“Oh my God.” Val still couldn’t believe it. “But giving herself cancer?”

“Val, you have to realize that Munchausen’s is a mental illness. A person will act like they’re sick even when they’re not. They want sympathy and attention so much that they’ll even cause harm to themselves to bring on the symptoms. It stems from severe emotional disorders, like a childhood trauma and we know through talking with Gabrielle’s family that she had this. She was indirectly responsible for the death of her brother and sister, that was obvious from the police report Detective Gavin gave us. Plus, when patients who feel their doctor isn’t giving them enough attention, or running enough tests, they’ll seek out other doctors to confirm what they want to hear, or diagnose what they know they’ve given themselves. She might have more physicians. Other ones we don’t know about. This will make our job harder.”

Val thought of Adam. Jesus, this fits even more. There’s also Munchausen-by-proxy. Everyone is sorry for a sick child, and the parent. This is what the parent wants. The sympathy.

“Everything fits for suicide, and a Munchausen’s diagnosis for Gabrielle. Even the ritual with the tree branches is Gabrielle Morgan trying to get attention, for herself.” Dr. Maddox sat forward and placed his arms on his desk. “I have to rule on manner of death and I am going to go with suicide for Gabrielle and homicide for Adam. Cause is exsanguination for Adam and for Gabrielle, I’ve left that pending, though it’s more than likely respiratory or cardiac failure caused by some drug.”

“Dr. Maddox, there are a few things that don’t make sense. I think we need to examine these first. For instance—”

He raised his hand up again, stopping her, signaling to let him continue. “I understand that, but sometimes we can’t explain why people with mental disorders do the things they do. Gabrielle fits this mold for about ninety-nine percent of this.”

“There’s one percent not accounted for.” Val thought of the tape that wound around Gabrielle’s hands. The cornstarch powder, possibly from latex gloves. Bethany, Melinda… the twins drowning. She could go on with these small pieces of the puzzle that did not fit at all. When all the pieces don’t fit the picture is wrong.

“Val, in a phone call I had with the Morgans just this morning they stated in no uncertain terms that they want this case over. They’ve accepted the fact that Gabrielle killed their grandson and then herself.”

So that explains it. The Morgans are putting the pressure on. Val still couldn’t believe it. “Why did they want Detective Gavin to check out Perry Logan, Gabrielle’s ex-husband then?”