Page 118 of First Blood

Snip. Snip.

No response from Nigel as he continued to stare right at her.

‘You were leaving the refuge when Hayley turned up seeking help from Marianne, weren’t you? Hayley liked you, trusted you. You bought her food while you made your plan because you were surprised by her presence at the shelter. She was a gift to you. Just placed right there when you weren’t expecting it. And then you took her and murdered her.’

No response.

‘John Doe, six years ago. That was your abuser, wasn’t it?’

A slight tremble to the hand. Bryant’s eyes widened but he kept perfectly still.

‘Who was it, Nigel?’ she asked.

‘My father,’ he said, quietly. The voice was gentle, pained and not what she’d expected.

His suffering found a spot inside her but she pushed it aside. Six people were dead because of this man and two more could be added to that list if she didn’t tread carefully.

‘He would read nursery rhymes to you, before—’

‘Every night,’ he said.

‘The words were innocent little rhymes but you knew what was coming after…’

‘There is nothing innocent about nursery rhymes. They are dark and evil like sexual abusers. Everyone I’ve killed deserved to die. They all inflicted pain and fear on victims who couldn’t fight back because they were too little, but the little people grow up, you see, and turn into people like me.’

‘Not all abused children go on to commit murder,’ she said, trying to plant the word in his mind.

‘You think that’s what I did?’ he asked, genuinely surprised. ‘You think I murdered people?’

‘Didn’t you?’ she asked.

‘I provided a service. I didn’t go looking for these people. They were presented to me. Everywhere I went. What choice did I have? I couldn’t ignore the obvious signs. None of them are innocent, you see. Many of them pretended to be good fathers and—’

‘You see that guy kneeling in front of you,’ she said, to bring his attention back to the people in the room. The details they could discuss further in the police station interview room. ‘He’s a father, but he’s a good father. He has a teenage daughter who is loved and protected. He’s a hard-working man with integrity and passion for his family. He’s innocent, Nigel. He has hurt no one.’

He considered her words and then nodded slowly. ‘But while I have this knife to his throat you won’t come near me and the man behind me will die. That’s all I want. It’s not murder. I’ve committed no crime. I’ve helped people to heal knowing that these monsters are gone. That little girl will sleep easier knowing he’s never going to get the chance to hurt anyone again.’

She paused before speaking. ‘The problem is, Nigel, that the man behind you is innocent. You only have to look at him to know I’m telling the truth. He didn’t abuse his daughter. Diana Lambert made it up. It was a vindictive lie to cover his accusations of her own drug addiction. His daughter has not been harmed.’

For the first time he appeared unsure of himself.

‘It’s true, and if you look at him I think you’ll see that the man is innocent,’ she said, offering Bryant his second cue.

‘No, he can’t be. She said that’s why she was at the shelter. You’re lying.’

‘It’s the truth, Nigel. You’ve looked into the eyes of the guilty. You know the fear that lives there. You’ve seen the evil in their eyes but killing this man is murder, even in your own eyes it’s a crime.’

‘No, I don’t believe—’

‘Nigel, you know these people. You’ve seen it up close. Now take a look and…’

‘You’re wrong. You’re—’

‘Take a look, Nigel,’ she repeated.

He began to turn his head and that was all Bryant needed.

With Nigel’s focus on something other than the blade, Bryant reared his head backwards away from the knife.