John Matthews - Past Imperfect

'Let's hope so.' Marchand wouldn't be surprised if the journalist too was playing an angle for some industry lobby group. At present, if Duclos was convicted of murder, the bio-technology ruling still stood. Only if a connection was successfully made to possible corruption could the debate be re-tabled. 'There was another reason for me making contact at this stage.' Marchand sighed. From his client's last call it was obviously a prime concern, but the words just didn't sit right; felt out of place with the relationship he'd so far established with Duclos. 'I know that your lawyer is confident of clearing you. But if anything should go wrong — if you should feel the need for additional help. Just call. It's just so that you know that if the worst comes to the worst, you have friends out there. People who will help you.'

'Yes, yes. Certainly. I'll remember that.'

Marchand rang off. Duclos had sounded suitably non-plussed by the gesture; probably its significance wouldn't hit him for a while. Or perhaps he was so confident his lawyer would clear him, he hadn't even considered other possibilities.

Not an entirely altruistic gesture by his client, Marchand realized. The last thing they wanted was a convicted Duclos, eager to make deals and turn state's evidence, sink some industry big fish by telling all about his years as a corrupt politician.

Stilted three way conversation: questions from Barielle through the translator to Marinella Calvan. And in turn back again with Calvan's answers.

It reminded Marinella of the sessions with Philippe and Eyran.

'What is your preferred method for conducting sessions?' asked Barielle.

'Hypnosis.'

'I understand that your predecessor, Dr Donaldson, preferred conducting sessions while people were awake. What was the reason for this?'

'He felt that sometimes hypnosis could be suggestive. Could spark off unwarranted imaginations if used the wrong way.'

'I see. So hypnosis could be used to suggest imaginative scenarios that weren't real?'

'Yes. But as I say — only if misused.'

Corbeix looked up. The first hesitation from Calvan. The first half hour had already covered much of her background at the University of Virginia and her working relationship with Donaldson. Corbeix had spent almost an hour going over points in file notes in private chambers with Barielle the day before. He imagined that Thibault had spent a similar time. As the most unusual element in the case, it was important that Barielle gained a full grasp of the subject. But equally its unorthodox nature would target it as the main area for Thibault to try and discredit. Corbeix tried to pick up on his own questions and those influenced by Thibault. Sometimes the dividing line was vague, or they might be additional questions posed by Barielle. Except now: throwing doubt on hypnosis. Thibault's hand was on the rudder.

'… In working with children, as Donaldson did almost exclusively, I felt that many would have vivid imaginations in any case. Particularly because he so often worked with children in India and Asia, where reincarnation is an accepted part of their culture.'

'And you generally have avoided working with children from those regions?'

'Yes. My main work has been with children in America and Europe.'

'Any particular reason for this?'

Marinella thought for a moment. 'Challenge, I suppose. It was more of a challenge to delve into past lives with children from a culture where reincarnation wasn't normally accepted, rather than one where it was. And, of course, this makes hypnosis all the more essential — to drag out buried or heavily repressed memories.'

Fresh breath from Barielle. 'Can you tell me: what are the percentages of people that believe in past life regressions in Europe and America?'

'In America the figures are going up all the time. As much as thirty, thirty-five percent, I now believe. But in Europe I understand that it's slightly less — twenty, twenty-five percent. But among the rest, there's a lot of 'not sures' and 'don't knows’.’

'I see. But in general, in America and Europe, is it fair to say that most people do not fully accept or believe?'

Marinella cast her eyes down slightly; reluctant admission. 'Yes, it is.'

'In your own work, has this been significant? Something you have seen as an obstacle: that, if possible, you would like to change. Get more people to believe?'

Marinella shrugged and smiled. 'Yes, of course. It's something that everyone working with PLR and related fields is continually fighting for — wider acceptance. That's why we spend so much time building up strong case histories.' One eyebrow arched, as if to say: stupid question. Days and sometimes weeks spent compiling tapes and transcripts. Ninety pages alone from Eyran Capel's sessions, with her and Donaldson up until 2am solidly for over a week to knock it into shape for a publishable paper for the University. 'It's a constant battle against scepticism — much of it from within our own profession. From the more staid and conventional areas of psychiatry and psychology.'

'So, it would be true to say that your desire to convince a wider audience about the relevance of PLR has been a strong driving force behind your career to date?'

'Yes.' The first warning signs; Marinella felt the need to quickly redress the balance. 'It was the main reason I specialized so strongly in xenoglossy: use of a foreign language unknown to the main subject. Probably the strongest possible support for real regressions — particularly with young children who've had little or no opportunity to learn the language in question. This was the main reason why Dr Lambourne contacted me in the first place with the Eyran Capel case. My work with xenoglossy.'

'Eyran Capel has been a particularly large and important case for you?'

'Yes.' Unequivocal: she'd had nothing else even nearing it.

Barielle flicked through some notes. 'But I understand that you had some relative success with a xenoglossy case a few years back. A young boy in Cincinnati. Can you tell me what happened there?'

Marinella looked sharply at Corbeix. She hadn't told him in her briefing that morning nor, she was sure, had she mentioned anything to Fornier. Then her gaze shifted to Thibault's tell-tale half smile. He quickly averted his eyes to something indicated in a folder by his assistant. Jesus, they had been digging. 'I had a paper half published, announcements prepared for a forthcoming full paper — when the boy's father pulled him from the sessions.'

'What were the reasons he gave?'

'That he didn't feel his son would benefit from continuing regressionary sessions. Was worried even that they might harm him.'

'As a result, I daresay that this was something that you would not like to have happen again: a subject being pulled away from sessions prematurely.'

'No, I suppose not.' Faint annoyance at the obviousness. 'I don't think anyone would.'

Barielle's blue eyes glared across purposefully. 'So tell me: what was the reaction of Dr Lambourne or Eyran Capel's uncle and guardian, Stuart, when you told them that the final sessions would be used to track down clues on Christian Rosselot's murder?'

Marinella's mouth suddenly went dry. She felt as if a trap door had suddenly opened. She flustered: 'Well — we just didn't know straightaway that was what we were looking for. That didn't come out till later.'

'But I understand that Chief Inspector Fornier was present at some of those final sessions?'

'Yes, but only the last one.' Suddenly the fire exit was there and she bolted for it. 'That was when he first saw the possibility of vital details coming out about the murder and decided to attend.'

'And for the other sessions?'

'I sent him transcripts and tapes.'