy’s fists, with their battered knuckles, flexing and unflexing by his sides. If those fists could do the damage he saw in the older man’s face, then Gus was going to make sure he kept more than arm’s reach away from Cameron – he didn’t trust that devious bastard – not one bit.
Bernie, the psychiatric nurse, stood beside Jimmy, seemingly at ease, not sensing anything to be alarmed about so far and this reassured Gus a little. In ultra-professional mode, Carlton picked up on the tension between the two men and studied both for a few moments before inserting himself between them and addressing Jimmy. ‘Hello, Mr Cameron, I’m Professor Sebastian Carlton. I’m a forensic psychologist and my colleague and I would like to chat with you, if you don’t mind.’
Jimmy’s eyes moved to Carlton’s, seemingly dismissed him, and then turned back once more to Gus. His curt nod though told them he’d heard Carlton’s words. ‘I’m Jimmy. Not been Mr Cameron for a while.’
Jimmy’s well-modulated Scottish tones surprised Gus. He’d expected a rough and ready voice – gruff from years of smoking, with underlying anger through it. Talk about stereotyping. The man’s gaze hadn’t faltered and Gus, although he held it, was uncomfortable. What is
