‘The hell with it,’ I muttered under my breath as I turned into the parking lot. Instantly, a school of reporters darted toward me as I got out of my black Mercedes. Cameras flashed as I walked with purpose, eyes straight ahead. Microphones appeared from every angle. People yelled my name as I hurried to unlock the back door and slam it shut behind me. I was alone in the quiet, empty bay, and I realized everyone else probably had gone home for the day because of the weather.

As I suspected, the autopsy suite was locked, and when I took the elevator upstairs, the offices of my assistant chiefs were empty, and the receptionists and clerks were gone. I was completely alone on the second floor, and I started feeling frightened. When I entered my office and saw CAIN’s dripping red name on my computer screen, I felt worse.

‘All right,’ I said to myself. ‘No one is here right now. There’s no reason to be afraid.’

I sat behind my desk and placed my .38 within reach.

‘What happened earlier is the past,’ I went on. ‘You’ve got to get control of yourself. You’re decompensating.’ I took another deep breath.

I could not believe I was talking to myself. That wasn’t in character, either, and I worried as I began dictating the morning’s cases. The hearts, livers and lungs of the dead policemen were normal. Their arteries were normal. Their bones and brains and builds were normal.

‘Within normal limits,’ I said into the tape recorder. ‘Within normal limits.’ I said it again and again.

It was only what had been done to them that was not normal, for Gault was not normal. He had no limits.

At a quarter of five I called the American Express office and was fortunate that Brent had not left for the day.

‘You should head home soon,’ I said. ‘Roads are getting bad.’

‘I have a Range Rover.’

‘People in Richmond do not know how to drive in the snow,’ I said.

‘Dr. Scarpetta, what can I help you with?’ asked Brent, who was young and quite capable and had helped me with many problems in the past.

‘I need you to monitor my American Express bill,’ I said. ‘Can you do that?’

He hesitated.

‘I want to be notified about every charge. As it comes in, I’m saying, versus waiting until I get the statement.’

‘Is there a problem?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘But I can’t discuss it with you. All I need from you this moment is what I just requested.’

‘Hold on.’

I heard keys click.

‘Okay. I’ve got your account number. You realize your card expires in February.’

‘Hopefully, I won’t need to do this by then.’

There are very few charges since October,’ he said. ‘Almost none, actually.’

‘I’m interested in the most recent charges.’