There’s a pause, and I sense Megan processing on the other end of the line.
“It sounds like she might be suffering from erotomania,” she says finally. “Are you familiar with the term?”
“I’ve heard it, but I’m not sure what it means. Is it some kind of sexual obsession?”
“That’s what you might think from the name, but erotomania is actually a form of paranoid delusion. Men sometimes experience it but the condition mainly affects women. The person suffering from it is convinced that another individual—often someone of higher social status, even a celebrity—is in love with them, despite clear evidence to the contrary.”
“But when I saw her out in the world, interacting with a customer at the garden center, she seemed perfectly normal.”
“In other regards, these peoplearenormal. They might have good jobs and even high self-esteem.”
“They’re just deluded about this other person?”
“Right, and their delusion has probably been triggered by some previous stress or trauma in their lives. And no matter what the object of their desire does to discourage or rebuff them, they come up with reasons to explain that behavior. It sounds like this Percy woman convinced herself that any rejection on Jamie’s part was simply due to him needing to keep the relationship a secret.”
I let out a long sigh as the puzzle pieces start creating something whole in my mind.
“But if she was obsessed with Jamie and wanted him so much, why would she kill him?”
“That’s not unheard of in extreme cases. One expert describes the stages of the syndrome as ‘hope, resentment, and grudge.’ The patient starts off convinced it’s a real relationship, then starts to feel humiliated by the rejection, and ends up hating the person and possibly turning abusive. Though I’ve only read about men with the condition becoming murderers, I would imagine women have, too.”
My stomach twists. “Why come after me, though? She seemed sofurious that I’d showed up at the party, but practically in the same breath she claimed she didn’t want Jamie anymore.”
“It’s possible she was trying to convince herself that she was the one who broke things off with Jamie, but part of her might have still hoped to be with him. And she needed to punish you for becoming an obstacle to that.”
“Wow, if this is the case, it explains so much.”
I’m tempted to ask her about the ominous things Percy said about Jamie—him not being the man I thought he was and needing to pay for his sins—but I’m not ready to go there yet.
I glance at the time on my phone. “I should let you prepare for your next client. But I’ll be back in the city in two days, and I’ll call you then.”
“Can’t wait to see you.” She chuckles a little. “And maybe we can talk about Sam then.”
“Oh yeah. As long as you promise to explain how I can finally purge him from my thoughts.”
As I end the call, I feel some of my tension dissolve. Not only have I smoothed things out with Megan, but I have possible answers to most of the questions that have been ricocheting around my head.
Feeling less morose now, I put together a dinner salad with some of the last items in the fridge, and after deciding that having a meal in the kitchen might remind me too much of Percy, I carry my plate to the living room and eat off the coffee table. Just two more nights to go.
Should I return tomorrow instead? I suddenly ask myself. Though I wouldn’t get my money back for forfeiting a night, there are plenty of reasons to bail: I’ve accomplished all I hoped to do, I’m almost out of food, and there’s no chance of spending any more time with Sam.
One major hitch: I have two client sessions booked for tomorrow afternoon, so I’d have to leave super early to be back in time for them,which would mean skipping my final get-together with Ava, and that’s a deal breaker for me.
Besides, there’s one more thing I’ve decided I have to do before I leave Litchfield County. Something that will bring me the last piece of closure I need.
30
AS I STEP ONTO THE PATIO OF THE CAFÉ THE NEXT MORNING,I catch a glimpse of Ava already seated at a wooden table for two. To my surprise, Vic is standing beside her.
“Kiki, over here,” he calls out, not realizing I’ve spotted them. “Don’t worry, I promise to let you two catch up,” he says as I reach the table. “But I had to go out myself this morning, and that gave me a chance to say hi.”
“It’s good to see you, Vic,” I tell him. As he embraces me, I realize this hug is much less awkward than the last two he gave me, which is a relief.
“First, let me say how glad I am that you and Sam are okay,” Vic says, releasing me. “And second, let me apologize for ever doubting your efforts to get to the bottom of this.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it, Vic. This has been a crushing time for all of us.”
He does look less stressed than when I last saw him, as if the revelations about Jamie’s death have brought him some peace.
