Don't Touch Me! - 10

"Okay." Brent tapped his fingers together. "Is there any physical evidence pointing to Cody Paige, or is it just some things that don't jibe with the other murders?"

"Brent…"

"Yeah, yeah, you can't—or won't—tell me. Damn it, Walt, I really don't think Cody killed his mother. Among other things, why would he?"

"He got tired of having to take care of her? He wanted a life of his own? He wanted to inherit her money? Pick one."

"None of those wash. First off, I suspect he makes enough money from his books to live comfortably. But more importantly, given what's wrong with him, I don't see him being able to live any way other than how he does—alone, with no one around him to set off his phobia."

"If it's for real. It makes a good story, but so far there's no proof he's haphephobic."

"Yeah, there is," Brent replied. "Several weeks ago, Ashlie saw his reaction to being touched. Long before the serial killer murders started. And, from what he told me, he saw a psychiatrist about his problem, if only once."

"Say what?"

Brent gave him the details about what Ashlie had said happened the first time she'd met Cody. When he'd finished, he said, "You must have had a least a grain of belief he's haphephobic. He said you didn't have him fingerprinted the normal way."

"Let's just say, I wasn't in the mood for some dramatic overacting on his part. 'Oh my God, you touched me. I must scream and faint and what have you'."

"Damn, Walt."

"Well, it's what I was thinking at the time. What you told me Ashlie said might put a different slant on things. I'll go talk with her before I decide his phobia is real."

"Please do."

"Now, is there anything else you want to ask that I won't answer?"

Brent laughed. "Probably, but why waste our time. Just do me a favor. Try to keep an open mind. He honestly doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who could kill anyone, especially his own mother."