Viper

77

Capo di Posillipo, La Baia di Napoli Three carabinieri Fiats sped Jack, Sylvia and Lorenzo through the slow evening traffic and across the Bay of Naples. 'Not exactly good for our global footprint, but impressive nevertheless,' observed Jack as they travelled together in the middle car. He figured a surprise visit to the Finelli home – the Viper's Nest – was more likely to get results than a polite request to their smart-arse lawyer. 'Always better to apologize than ask permission,' he said as they wound their way out towards Capo di Posillipo.

Most of the case got discussed en route, including the post-mortem burning of Alberta Tortoricci and the ante-mortem burning of the still unidentified woman in the pit at the Castellani campsite. 'It's probably a form of pyrophilia,' explained the profiler. 'It's a relatively uncommon deviancy in which the offender derives gratification from starting and watching fires.'

'Firebugs?' said Lorenzo from the front passenger seat.

'Yep, but the worst kind. Not your normal crazies who listen to scanners and chase 911 calls. These guys are twenty-four-carat sadists seeking extreme thrills.'

'What makes them like that?' asked Sylvia.

Jack gave the textbook answer. 'Pyrophilic offenders have feelings of loneliness and sadness, followed by rage. There's always great tension or arousal prior to the act and massive gratification when it is over.'

'That seems to fit all our suspects,' said Sylvia. 'Valsi is straight out of prison, Franco Castellani has been an outcast for much of his life. Even Creed is a loner. They all seem a whole galaxy beyond normal to me.'

'It's more than them just being loners,' corrected Jack. 'In watching the flames they feel a relief of their stress. This condition is rare – much rarer than loneliness – and it's fuelled by the need and the gratification attached to watching objects or, in this case, victims burn.'

'How rare?' asked Lorenzo.

'This form of pyrophilia is extremely uncommon. It's really an impulse control problem.'

'That mainly a male problem?' asked Lorenzo.

'Course it is,' joked Sylvia. 'All males have impulse control problems.'

'Pyros are not all male, but this one undoubtedly is. He may even be in the criminal records system for fire-related offences. That's partly why I asked about Valsi's record. Our man may also have convictions for violence. He may have been institutionalized at a very early age and he will certainly have relationship problems that stretch way back.'

'We'll have the records for you tomorrow,' said Lorenzo.

Sylvia's cellphone rang. 'Pronto. Si.'

Jack and Lorenzo fell silent as her face betrayed the fact that it wasn't good news. She flipped the phone shut and looked totally dejected. 'That was Sorrentino's Number Two, Luella Grazzioli. They've been following your clock-face theory and doing a radar sweep along projected lines before and after the graves we've already exhumed. They've found more burials.'

'How many?' asked Jack.

'She's not completely sure. But she's guessing it could be as many as seven. Seven new bodies. And they've still not hit true north.'