Page 6 of Psychopath

“No history of blackouts before or after that night, and his memory is scarily accurate about everything that happens here.”

“He’s lying then…”

Cleo leaned over the table. “I think he knows exactly what he did that night, and by telling everyone he can’t remember, he holds on to that power. He keeps that moment as his and no one else’s. It’s the one thing he’s kept from being revealed, broadcast to the world by the press. It’s his stand against that. His…mutiny. I thought that was common in serial killers?”

“He’s not a serial killer.”

“Um. Yes, he is.”

“A serial killer kills victims over—you know what, it doesn’t matter. What he did is just as bad.”

Quinn dropped his gaze to Zane’s swirly signature on the consent form.

“He’s a nice guy, though,” Cleo murmured.

Quinn shot her a disbelieving look, and she flapped her hand in the space between them.

“I mean, he’s well-mannered, charming. He’s been here two years, and he doesn’t start any fights, he doesn’t argue, he does as he’s told and barely complains when we have to lock him in his cell for days at a time. He’s a model prisoner. I wish they all behaved like him.”

“I found him unnerving…”

“Maybe a little, but he’s easy on the eye too, which is a bonus.”

Quinn’s jaw dropped. “You’re a prison officer. You can’t say that.”

“Looks like I just did.”

“It’s not…right.”

“Oh come on, Quinn, before this, when he was in the papers, you must’ve thought he was hot.”

Quinn pressed his lips into a firm line.

Cleo winked at him. “Thought so…”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to. So…you going to tell me about this study yet?”

“I work through a checklist I’ve created based on other criminal psychologists’ research with each participant. If they score high enough, then we continue to the other part of the study.”

“What’s the checklist testing for?”

Quinn opened his mouth to reply, then snapped it shut. “I don’t want to say.”

“You don’t trust me?”

“I just don’t want anyone to overhear. It could affect the participants’ behaviour and the study.”

Cleo squinted at him. “You think I’m a gossip?”

“No, I want to be careful, that’s all.”

“Fine.”

Quinn winced at the sour expression on her face. He sipped his coffee, only to recoil and splutter. “What the hell?”

Cleo brightened again. “A shot of whisky to perk you up.”

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