Summerabbacat

Insanity combined with strong religious convictions - a very dangerous cocktail. Stuart is very much like a high functioning alcoholic or drug addict, able to hide his illness and carry on with life without any demonstrated issues, although many have been suspicious regarding his mental stability. The tension is palpable @Libby Drew, although your quirky sense of humour still manages to make an appearance yet again. "The boxes sat unopened most of the day, mocking Sarah from the foyer hall. That evening before dinner, she carried them into the living room. They were brown, making them invisible against the décor". An electric orange VW bug, but a house with furnishings the colour of mud. Sarah is a contradiction in taste.

I am not usually sympathetic to criminals, but I have some sympathy for Stuart. He is completely deranged and may have ultimately been so even without the unhappiness of his childhood, but there was something so desperate about him and his desire to help Cynthia even at a younger age. I can sympathise with his hatred of Angus McCoy.

It appears Stuart is hell bent on destroying a number of people with no fear for his own death, almost like a suicide bomber on a crusade for the cause. This makes him very dangerous.

I would like to think Rob has set a trap to lure Stuart into revealing he killed Cynthia. Unfortunately, I don't think he is smart enough to have done so. I don't think he is necessarily stupid because he is in love with Elizabeth, after all the power of the "magic circle" has been known to make even intelligent men do stupid things. Quent has remarked on a number of occasions he is an idiot, and although harsh is likely a relatively reliable assessment of his intellectual capacity. I just hope he is handsome.

@Libby Drew. So many little "suggestions", red herrings if you will, have kept me vacillating since Jim's death as to who killed Cynthia. Was it Dr Cobb, was it Steve or was it Robb? I am back to thinking it was Dr Cobb again.

No. I think it's Rob. He may also have the knowledge to disembowel Cynthia.

Maybe Steve did kill his sister.

I think you may be right @Doha. Stuart has the skills to disembowel Cynthia and the knowledge of how long it would take Braden to die when tied up as he has been.

I am still not quite sure why he killed Cynthia. Was it just because she was a hooker?

Maybe Jim fancied Cale's mother and hated Angus for "taking" her away from him.

Maybe they are lovers, like Leopold and Loeb.

Why limit yourself to one @Doha. Why not form a quad, Quent, Drew, Cale and yourself. I am not sure which one I would choose, a toss up between Drew and Cale. For sex only both, but I am not sure if I could endure a throuple for any length of time. Interesting both Quent and Steve think Stuart Cobb is a psycho. It has just occurred to me that given his profession he is the most likely person to know how to have disembowelled Cynthia. Maybe our killer is he rather than Jim. The suspense is really building now @Libby Drew. I love Quent's continuing humour. He is still a grumpy asshole, but at least he has a quick wit and a black sense of humour which appeals to me greatly.

Elizabeth surprised me in this chapter more than any other character to date. She is not a complete bitch after all. Like @Timothy M. stated, she must be relieved knowing it was nothing she did to turn Cale off, she just did not have the right equipment to turn him on. The laughter she shared with Cale was probably the happiest time during their whole 10 year farcical marriage. I too think Jim deleted the message left by Cale for Drew. And I definitely think the damaged vehicle is in his garage.

More suspects than an Agatha Christie novel are emerging. I still think Jim is the killer though.

How could Cale be so naive as to think someone was not trying to run him off the road? He has led way to sheltered a life. Quent should have checked Jim's garage for a car or whatever it is that tried to run Cale off the road, the same vehicle which was present on Powder Mill Road when Marci was murdered.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander, Elizabeth. So suck it up sister. Oh that's right, you already have, so now it's Cale's turn and he won't have to defile himself by sleeping with you.

I think the person who deliberately side swiped Cale was in the same vehicle that was present on Powder Mill Road and drove off before Quent could identify the make of the vehicle and licence plate. I have no doubt it was the killer and I think it is Jim.

