“Have you ever felt competitive with him?” Dr. Thomas’s voice was distant as Benton envisioned stigmatas he didn’t want to remember.

He heard himself say, “What’s bad, I guess, is I never felt much of anything about him.”

“He’s spent a lot more time with Kay than you have,” Dr. Thomas said. “That might make some people feel competitive. Feel threatened.”

“Kay’s never been attracted to him. If he were the last person on the planet, she wouldn’t be.”

“I guess we won’t know the answer to that unless there’s just the two of them left on the planet. In which case, you and I still won’t know.”

“I should have protected her better than I did,” Benton said. “That’s one thing I know how to do. Protect people. Those I love, and myself, or people I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. I’m an expert at it or I would have been dead a long time ago. A lot of people would be.”

“Yes, Mr. Bond, but you weren’t home that night. You were up here.”

Dr. Thomas may as well have thrown a punch. Benton silently took it, could barely breathe. He worked the paper clip back and forth, bending and unbending, until it broke.

“Do you blame yourself, Benton?”

“We’ve been through this. And I’ve had no sleep,” he answered.

“Yes, we’ve been through all sorts of facts and possibilities. Such as you’ve never allowed yourself a chance to feel the personal insult of what Marino did to Kay, who you quickly married afterwards. Maybe too quickly? Because you felt you had to hold everything together, especially since you didn’t protect her, didn’t prevent it? No different than what you do when you handle a criminal case, really. You take over the investigation, handle it, micromanage it, keep it a safe distance from your psyche. But the same rules don’t apply in our personal lives. You’re telling me you have homicidal feelings toward Marino, and in our last several conversations, we’ve delved into what you call your sexual acting out with Kay, although she isn’t necessarily aware of it, is that still correct? Nor is she aware that you’re aware of other women in a way that’s unsettling to you? Still true?”

“It’s normal for men to feel attractions they don’t do anything about.”

“Only men do that?” Dr. Thomas asked.

“You know what I mean.”

“What’s Kay aware of?”

“I’m trying to be a good husband,” Benton said. “I love her. I’m in love with her.”

“Are you worried you’ll have an affair? Cheat?”

“No. Absolutely not. I would never do that,” he said.

“No. Not. Never. You cheated on Connie. Left her for Kay. But that was a long time ago, wasn’t it.”

“I’ve never loved anybody as much as I love Kay,” Benton said. “I would never forgive myself.”

“My question is whether you completely trust yourself.”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you completely trust her? She’s very attractive, and now she must have a lot of fans because of CNN. A powerful, good-looking woman can have her pick. What about her trainer? You said you can’t stand the thought that he puts his hands on her.”