‘I’m not interested in either, as a matter of fact,’ Ailsa said. ‘I was told you had a question for me. While I have a few questions about your behaviour, let’s start with what I can do for you.’

Connie nodded and leaned against a wall, arms folded.

‘Is there any injury to Angela that suggests her assailant wanted to do her real harm, or that looks gratuitous or torturous?’

Ailsa mirrored Connie’s stance, folding her arms, then raised her eyebrows as she thought about it.

‘Only if you consider the use of the chloroform as a precursor to a rape. In terms of an actual injury, then no. Every mark on her body suggests an attempt at restraint rather than a violent assault.’

‘Even though she bit him and broke his nose?’

‘Even so,’ Ailsa agreed. ‘My turn. Why didn’t you tell me you can’t see colour?’

‘Relevance,’ Connie replied quickly. ‘Did Baarda spill it?’

‘No. A couple of times when we last spoke, I referenced coloured aspects of bruises and your eyes didn’t go to the correct places. You have achromatopsia. If you’d told me, I could have described the injuries more appropriately for you.’

‘There was me thinking your area of expertise was the dead.’

‘I may be a pathologist rather than a psychologist, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say the reason I found you recreating a crime scene using the actual corpse involved is because you feel that your limited visual sense creates a barrier between you and the victim that you need to make up for in other ways. I want no apology, nor did I demand an explanation. You could, however, try to reduce the sarcasm when you’re in my company.’

Connie took a breath, made a noise in the back of her throat, thought better of continuing the banter and uncrossed her arms instead.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Accepted,’ Ailsa said. ‘So what caused it?’

‘My sarcasm? It’s been a lifelong condition.’

‘I was asking about the achromatopsia, as you were aware. And I thought we’d reached an agreement.’

‘Shit, sorry, Europe brings out the American in me in unfortunate ways. As far as the lack of colour vision goes, I suffered a head trauma during a game of lacrosse when I was eighteen. The injury wasn’t diagnosed at the time, and I ended up hospitalised a month later. They performed surgery to deal with the bleed, which solved the neurological symptoms, but there was damage to my optical nerve. Could have been worse.’

‘Indeed it could, but it was a life-changing event for you nonetheless. Walk with me,’ Ailsa said, opening the postmortem suite door and turning into the corridor.

Connie followed.

‘What made you choose forensic psychology as a profession?’ Ailsa asked.