Chapter 92

‘Israel Cobb killed Bethany?' Doctor Lang asked, astonished. ‘But . . . but . . . why?'

‘If you're looking for something more sophisticated than he and Cornelius were extremely vile, vile men, I'm not sure I have anything,' Poe said. ‘Nothing that makes sense anyway.'

‘I don't understa—'

‘They tortured vulnerable boys, Doctor Lang,' Poe said, snipping her protest. ‘They took in boys who were gay, or confused about their sexuality and, while they were tied to a chair, Israel showed them pictures of naked men and Cornelius whipped their feet with a hosepipe.'

‘You've already said that.'

‘I have,' Poe agreed. ‘You're an experienced therapist; you'll understand the theory underpinning aversion therapy.'

‘It's a recognised technique,' she said. ‘I rarely use it, but then again I rarely treat patients with addictive behaviour.'

‘Fair point,' Poe conceded. ‘But, from what I've described, just how successful would they be at putting these boys back on the path to heaven?'

Doctor Lang considered the point carefully.

‘Trying to change someone's sexuality doesn't work,' she said after a short pause. ‘This is a scientific fact. At best you've wasted your time; at worst you've caused untold psychological damage. And what Cornelius and Israel were doing wasn't only ineffective; it was crude and cruel. Nathan Rose committed suicide when you challenged him about the course he'd attended. I think post hoc ergo propter hoc probably did apply there. It sounds as though he killed himself because your visit brought back these terrible memories, memories I imagine he had successfully repressed. The brain's like that; it will do its best to protect itself from traumatic events.'

Poe gave Doctor Lang a grim nod. ‘That much I know,' he said.

‘Are you suggesting Bethany Bowman committed suicide as well? That she killed herself because of what happened to her brother? Israel felt responsible for her death, but he didn't literally kill her?'

‘That's not what happened.'

‘It isn't?'

‘No,' Poe said. ‘And Nathan Rose didn't kill himself because I reminded him about what he'd been through.'

‘How can you possibly know?'

Poe held Doctor Lang's stare.

‘Nathan Rose killed himself because of what he'd done,' he said.