The Tower

Lacking a familiarity with some of the works listed, Jade asked the librarian for help. "I need a brushup on Freud. I've read him before, but I was hoping I could get something like a summary."

"I should recommend a reader," the librarian said. "Peter Gay edited one. He's fantastic on biography and-"

"Peter Gay. Good." Jade turned and left.

He found the suggested reader after spending a few minutes poking around the dusty shelves. He also grabbed Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Analysis. He settled into an armchair by a window and didn't move for an hour and a half as he leafed through the books.

Much of Allander's recorded interview came into focus as Jade read. One piece of the puzzle fell into place almost immediately. The first footnote he came across stated that Freud's given names were Sigismund Schlomo. Freud was the "Doctor Schlomo" Allander had spoken of on the tape. He had been taunting his psychologist, daring him to discover the hidden clues.

Jade had already recognized some of Allander's language as Freudian, but now he uncovered more of its meaning. For example, Allander had expressed disdain for sublimation. "What I carve, I'll carve in flesh. What I write, I'll write in blood," he had said. He felt that his art was reality; by his art, he meant his violence. Instead of sublimating his violent tendencies into something productive or healthy, he prided himself on acting them out. While others distracted themselves with fantasies, he alone indulged his true self. His way was more real, he thought, more courageous.

So what was it he admitted? What did he need or want to act out?

On the tapes, Allander had talked about something that's "there in every little boy." The Oedipal complex? The complex, like the myth, was certainly filled with sexual violence.

Jade jotted notes down on a pad. He'd have to run a lot of this by a psychologist when he got a chance. Setting down his notes, Jade stood up and cracked his back all the way up from the base. He stretched his arms over his head as he walked back to the front desk.

"Where's a phone?" he asked the librarian.

"There isn't a public phone in the building," the man replied, folding his thin arms across his chest.

Jade looked down over the counter at the white phone in front of him. He pointed at it.

"I'm sorry. No public use."

Jade flipped his badge open as he reached across the counter and grabbed the phone. "Yeah, well I'm not the public."

"Goddamnit! Where is he? Why hasn't he checked in?" Travers circled the conference room, eyeing the telephone that sat silently on the middle of the table.

McGuire looked over at her. "He said something about going to the library."

"Well, that's helpful. We're knee deep in shit and he's off reading books."

McGuire raised a finger. "I told you, we need to cooperate," he said sternly. He grabbed his briefcase and checked his watch. "You keep an eye out. I gotta run home. The boys have a baseball game."

He walked out of the room, then stuck his head back through the doorway. "As soon as you hear from him, I want him to go over to the crime scene to see those kids."

"I know, I know," Travers yelled down the hall after McGuire. "He needs to-"

The telephone rang, the shrill sound echoing off the walls.

Travers grabbed it before the first ring ended. "Marlow, where've you been?!"

"I missed you, too, Agent Travers. Where's McGuire?"

"Actually, he's at his kids' baseball game. Think you can lower yourself to talk to me?"

"I'll try."

"Well, while you were out, Atlasia committed two more murders and held two children captive."

"Fuck! You got him?" Jade grimaced at the thought of missing out on the capture.

"Glad to see your priorities are in place," Travers said sarcastically. "No, we didn't get him. He tied up a little girl. She freed herself to call nine-one-one after he left."

"He tied her?" Jade sounded surprised.

"Well, he taped her," Travers replied.

Jade pushed his hair out of his eyes as he adjusted the phone on his shoulder. "Yeah, that figures. He was tied himself. He wouldn't re-create that experience. Not with the same constraint. He'd adapt it and make it his own."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Where's the hospital? I'm there first, then I'll check the scene."

"St. Mary's. And Jade these kids are traumat-"

Travers heard the dial tone and let her breath out in a hot rush. She had to get over to St. Mary's to protect the children from Jade.

Chapter 27

J A D E drove his car onto the curb directly in front of the hospital's lobby entrance. As he stormed through the sliding glass doors, he flashed his badge and shouted at the lady in the reception booth, "If you tow that car, I'll arrest you." A silence fell over the lobby and lingered even after the elevator doors had closed behind him.