Page 64 of The Angel Maker

Pettifer walked over and stood beside him, leaning down on the desk.

You have committed blasphemy, and it will be corrected.

—Edward

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” she said.

Laurence wasn’t sure. The other notes on file were more obviously from angry students, but while this letter was quieter and less aggressive, there was still something about it that bothered him.

It will be corrected.

“I don’t know,” he said. “But Hobbes must have kept it for a reason.”

“This was over thirty years ago.”

“Even so.”

“Well, I mean, that’sbrilliant. Yeah—I vote we take this very seriously indeed. Get out the champagne—we have the first name of a suspect.”

“I agree,” Laurence said solemnly. “We are halfway there.”

Pettifer glared at him, then walked back across the room and sat down heavily. Laurence watched her go, then looked at the computer screen for a few more seconds before shutting down the message. Then he walked across to the whiteboard, picked up a cloth and pen, and began amending the provisional notes he had made yesterday based on the information they had discovered since.

A) Christopher Shaw attacked by Michael Hyde (May 3, 2000)

B) Katie Shaw reports CS to the police (September 3, 2015)

—CS disappears

C) Alan Hobbes murdered (October 4, 2017)

—philosophy professor (determinism)

—wife died in childbirth

—infant son died in fire

—dismissed staff on day of murder

—apparent suicide attempt (BUT killed anyway)

—collection of material related to Jack Lock

D) CS present at scene (October 4, 2017)

—no record of employment by Hobbes (BUT paid anyway)

—disabled security camera

—theft from property (?)

—homeless (?)

—unidentified male companion

E) Jack Lock

—serial killer

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