Steven told her everything about a day he was mightily glad was coming to an end.
‘And she’s pregnant!’ exclaimed Tally. ‘How could he possibly do that to his wife and unborn baby over his obsession with some research project which will probably amount to nothing in the end as most of them do?’
‘He’s not in his right mind, Tally.’
‘Damned right he’s not. I hope they lock him up and melt the key.’
‘No, Tally... you don’t understand...’
‘Don’t understand? You can’t possibly be making excuses for him.’
‘I’m not making excuses for Barrowman,’ said Steven. ‘But he’s no longer the Owen Barrowman everyone knew. His personality has changed dramatically, possibly through the company he’s been keeping, in particular, his association with, Malcolm Lawler, the one he saw as being special.’
‘Are you suggesting that Barrowman has become a psychopath himself?’
‘Please God, no,’ said Steven, ‘but...’
‘But what?’
‘Maybe... We’re in uncharted territory here. Everyone has heard about the power of suggestion but no one really knows what it means or what its limits are because no one understands how it works. Ironically, the person closest to being able to explain what happens in scientific terms is probably Barrowman himself. This is exactly what he’s been working on.’
‘Gene switching,’ said Tally remembering an earlier conversation. ‘but if this has happened to a clued-up researcher who presumably was well aware of the possible risks from the outset and on his guard, doesn’t that suggest that psychopaths have a greater capacity to exercise the power of suggestion over the rest of us than other people... people who’re not psychopaths?’
‘Not a happy thought.’
‘No, a frightening one.’
Steven related what Groves had told him about Lawler and Sutton taking control of a whole wing when they were held at Broadmoor.
‘What a nightmare,’ said Tally.
‘What’s really scary is that, in their case, we’re not talking about the power of suggestion or the ability to influence others. With people like Lawler and Sutton, words don’t come into it. Barrowman thinks that actual genetic switching is going on. These monsters have the ability to physically alter enzyme levels in others through inducing changes in their gene activity, which can lead to possible catastrophic personality change.’
‘It’s obvious Barrowman sees Lawler as the key to understanding how epigenetics work.’
‘And he’s been ignoring the dangers,’ said Steven. ‘When we first met, I warned him about the risks of spending too much time in the company of truly evil individuals, but I don’t think he took it on board. He pointed out that it worked both ways.’
‘How so?’
‘I mentioned the instances of German citizens turning up at pre-Second World War rallies of the Nazi party to protest vigorously, but coming away as committed Nazis because their heightened emotional state had rendered them susceptible to the power of the rhetoric coming at them. He pointed out that much the same had gone on in the nineteen fifties when curious people had attended Pastor Billy Graham rallies only to emerge as committed evangelical Christians.’
Tally said, ‘I think I’ll take comfort from that. It’s good to know it’s not only the bad guys who have the power.’
Steven gave a half laugh.
‘What’s funny?’
‘Barrowman... the Lindstrom group... researchers working at the cutting edge of science... they’re all caught up in a struggle that’s been around since the beginning of time... Good versus evil.’
‘And with that happy thought...’
‘We’ll say good night.’
‘Love you.’
‘Love you too.’
Thoughts of what had happened to Lucy Barrowman ensured that Steven couldn’t find the sleep he needed and kept him awake into the wee small hours. Despite the assurances of the others he still felt guilty and could empathise with Lucy when she had once said that she wished she’d never heard of Moorlock Hall. That was exactly how he felt. The more he thought about it the more he understood the horror of having to work in a place like that — as its director, Groves had done for several years. People tended to fit into whatever sort of society they found themselves in. They adapted. They did as the Romans did as the old saying went, but when psychopathic killers comprised the overwhelming majority of the society you found yourself in... how did that work? How could you begin to establish any kind of working relationship with anyone?
Steven was still wondering about this when the phone rang.
‘The police have Barrowman in custody,’ said John Macmillan’s voice.
‘Thank God.’
‘They found him wandering around in the rain and not making a great deal of sense when they approached him. The two officers didn’t realise who he was at first. They’d been on the look-out for a dangerous, violent suspect and they had come across a confused character, soaked to the skin and talking nonsense.’
‘Where are they holding him?’
‘The police surgeon decided he needed proper assessment. He was organising a hospital transfer when I got the call.’
‘Which hospital?’
‘We’ll find out in the morning.’
‘Could be a day for hospital visits,’ said Steven. ‘I need to talk to Lucy again too.’
Twelve
‘She’s had a good night,’ said the nurse when Steven phoned, ‘but the doctors want to run some more tests before any visitors are allowed.’
‘When should I call back?’
‘Give it a couple of hours.’
Steven went in to the Home Office and asked Jean if she’d heard anything about Barrowman’s whereabouts.
‘The police still haven’t told us yet where he’s being held.’
‘What?’
‘It does seem a bit odd.’
‘Maybe we can get John to lean on someone when he comes in?’
‘Of course. Anything else?’
‘I need to talk to the Lindstrom group and interested parties to hear what happens now. Barrowman’s work was the specific reason they were financed. Did you manage to contact Dorothy yesterday?’
Jean nodded. ‘She was pretty shocked but agreed to secure Barrowman’s stuff and keep it away from prying eyes. The police also confirmed last night that his home computer and any paperwork they came across has been removed from his flat for safe-keeping.’
‘Good.’
‘Won’t the people who provided funding for the group consider Barrowman’s results and data as their property?’ asked Jean.
‘Probably,’ Steven replied, ‘assuming there are any results and data to be found although I think Dorothy could counter-argue that she, as group leader and grant holder, should have the right to go through everything first and decide whether there’s anything of importance there. She should also be the one to decide if Barrowman’s research could be continued by other members of her group,’
‘Why am I thinking of lawyers circling like sharks?’ said Jean.
‘Fear not,’ said Steven. ‘I have a cunning plan.’
‘Do tell.’
‘While they’re all squabbling, I’m going to make sure that we get to take a good look at Barrowman’s stuff.’
Jean’s eyes lit up. ‘Lukas?’ she said.
‘Lukas.’
Sci-Med were too small an operation to have laboratories and employ their own technical experts so they had built up a number of agreements over the years with small, independent outfits who were among the best in their fields. Lukas Neubauer, biology section head at Lundborg Analytical in Crompton Lane, and an expert in all things biological was one of the consultants that Steven knew best and for whom he held high regard. Some people were bright and others knowledgeable: Neubauer, was both. A Czech expatriate and veritable polymath, he had come to the UK to do his PhD in the Medical Research Council labs in Cambridge and had never gone home. Meeting and subsequently marrying Janine, a Swiss mathematics student at the time, had eventually led to them establishing Lundborg Analytical.