Watcher in the Woods (Rockton #4)(58)

She whines but does as she’s told. I take a strip of dried meat from my pocket. I break it in half, and then give Raoul one piece and Storm the other. While he’s chewing, I creep closer to Storm. I extend my hand, and she snuffles it. Then I pet her and let the cub smell my hand afterward. As he does, he peeks out at her while I hold him tight, reassuring him he’s safe.

Then I rise, hefting him, walk to Mathias and hand him back.

“He was curious,” he says. “He would have gotten closer.”

“I know. Always leave them wanting more. Step one accomplished. Now Storm and I have rounds to make.”

“Do you still want my lead?”

I look up at him. “You actually have one?”

“I may misdirect, but I do not lie. Not to you. I would suggest you take a closer look at Sebastian.”

Sebastian is that newest and youngest resident who popped out when Garcia began knocking on doors. He doesn’t have any contact with us—either by committing crimes or being quick to volunteer his help solving them. He works as general labor, so I don’t encounter him in the shops. Nor do our social sets overlap. He belongs in the fifty percent of Rockton’s population that I just don’t know all that well. Those who come and go, and never leave a mark, and considering they’re here to hide, I can’t blame them for lying low.

“What about him?” I ask.

“I do not like him.”

I roll my eyes as I walk back to Storm. “Really, Mathias? You don’t like ninety-five percent of the people here.”

“Not true. I have no interest in ninety-five percent. They are leaves passing on the breeze, making no sound as they go, not attracting my attention in any way. There are actually only . . . five people I dislike. No, make that four. Valerie is deceased.”

“So what does it take to incur your dislike?”

“Attracting my attention in an actively negative manner. For example, my neighbor, Ronald. He has sex. It is loud, and it is bad. One of those things would be acceptable. Both is very annoying in a neighbor. It is like listening to an amateur sex tape every weekend. I have considered ways to rid myself of Ronald.”

“Note to self: if Ron goes missing, arrest Mathias.”

“I would not kill him. That is wrong and unjustified. I simply mean getting rid of him as my neighbor.”

I rock my weight onto one hip. “Mathias, is there a point—?”

“There are others that I dislike because, in them, I see traits that remind me of my former patients.”

“The sociopaths and psychopath patients? Here’s a thought—if you notice that, maybe you should tell me.”

“I am. Sebastian Usher is a sociopath.”

When I start to sputter, he says, “Possessing some degree of sociopathy does not mean one is a dangerous killer. I myself score uncomfortably high on the scale.”

“Whew. Okay, that’s so much better, because I know you aren’t a killer.” I pause. “No, wait . . .”

“Your sarcasm is charming, Casey. Has anyone told you that? You have quite a gift for it. In this case, I deserved it. I misspoke. Sociopathy does not mean a person will kill without cause, or poor Ronald would have been dead months ago. A self-aware sociopath is able to form relationships and understand that murdering people without just cause is wrong. Also inconvenient.” He purses his lips. “Mostly inconvenient.”

“So Sebastian shows signs of sociopathy, and you didn’t think to notify me?”

“I would have, once I’d concluded my field study.”

“And told the council.”

“Yes, that is my role here, as you know. I am a mental-health spy for the council. I report on persons of concern. However, I would have told you first. At one time, I naively presumed they passed my concerns on to Eric.”

“They don’t.”

“I realize that now, and I feel foolish for my naiveté. While I have been here nearly five years, and I have the utmost respect for our sheriff, we have never been what one would call friends. I am, to him, a very foreign creature. One he cannot quite understand. He is the same to me. I find him fascinating, but his ethical rudder is as unfathomable to me as mine is to him. Which is the long way of saying that I never expected him to discuss residents with me—and I presumed that he did not know who made those reports—so I never questioned whether they were being passed on. In fact, while I hate to defend my naiveté, there were several cases where he kept a particularly careful eye on residents that I had identified as potential problems. Likely, I realize now, because he has his own sixth sense for that.”

“And Sebastian . . . ?”

“I’m ninety percent convinced he’s a sociopath. I can give examples of his behavior that lead me to this conclusion, but I would prefer you to interview him without that. Draw your own conclusions.” He tightens his grasp on Raoul. “Come see me afterward. Oh, would you possibly do me a favor?”

“Maybe.”

“Take Dalton to that interview. I would be interested in his conclusions as well. A test of his sixth sense.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”





TWENTY-FOUR

I will get Dalton to help me interview Sebastian. That’s not to satisfy Mathias’s curiosity. I’m not even completely sure what I’m looking for here. I know what sociopathy is, but it’s not an area I’ve studied in depth. Dalton knows more.