Page 27 of The Girl He Claimed

"That's fine, Matthew. I'mhappy to talk to Dr... sorry, Agent King."

Paige was sure that the slip wasdeliberate, something designed to irritate her or just to get in her head.Something to try to insult her by failing to recognize that she'd moved on fromwho she was when she'd worked at the St Just Institute.

"Dr. Chang, I want to talk toyou about the Exsanguination Killer," Paige began.

"I thought that we talkedabout the killer already, Paige," Dr. Chang replied. "You know,during my assessment of whether you were fit to return to work? Perhaps I gotthat assessment wrong."

"We're not here to play games,Dr. Chang," Christopher snapped.

"No, instead, you chose tosmash your way into my home, threaten me and arrest me, when it should beobvious to you that I am not a suspect in any of this."

"Oh, you're a suspect,"Paige assured her. She set the butterfly hair clip down on the table. "Ishowed you this in your home. Do you recognize this?"

"It's a hair clip," Dr.Chang replied.

"One of your hair clips?"

"I own one very similar,yes."

Paige sighed. It seemed that Dr.Chang wasn't done playing games. Maybe that was just her natural reaction tobeing arrested, or maybe she couldn't stand not being the one in control.

"This one. You were wearing itwhen we met yesterday. Is that correct? We can wait to confirm it through DNAif you want."

"You mean when I was assignedto assess you after your actions brought about the death of a suspect?"Dr. Chang shot back, bringing it up again. Her lawyer whispered to herhurriedly, but it seemed that she was determined to ignore him. Paige was surethat her lawyer wouldn't be advising her to try this.

Paige kept her temper only withdifficulty. "Dr. Chang, my partner and I are hunting a serial killer wholikes to control and manipulate her victims. How do you think your currentapproach to this interrogation is going to look to a jury?"

"I think that there is anegligible chance of my being brought in front of a jury," Dr. Chang said."I think that what is going on here is that you are lashing out becauseyou are unable to find the truth. You have found a hair clip that looks, yes,very similar to one of mine, and you have extrapolated an entire theory fromthat, because doing so makes you feel better about the deaths of two of yourfriends."

Paige was halfway to her feetbefore Christopher's restraining hand on her arm stopped her from continuingthe movement. Paige was angry in that moment. Angry enough to lash out, but sheknew that was what Dr. Chang wanted. She wanted to make Paige lose control ofthe situation.

That thought was enough to make hersit back down. She had to remind herself that every time the doctor tried to becruel or manipulative, it only added to the picture of her as a potentialkiller.

"Dr. Chang, let's beclear," Christopher said. "That hair clip has already been tested forDNA. If the forensics come back positive for your DNA, as I think we both knowthat they will, then we will be able to place you at the scene of a doublemurder."

"You will be able to place myhair clip there," Dr. Chang countered. She didn't flinch, and didn't showany sign of being worried. "As I have already stated, I have noinvolvement in these murders. I am a highly respected psychologist who hasworked at the St Just Institute for years. This is all circumstantial evidence,and I am confident that it will be proven so in court."

Paige leaned in, determined to getsome kind of reaction out of her. "Is this all just a game to you? You'resitting here denying everything, but we know the truth. We know what you'vedone."

Dr. Chang smiled a cruel smirk thatmade Paige's skin crawl. "Do you? Do you really? Or are you just desperateto blame someone, anyone, for what's happening?"

Paige decided to try a differentapproach since the current one wasn't getting her anywhere.

"As you say, Dr. Chang, you'rewell respected in your field. So tell me, if you had to profile theExsanguination Killer, how would you describe her?"

Dr. Chang was silent for severalseconds. Paige could see the gears turning in her head, and she wondered whatDr. Chang was thinking about. Was she considering how she would go aboutprofiling the killer, or was she trying to come up with an answer that wouldthrow them off track?

"I would say that this killeris highly intelligent, detail-oriented, and has a meticulous plan for everyvictim. She is likely organized and methodical, and has a strong need forcontrol."

Paige nodded, encouraging her tocontinue. "What else?"

"She is probably someone whohas experienced trauma in her past, and feels a sense of power and controlthrough the act of killing. She may also have a personal vendetta against lawenforcement, or anyone she perceives as a threat to her sense of control."

"And how many of those traitswould you say apply to you?" Paige asked, pointedly.

For a moment, she suspected thatthe doctor wouldn't reply, but then she seemed to recover her composure.

"Several, just as I am surethat they would also apply to you, Paige. You, after all, have a need to takecontrol of things following the death of your father. You have certainlyexperienced enough trauma to scar you psychologically, you are clearlyintelligent and detail oriented. Except in this, obviously. Here, you areentirely wrong."

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