“First of all, what was found at the scene. I understand she liked to play a role, shall we say. And more important, generally, in an attempted rape, the perpetrator makes the victim undress.” Dr. Lester talked without ever slowing her pace. “That’s part of his gratification, forcing her to undress and anticipating what he’s going to do to her. Then he might bind her. To bind her first and then go to all the trouble to cut off her robe and bra sounds more like sex play to me. Especially if the victim enjoyed sexual fantasy, and based on what I’m told, she liked sex.”

“Actually,” Benton said, “cutting her clothing off after she was bound would have been far more terrifying than making her disrobe first.”

“This is the quibble I have with forensic psychology, profiling, whatever you want to call it. It’s based on personal opinion. What you assume is terrifying might be exciting, depending on the individual.”

“I’ll let you know if something I say is based on my personal opinion,” Benton said.

Berger was aware of Lucy’s arm brushing against her, of near touch as she made notes on a legal pad. Bright white fragmented data streamed by, and when she looked, it hurt her eyes, and the real pain followed.

“Do you think we’ll get most of it back?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lucy replied.

“And we’re sure these drafts go back about a year?”

“At least. I’ll be able to tell you specifically when we’re done. We have to get to the very first file she saved. I’ll keep saying she, even though I realize we really don’t know who wrote this.”

Lucy’s eyes were very green, and when she and Berger looked at each other, it was lingering and intense.

“It doesn’t appear she saved files the same way I do,” Berger observed. “In other words, doesn’t appear she was very careful for someone who has all this security software, over-the- counter or not. Every time I work on a brief, for example, I make a copy and give it a new name.”