It wasn’t what Reid wanted to hear. ‘Maybe best leave the chemical stuff out. I don’t want to upset the family as technically the journal is their property.’
Reardon shrugged. ‘Well that’s up to you, but if you miss a fingerprint that could have helped to solve your case then don’t blame me.’
‘You’re right, finding Amy is the most important thing.’
‘Tell you what, let me do some non-destructive tests first and see what we come up with, then we can reassess the use of ninhydrin.’
En route to Cornwall’s, Reid decided that he would put off telling Lena Fulford about the Ninhydrin testing until after the damage was done, as it might not come to anything anyway. He contacted the murder squad office to speak to DCI Jackson about the journal but was told he’d gone to Lena Fulford’s house and didn’t want to be disturbed unless it was urgent. Reid said he was going to see a forensic psychiatrist in Harley Street and ended the call.
Professor Elliott Cornwall was waiting impatiently for Reid in the reception area and took Reid straight to his office, which was white and very clinical, with the inevitable couch, large pot plants and minimal furniture. Bookcases were filled with reference journals on psychiatry, psychology, profiling and similar topics; some of them looked very old.
Cornwall sat at his desk and gestured for Reid to take a seat opposite him. He was a short dapper man in his fifties with combed-back black and grey hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He looked immaculate in a blue three-piece pinstripe suit and carried himself with an air of authority. He was well spoken, polite and seemed genuinely interested in examining the journal and giving his professional medical opinion on the contents.
Reid handed the photocopies to Cornwall, who asked how quickly he needed a report. Without wishing to appear pushy, Reid said as soon as possible. Dr Cornwall flicked through the pages, quickly scanning them. He then turned the pages back and forth, back and forth, paying close attention to some; others he virtually ignored.
‘I agree with you, Inspector Reid, the handwriting in the journal is varied and remarkably different in some sections.’
‘So Amy let someone else write in her personal journal?’
Cornwall smiled. ‘You misunderstand me, officer. I believe Amy is suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder, or DID as we now call it in the profession. It used to be known as Multiple Personality Disorder, a severe condition in which two or more distinct identities are present in a person and they alternate in taking control of the mind and actions. We call the different identities “alters” and certain types of circumstances can cause a particular alter to emerge within the subject.’
‘So you’re saying the various handwriting styles in the journal are done by different “alters” inside Amy?’
‘Yes, and although I’ve obviously not as yet had an opportunity to study the journal thoroughly, I have identified at least three or four alters so far. When a different personality takes control of an individual’s behaviour and thoughts it’s called “switching” and this can take from seconds, to minutes, to days. The sudden change in handwriting midway through a page is indicative of the switching of Amy’s alters.’
‘Would an aggressive alter ever cause actual physical harm to someone?’
‘I have known it to happen, and given evidence in some extremely violent cases.’
‘So if Amy is alive she could be a danger to her family and friends?’
‘Most certainly, yes. If you find her, my advice would be to have her sectioned immediately under the Mental Health Act and have her assessed in a secure clinic,’ Cornwall said and looked at his watch.
Reid realized Cornwall was in a hurry as he had patients to see. There was so much more he wanted to ask, but he knew for now his questions would have to wait until Cornwall had time to do an in-depth study of the journal. He also knew he’d better get back to the station and so tucked his notebook and pen into his jacket.
‘I’m so glad I brought the journal to you, Professor Cornwall, and I can’t thank you enough for your help. It puts a whole new perspective on the investigation.’
‘You need to understand that often people with DID are depressed or even suicidal, and self-mutilation is common.’
‘What?’ Reid stopped in his tracks. ‘Someone else in Amy’s head will make her cut or attempt to kill herself?’
‘Yes, and Amy will not even be conscious of why or when it happened.’
‘This is really frightening stuff to take in, Professor, but what causes DID?’
‘Trauma and stress, but research has shown that predominantly it’s physical or sexual abuse in childhood and dissociation then becomes a form of defence mechanism. As time passes they begin to develop more and more different personalities.’
‘Do you think Amy may have run away and still be alive?’
‘If she has totally adopted the persona of an “alter” then most certainly yes,’ Cornwall said with assurance. ‘She, or rather one of her personalities, could have orchestrated the disappearance very carefully, even down to changing her appearance, dyeing her hair and living somewhere else as that person.’
‘I don’t think Amy’s had the journal very long and we’ve found nothing else, not even in her old diaries. These were kept when she was quite young and do not give any indication of what you described as “alters” or abusive writing.’
Cornwall looked at his watch again. ‘I’d like to see the original journal when your forensic people have finished with it. I’m really pressed for time, Inspector, but I will get back to you when I’ve made a more detailed study of what’s written in the journal.’
Reid stood up and thanked Cornwall for his time.
‘Tell me, Inspector Reid, why did you come to me?’
‘I met a psychologist called Marjory Jordan after discovering Amy’s mother is bipolar and she recommended you.’
‘She spoke to you about a patient?’
‘No, she was quite cagey actually. I don’t think she wants to get involved in giving expert opinion on the journal.’
‘If you’d like to leave me Ms Jordan’s phone number I will give her a call; it may well assist me.’
‘No problem, Professor, and thanks for all your help; it also gives me renewed faith that Amy may actually be alive and well.’
‘Physically, yes, Inspector,’ said Cornwall grimly, ‘but psychologically, I fear not.’
‘Once a thief always a thief,’ Jackson said to DS Styles as they left Lena Fulford’s house. ‘Dunn’s nervous and I don’t trust him. Get a search warrant for wherever he lives. Just look at his record – what on earth is she doing employing him?’
Styles reckoned that if Harry had stolen anything he’d be shrewd enough, as an ex-con, to get rid of it after almost two weeks of the police sniffing around. In fact DCI Jackson was seething, taking it out on Dunn because he was furious about this so-called journal that Reid had not mentioned to him either verbally or in any report.
Jackson rang the station to enquire if DI Reid was there, only to be told that he had phoned in earlier but had gone to an appointment with a forensic psychiatrist.
‘What the fuck’s that about, and who authorized it?’ he snapped.
‘Reid didn’t say and I assumed you authorized it, sir.’
Jackson cut off the call, saying that Reid would need a fucking ‘shrink’ after he was through with him. He then instructed Styles to drive to Green Street as he wanted to interview Marcus Fulford.
Marcus had started to pack two suitcases; he would return to get the rest of his belongings some time later. He had tried to call Simon but his phone was continually on answer phone. He was taken aback at how abruptly the lawyers had asked for him to quit the flat, and at first had presumed it was some mistake. However, when he spoke to them they made it clear that it was Mr Boatly’s decision and the flat would be cleared of furniture and put on the market. They also requested that he submit the rent arrears forthwith.