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Jace speaks first, grinning. He’s so tan against the stark white walls of the visitation room it’s hard to focus on him for a moment. “The legend lives.”
“Mr. Brochavich,” Professor Artemis says, scrunching her nose as she turns to her student. “Please.”
“What?” he asks with a chuckle. “I haven’t gotten to see my buddy here in a few weeks. What’s new, Constantine?”
“Nothing changes here,” I remind him.
“Yes,” Artmeis agrees, eyeing me. She’s a short woman with long, pin straight black hair that looks severe against her blue eyes. “We actually have the perfect assignment to work with your… unusual skill set.”
I snort. Before the copycat kills started up, I got used to seeing Artemis. There’s some weird scholarship thing at the university that students vie for the chance to come here. It’s strange to me, but maybe because I’m trapped. It’s always Artemis who brings theprizestudent here to analyze psychopaths, and she seems pretty numb to some of the fucked up shit that people say and do around here. “What, killing?”
She purses her lips. Jace is the third student I’ve had the displeasure of entertaining for science’s sake, but I do like him the most. Artemis gives me a once over before shaking her head, and I’ve never seen her impressed over anyone or anything. She keeps speaking, glossing over what I just said. “We recently had a new professor join our university-”
“In March?” I ask, raising a brow. It’s only the first week of March, but I’ve learned that the university’s spring semester ends mid May and fall won’t pick up until August. I don’t think I’ve ever had a visit from the professor or anyone else for CGU during the summer months. “Who dropped dead?”
“She’s teaching a new class,” Jace interrupts, practically vibrating with energy as he speaks. “Criminal psychosis.”
“That can’t be a real thing,” I grumble.
“It is,” Artemis assures me. “The Dean of Students was most impressed with her repertoire, and she’ll be doing four classes for the senior class as electives prior to graduation. Specifically studying the brain waves and patterns of serial killers.”
“What a good thing for you all that there’s another nutjob in the grove,” I say with a smirk. “You’ll get the chance to study two once they catch my copycat.”
“One is fine for now,” she says coolly. “Professor Char Rowths-Spurig, Ph.D. is the professor who would love to analyze you.”
I roll my eyes. That’s such an ostentatious name I almost don’t believe it’s real. “Is the FBI going to throw a fit about that? Because I’m not dealing with their sass if your new professor decides to butt into the middle of an investigation. Did you schmooze up to the warden to convince them another visitor should be allowed in?”
“Professor Rowths-Spurig will of course follow any protocols the FBI requires during the course of an investigation just like she’ll adhere to the penitentiary’s requirements,” Artmeis says, and I feel like she’s trying to spell it out like I won’t understand otherwise. “You don’t need to concern yourself with the warden, Constantine. I have an excellent rapport with him, and the Professor is renowned around the country for her innovative experiments and treatment regimens. The warden believes that seeking the insight of such a talented individual at a time like this with your copycat on the loose could be beneficial to the case. Especially while your protegé is still at large.”
Experiments and treatment regimens.Rowths-Spurig sounds like a new word for torture.
“Whoever is on a killing spree is not my protegé,” I grumble, ignoring Artemis’ comments about the professor for now. Perhaps it’s time to stir some shit up at the penitentiary so the warden has to speak with me and I can ask some questions of my own. “There’s no one I like enough to share such intimate details as the kills with, much less enough times that they would replicate my kills to the degree they have.”
“But you would share them,” Jace asks, leaning closer. “If someone asked.”
I lean in too, spotting the way the professor tenses as I do so. After listening to Artemis brag I’m going to poke some fun at her. “Perhaps. If I could sneak it past the warden.”
Jace frowns, his brows knitting together and I know immediately he doesn’t understand. Up until a moment ago, the warden was the last thing on my mind. I hadn’t given him much thought recently, and I never see the man but once in a blue moon. It sounds like he holds down a desk job while the so-called guards police the actual inmates.
I knew the school had a deal with this place, but I don’t see how he can be deciding what’s appropriate or not if he never leaves the office. Figureheads usually don’t know what’s going on, and even after the little incident with Jo and Vinny no one ever came to reprimand me. Even my care plans didn’t change. It’s like the whole ordeal never happened to begin with.
“Professor Rowths-Spurig will be teaching the class at our university. She’s spoken with the warden about coming here to assist inmates regarding their more violent tendencies and seeing if psychological means can alter your violent urges.”
I glare at that. I can’t remember the last time any specialist came here to look into helping the inmates. We’re typically at the bottom of the food chain, and the treatment we receive is mostly state mandated and generic. The studies that CGU does on inmates like me is unique, but I believe it’s only for the consideration of the students, not for the benefit of the prisoner.
“The class is new to CGU, not new to psych studies,” Artemis continues, unmoved by my silence. “Some teachers elected to take the course too since it’s never been taught here, so the professor is interested in real world application of the techniques. It’s the only way we would know if the thesis has any merit.”
Scoffing, I lean away until the chain between the cuffs resists me, and I peer back at Norbert who lingers by the door to the room. “I’m finished with this. You can take me back now.”
“There are other patients that the treatment might benefit,” Artemis argues, speaking faster to get everything she has to say before I leave. Norbert looks torn, undecided if he should listen to me or let Artemis continue to yammer. I have some personal grievances with Wallsburg but at least he listens when I tell him I’m finished with a visit. “I’ve even heard some of the nurses and doctors want to participate in the study too. It’s very rigorous, but the studies at other institutions lean towards positive results. Mr. Vaught would be an excellent candidate considering his condition, don’t you think so, Jace?”
Now I’m intrigued, turning back to peer between the two at Artemis’ slip up. I’ve never had anyone visit me and then speak about another patient's treatment, and even mention them by name. That sounds like a huge HIPPA violation to me. Jace looks surprised, narrowing his eyes at Artemis who continues looking between us.
I hate these damn visits.
Jace’s hands tighten on the tabletop, and the friendly banter from him all but dies. “I don’t think we need to involve Bernie. He won’t be interested in a test anyway.”
I blink. Well, there’s no pretending I don’t know who they are talking about now, and I peer back at Norbert again. He’s going to stand by silently? What the fuck is going on?