Page 35 of Absent Feeling

“Youthink that I’m some kind ofsuspect? No, this is preposterous.”

“We’recompletely serious, Dr. Harvis,” Amber said. She found herself thinking aboutthe way the murders had happened. About a man who could be calm and in controlenough to break into people’s homes and leave no trace, but who then lashed outin a frenzied attack. “The killer is obviously someone obsessed with theRorschach test, for some reason, and one look at this room says that you meetthat description.”

“Obsessed?Young lady, you have no idea what you’re talking about. AndIhave nointention of talking to either of you.”

Simontook a step forward then. “Dr. Harvis, if you won’t have this conversationhere, then we’ll have to have it down at the Guisborough PD.”

Ambersaw Dr. Harvis start to reach out for something and realized that the letteropener was there, easy for him to grab. The letter opener was long and leafbladed, its hilt worked with intricate silver designs. Amber was moreinterested in how sharp the edge would be. Wasthisthe murder weapon?

Ifhe was grabbing for it, Amber had no time to waste. If he got a grip on it, hemight be able to lash out at Simon, even kill him before he could clear hisgun. At close range, a knife could be at least as dangerous as a firearm.Amber’s weeks of training kicked in then, and she threw herself forward.

“Knife!”

Amberleapt around the table, tackled Dr. Harvis, slamming into him with all theweight she had, trying to force him away from the knife he was reaching for. Shebore him to the ground, grabbing his arms and trying to wrench them behind hisback.

“Whatare you doing?” Harvis demanded. “This is assault!”

“Youwere reaching for a knife,” Amber said.

“Iwas reaching for myphone.To call my lawyer. Who is going to want tohear all about what you’ve done here!”

“Hecan hear about it down at the station,” Simon said, moving in and helping Dr.Harvis to his feet. “Unless you’ve suddenly decided to cooperate?”

“Doyou really think that I’m going to say anything after everything that you’vejust done?” Dr. Harvis demanded.

“Thenwe’ll continue this conversation down at the local police station.” Simonlooked over to Amber; he didn’t seem happy. “Come on, Amber, let’s get him backto the department. I just hope, for both our sakes, that he talks.”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

“Thelawyer’s here,” Detective Heart said, approaching. “How do the two of you wantto do this?”

Ittook Amber a moment or two to realize what he wanted. He was trying to get into be a part of the interrogation, presumably trying to cement his part incatching the killer. For a detective in a town like this, catching a serialkiller might be the biggest break he could get in his career.

Ambercould only wait in frustration from outside the interrogation room thatcurrently held Dr. Harvis. The doctor sat within, looking stony faced, and hadflatly refused to answer any questions until his lawyer got there. Simon wasstanding across the corridor from her with his back to the one-way glass thatlet Amber see into the interrogation room. He’d barely said anything to her sincethey’d gotten back to the precinct.

Ambersaw the lawyer approaching. He was younger than Dr. Harvis, probably in histhirties, with dark hair and a checked blue suit with gold cufflinks. He walkedup and held out a hand to Simon, then Detective Heart, then Amber. He lookedher in the eye as he shook her hand, and there was an expression almost ofamusement there, almost as if he were looking forward to this.

“I’mGerald Webber, Dr. Harvis’s lawyer. I’ll need a moment to consult with myclient and then, from what I hear about what happened, we’ll get around to allthe different ways I’ll be suing you for how you’ve treated him.”

“Wejust want to ask your client some questions,” Simon said. “Advise him tocooperate, and if he’s not the man we’re looking for, he’ll be free to go.”

“He’llbe free to go anyway, soon enough,” the lawyer said. There was an arrogancethere that Amber didn’t like.

Hewent into the interrogation room to confer with his client, leaving Amber,Simon, and Detective Heart waiting outside.

“Ishe really going to sue, do you think?” Amber asked.

“It’shard to tell,” Simon said. “Probably not. But this isn’t how I imagined ourconversation with Dr. Harvis going.”

Hisphone started to ring then, and he stepped a pace or two away while he took it.Amber could still hear his side of the conversation, though. It seemed to beAgent Palliser calling him, demanding an update on the case.

“Didyou really tackle the doctor?” Detective Heart asked. He looked faintlyimpressed.

“Ithought he was going for a weapon.” Amber knew that she needed to make thatclear. She hadn’t just jumped on him because he was refusing to cooperate. Thatletter opener had looked more than dangerous enough to kill someone with.

“Andthe two of you went to speak with him because …”

“Becausehe’s clearly obsessed with the Rorschach test. This is a guy who has tried tointroduce new designs to it. Is it so hard to imagine that the one we found atthe scenes might be another of his?” Amber could even think of a possible motivefor the murders now. “Maybe the people who died are those he feels areresponsible for holding him back in his attempts to get a new design out thereor something. Maybe he figures that leaving it at the crime scenes willeventually get it out there into the public consciousness.”

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