Brian Freemantle - A Mind to Kill

‘There’s another reason you don’t feel well,’ said Cox, involving himself. ‘Your body’s full of chemicals. I’m going to wash them all out. Make your body clean as well as fit again.’

Hall was glad it was better expressed than before. Breathing in, preparing himself, he said, ‘And now it’s time to talk to Jane again. Like I did last night. Just me and Jane, her words coming out of your mouth, exactly as she says them.’

‘ Got you by the halls, scumbag, before you start! ’

‘You can’t read my mind, just Jennifer’s. So how do you know what I’m going to do?’

‘ Don’t need to know what you’re going to do.’

‘Oh, you do. Otherwise you’ll never prove a lot of things.’

‘ Don’t need to prove a lot of things! ’

‘Didn’t prove that anyone murdered you, did you?’

‘ So what? I’m getting my revenge. He’s dead. She’s a freak.’

‘You saw the television this morning?’ demanded Hall, as the recollection – and the opening it offered – came to him.

‘ What about it?

‘Hear what they were calling you: what the papers were saying? Homicidal maniac, on the channel I watched. That true Jane? You a maniac… a homicidal maniac? People can understand a wife driven to despair by a cheating husband: sympathize, even. But not someone who kills for fun. That’s what they’re calling you. A maniac who kills for fun…’

Jane’s rage began shaking through Jennifer and her hand slipped from Hall’s. She snatched out for it again.

‘ Not mad! Jennifer’s going to be mad but not me. The bastard deserved to die. Murdered me so he had to die: eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. That’s the rule.’

‘You don’t know that,’ challenged Hall. ‘You know he was cheating on you, with Jennifer. Like he was cheating on Jennifer with Rebecca. But you can’t prove he murdered you…’

‘ He doubled – trebled – my insulin! I’d been self-administering since I was a kid old enough to hold a syringe. I knew my dosages. I never, never, never overdosed.’

Mason was sitting back, familiar with the scene although professionally intent on every word, but Cox was open mouthed, the hooded eyes appearing wider than normal. There was an unlit pipe cupped between his hands, like a comfort symbol or a talisman. It didn’t have a decorative bowl, like those Johnson preferred.

‘“He doubled – trebled – my insulin,”’ echoed Hall.

‘ What? ’

‘That’s what you said. He. Gerald. Not he and Jennifer. Where’s the proof she had anything to do with your death?’

‘ She had the motive! To get married to him! ’

‘A motive isn’t proof. Where is the proof – the proof that was overlooked or missed at the inquest – that she had anything whatsoever to do with killing you, if indeed you were killed.’ He’d read the inquest material that the efficient Perry had provided but only as part of the general background, not as something essential to the main defence and his recollection was hazy. Perhaps he should have waited until he’d read the duplicate he’d asked Perry for that morning.

‘ I was there, remember! I witnessed my own death! He lied, at the inquest. Over and over again. And no-one challenged him because it was all too cleverly done. And people were frightened of him: respected him because he was rich. He killed me with what Jennifer provided.’

‘I didn’t provide anything,’ said Jennifer, weakly.

‘If everything is so easily proved, I can’t see why you are so frightened for me to go into it. Unless, of course, the TV and newspapers are right about your sanity.’ There was a desperation that didn’t show in his voice. He had no argument left in reserve. Everything depended upon Jane’s response.

Hall’s initial thought was that Jennifer’s finger-tightening was the beginning of another uncontrollable fit, but nothing came and he realized it was Jennifer tensing, as he was tensed, against a physical and verbal tirade that would overwhelm them. But there was nothing.

When they came the words were even, measured, with no anger or hysteria. ‘ I am getting justice for myself. Justice I was denied.’

Momentarily Hall took his hand away, not believing he could prevent the tremble of excitement at her reaction and the argument it made possible. ‘Just as you are denying justice to Jennifer. I wonder how your father would have felt about that.’

‘ She had a proper trial! ’

‘And was found not guilty. Not guilty of killing Gerald Lomax. She hasn’t faced trial for killing you.’

‘ How can she be? ’

‘By letting me re-examine the inquest evidence. But not as it was examined at the inquest. As it would have been examined in a court of law if Jennifer Lomax had been on trial for your murder. And present it to you like a trial, here…’ He briefly swept his hand out. ‘… in front of the doctors, if you like.’

‘ Who decides guilt or innocence? ’

‘The weight of evidence.’

‘ You could cheat.’

‘And you’d know if I did. You’ve just said you witnessed your own murder. And Jennifer would know if I tried to cheat. And she can’t think anything without your being aware of it, can she?’

There was another protracted silence. ‘ And if there’s no evidence you expect me to leave: give up my possession? ’

‘Yes.’

‘ What if there is evidence? ’

Now the long silence was Hall’s. For several moments he held Jennifer’s eyes before saying, ‘Then it becomes a police matter, to be properly prosecuted in court, as she was properly prosecuted for the murder of Gerald. Wouldn’t that be better revenge, for her to be re-arraigned on a provable murder charge in a public court?’

‘ Brilliant! Oh yes, absolutely brilliant! I’ll go along with that! ’

Hall still held Jennifer’s eyes. ‘Are you prepared to accept it, too?’

‘ Trapped her there, haven’t you? ’

Jennifer relayed Jane’s words but didn’t answer Hall’s question.

‘Jennifer?’ he prompted.

‘You’re separating things: making it sound like Gerald might have done it by himself.’

‘ She’s scared! ’

‘I’m not scared!’ protested Jennifer, answering an accusation she hadn’t mouthed verbatim. ‘I didn’t murder her. Neither did Gerald.’

‘Then agree to my doing what I want.’

There was still a hesitation before Jennifer said, ‘All right. Do it.’

‘I should have prevented it,’ insisted Mason, after Cox had taken Jennifer to begin the complete medical examination before her first meeting with the priest. ‘You’re putting her through what amounts to a second trial. It’ll be intolerable.’

‘Not if it gets rid of Jane.’

‘There’s no guarantee it will! No guarantee Jane would leave her alone, even if you did prove Jennifer innocent.’

‘It’s a gamble,’ conceded Hall.

‘With a sick person’s sanity,’ protested the psychiatrist.

‘It gives you time to do what you can for her professionally. And for the exorcism to be attempted.’

Mason shook his head, unpersuaded. ‘Would you really tell the police if you thought there had been a murder conspiracy between Jennifer and Lomax?’

‘I believe she’s totally innocent. I wouldn’t have started any of this if I hadn’t been totally convinced of that.’

‘That isn’t an answer to my question.’

‘Would you?’

‘I’m not sure, after what she’s gone through. But it still isn’t an answer.’

‘I’m not sure, either.’

‘Why’s Mummy’s picture in the newspaper?’

Annabelle and Johnson, either side of the child at the luncheon table, each looked expectantly at the other, neither wanting to reply.