“King Edward VII murdered Damon Blundy,” said Simon. “I can prove it, and I will. Give me a chance.” Don’t bait him. Stay humble. “Can you explain to me why Bryn Gilligan killed Damon Blundy in the way he did—with the knife taped to his face, sharpening it at the scene, the photo of himself in a protective bodysuit emailed to Blundy? Giving us the computer password so we’d see the photo? Why did Bryn Gilligan do all that, do you think?”

“Oh, let’s see. Contradictory impulses?” Proust glared at Simon. “He wanted to stab Blundy, and yet, being in possession of a complex and nuanced mind, he also didn’t want to stab him. So he suffocated him with a knife and some packing tape by way of a compromise.”

“You don’t believe that.”

“All right, I don’t know why he did it that way!” the Snowman snapped. “All I know is I’ve got a letter here confessing to murder, and I’m taking it seriously. Your turn next: who’s King Edward VII, and why did he kill Blundy the way he did?”

“King Edward VII,” Gibbs murmured. “I’ve heard that name—recently. I mean, outside this room.”

“I don’t think you have,” Simon contradicted him. “If you’d heard it, you’d remember who said it.”

“What? People always remember everything immediately, do they?” Gibbs shook his head and exchanged a look with Sellers.

“Sir, you mentioned before that Gilligan had motive,” Sam finally managed to get a word in. “I’m not sure that’s true. Damon Blundy was his chief defender.”

“Gilligan threatened Blundy with legal action for calling him a liar and a cheat, though,” said Gibbs.

“And went on to regret it,” Simon said.

“Or so he claimed,” said the Snowman. “Did he ever apologize publicly to Blundy for the threat to sue?”

Simon shook his head. “He told me he wanted to, but didn’t want to be seen to be making peace with Blundy because of Blundy’s general persona and attitude. Gilligan thought he was vicious, enjoyed ripping people to shreds a bit too much. He didn’t really want to communicate with him at all. I think, in an ideal world, he’d have chosen a gentler and less offensive defender.”