And the 'Golden Raspberry' for worst actress in a featured role goes to Elizabeth McCoy for her cliched performance as the long-suffering wife. Will somebody please smack her hard and repeatedly. And the 'Darwin Award' goes to Rob Skinner for not only believing the bullshit fed to him by Elizabeth McCoy, but for believing said bullshit from the mouth of someone who is not even at least stunning. It ain't like she is Raquel Welch.

I don't think it was fair of Quent to sack Rob. He may not be bright, but even Quent admitted he was good with completing the mundane tasks associated with police work. I am certain it was Rob who was telling the truth and not Elizabeth. Clearly she has Rob eating from the palm of her hands or should that be eating from the secret garden. Urgh! She is vile.

"What the fuck just happened?" he demanded. Quent shook his head. "I have no idea what he was thinking. He knows I don’t cook." He turned and followed Cale out." Quent's wit is quick and rapier like when required. "He’s here to arrest you on a federal charge of conspiracy to commit fraud," Quent said with a perfectly straight face. Rob went pasty white". I think has sussed Drew out. I have commented earlier that I think Drew works for a government agency (FBI) and is investigating Jim for helping his clients to launder dirty money.

It could be a set-up on the part of Elizabeth and/or Rob, but surely it would not occur to one or the other that Cale may contact Quent, resulting in both of them showing up.

Perhaps Rob and I daresay it may be beneficial for Drew to meet him. Given Drew's charm he may be able to charm Rob into taking Elizabeth off Cale's hands, although I doubt Rob's salary as a Deputy Chief to Quent would be sufficient to keep Elizabeth in the style to which she is accustomed.

Quent may have met his match. Drew seems to be able to get results with a far different approach to his interviewees,

Elizabeth should not have made disparaging remarks about Cynthia being the "town slut", particularly given she has "stepped out" (I love this euphemism, first heard it in wonderful song by the irrepressible Dolly Parton) on Cale. I don't usually like hearing extra-marital affairs referred to as "cheating" as this involves taking a moral stance on the conduct of the married parties, but in this case I would say "take the cheating bitch to the cleaners". I am hoping Elizabeth is the murderer or at least a co-conspirator and that when she is caught and sentenced Cale will be able to divorce her without having to pay her a cent. Every time she opens her mouth I dislike her a little more. As much as I hope Elizabeth is the murderer, the front-runner is I believe Jim (and not just because of the cream coloured cardigans).

"Quent straightened himself to his full height. A good four inches taller than Cale. “Spare me your little speech about honor!” he spat. “I heard it enough from your father. And do you know what Angus had in the end? Do you? Nothing. Nothing but hate, bitterness and his precious honor. I thought you were better than that. I thought you were more than that!” He ignored the hurt on Cale’s eyes. “It has a price, Cale,” he said. “Honor. It has a tremendous price.” Methinks, Quent may have found himself in a similar situation in the past and also done the "honourable" thing, thus denying himself the chance of happiness which has eluded him ever since. I share Quent's opinion (as scary as that prospect is). Elizabeth McCoy may be Cale's wife, but that obstacle to happiness can, and should be removed regardless of whether he is prepared to have any kind of relationship with Drew or any other man. She is as in love with Cale as what he is with her. Everything is artifice with Elizabeth. She seems to believe the world revolves around her and that she should be treated accordingly. The only negative to ending his farcical marriage to Elizabeth is that it may cost him financially. If only she had been the second murder victim. Quent certainly appears to dislike the late Angus McCoy which may not be an indication of discernment on Quent's part as he does not seem to like many people apart from Cale. However, when you combine Quent's dislike of Angus McCoy with Cale's dislike (at the very least) it is difficult not to conclude Angus was not an easy man to like. The "star" of this chapter, in fact of the book to date @Libby Drew, the electric orange Volkswagen bug. And in electric orange to boot (I love colour and am n to ashamed to admit it). I have never owned a car and have not driven one for 38 years, but I do recall the "Herbie, the VW Beetle films from the 1960's and 1970's (I loved them).