Page 134 of The Grave Artist

Picasso . . .

Growing yet again as an artist.

Today would see the first instance of Serial Killing 2.2.

2.0 was murdering to enjoy the mourning of families.

2.1 was further tormenting a grieving family by convincing a teenager that her parent was having an affair.

2.2 was not just murdering, but torturing someone to death and sending the delightful, filmed account of the victim’s agony to their loved one.

HisGuernica. . .

The horror that the family member felt would be exquisite and the only element still to work out would be somehow his witnessing thatperson watching the scenario in horror. There had to be a way. A hidden camera, perhaps.

He knew where Carmen Sanchez lived. Tristan Kane had given him the address. How hard would it be to hack into her security system to see the agent open the package with the thumb drive containing the video he was about to make. Kane could do it in an afternoon.

He glanced over at Selina.

Who looked pretty cocky at the moment.

This irritated Damon.

He decided to add thirty minutes to the hours of torture he had planned.

What about the screaming?

He’d forgotten to bring earplugs but maybe wadded-up tissue would work just as well.

Or he could gag her ...

No, the screams had to be part of the show.

Tissue in his ears it would be.

“Who was she?” Selina asked, looking at the pictures of Miss Spalding on the mantelpiece.

Damon gave a brief laugh. “Are you trying to Stockholm me? You know what that is?”

“My sister’s a cop. Besides everybody with a TV knows what Stockholm syndrome is. The emotional connection between hostage takers and their captives.”

“And you’re hoping it works the other way too. That if I tellyoupersonal things, I’ll be less inclined to ... do what you’re afraid I’m going to do.”

“No, I don’t think that at all. You’re, like, a dead-eyed freak, and the last thing I want is to form any kind of connection with you. I’m just asking who’s the lady in the picture looking at you in that kind of creepy way.”

Damon stiffened. “Miss Spalding, my governess. And there was nothing creepy about her.”

“No?” Sarcasm dripped from the word.

So, maybe Selina was aiming for theoppositeof the Stockholm approach. She was trying to antagonize him, maybe so he’d make a mistake.

Or perhaps she figured he intended to torture her, so she was goading him to kill her immediately.

Not going to happen.

He knew enough about anatomy to make him an expert at creating many sources of pain in the human body.

He began to set up the two cameras, aimed at the chair where she sat: front angle and side. A thought occurred to him: Should he show the vid to Maddie Willis?