Part 24 (2/2)
”Crimes of pa.s.sion,” she answered. ”Is that what you mean?”
”Do better. What separates the men from the women?”
Barrett pictured the faces of women she'd interviewed over the years. ”The victim,” she finally answered. ”They hurt the ones closest to them; typically their husbands, boyfriends, and occasionally their children and parents.”
”Right. I often found the women to be far more the victim than the perpetrator.”
”Please, Dr. Housmann, I need to know her name.”
”Humor me,” he said. ”I just wanted to be certain that you'd be careful. The woman in question spent a number of years at Croton after accidentally killing her abusive husband. Mayfield worked very hard to have her released. In hindsight I should have known something was up. Gordon Mayfield was no altruist.”
”You mentioned giving her a job,” Barrett commented. ”Where was that job?”
”I think you've figured it out,” Housmann answered.
”At the center?”
”Right in one.”
”Who is she?”
Housmann brought his hands together and touched his fingertips to his chin, ”Marla Dean,” he said.
”Marla?”
He nodded. ”I knew it was a bad idea, but I couldn't see punis.h.i.+ng her for Mayfield's doing, and then when he ... died, I didn't have the heart to fire her. It would have been too complicated, and so ...”
”How long was she at the clinic before Mayfield's death?” Barrett asked.
”A while, certainly more than a year.”
”But she would have been at Croton when Jimmy was there?”
”Yes.”
”And she would have known who Mayfield's test subjects were?”
”Probably.” Housmann sighed, ”I think she typed his papers for him, and as you've seen, the case studies were easy to figure out.”
”Dr. Housmann,” Barrett said, pulling her briefcase on to her lap. ”I want to thank you for your time. But I think I should be going.”
”Of course,” he said, not moving from his chair.
”What is it?” she asked, sensing there was more.
”About a year after Mayfield's death. I got another call from Ellen Martin. She wanted me to try and get her brother released. She was very persuasive, and without coming straight out and offering me a bribe, she informed me that it would be very easy to underwrite my research through a foundation her family financed. A foundation that would never be traced back to her brother. Of course, I declined. Every year or so, I'd get a similar phone call, and my answer was always the same. A year after I retired and Anton had taken over as director, Jimmy Martin obtained his release.”
”You think Anton took the offer?” she asked, feeling a pit form in her stomach.
”I couldn't say. I do know that Anton's time is running out; I don't think he'll get tenure. As far as his research goes, it's careful, but it's small in scope and lacks any spark-unlike yours. Ellen Martin's offer would have been difficult to resist.”
Barrett said nothing as she took this in, and jagged bits of data clicked into place. It felt as though the floor were dropping out from under her. ”I should get going.”
”Dr. Conyors ... Barrett?”
”Yes,” she was halfway out of her seat.
”Do you have any hard evidence? Anything at all to take to the board?”
”I don't,” she admitted.
”That's not good,” he shook his head, his expression worried.
”Tell me something I don't know,” she said, trying to make light, to not be so afraid.
”You need to drop this case,” he said.
”I know ... I can't.”
”This could end very badly.”
”I have to get him sent back,” she replied, but knowing he was right.
”Is there anything I could say that would make you reconsider?”
She shook her head. ”He needs to be locked up; he should never have been let out. If I don't do it ...”
He stared at her through the thick, distorting lenses. ”I suppose in your position, I'd do the same.” He suddenly seemed tired, defeated. ”I'll see you out,” he raised out of his chair, wincing slightly from having sat so long. As he unlocked his front door, he commented, ”I very much enjoyed our talk. If you ever want a sounding board, I hope you'll call.”
”Thank you,” she said, stepping back onto the liquid-filled mat.
”And Barrett ...”
”Yes?”
”I know that I don't have to say this, but be very careful. And the minute you get the evidence you need, take it to the board and get far away from Jimmy Martin ... and his sister.”
TWENTY.
”Marla, could you come in here?” Barrett asked over the telephone.
A breathy voice responded, ”Give me a couple minutes, Dr. Conyors.”
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