Deadly Communion by Frank Tallis Page B

some cheap demi-monde melodrama. It has nothing to do with broken promises, dashed hopes and wounded pride!’
    Rheinhardt — somewhat startled — raised an eyebrow.
    ‘Jealousy,’ Liebermann continued, ‘especially in men, is indeed a common cause of retributive sexual violence; however, the individual who murdered Fräulein Zeiler is, I believe, quite different from the common herd of infatuated, intemperate, and vengeful lovers. His motives are as strange as the air of another planet. Indeed, I would go as far as to say that this man is unique in the annals of psychopathology.’ The young doctor became feverish. ‘Even the Psychopathia Sexualis with its exhaustive bestiary of lust murderers, necrophiliacs, fetishists, and sadomasochists, vampires and coprophiliacs, hermaphrodites and exhibitionists, does not include a comparable case.’
    Rheinhardt’s expression became increasingly sceptical as Liebermann’s excitement mounted.
    ‘Really, Max! This man is very interesting — I grant you that — insofar as he has recognised and exploited the murderous possibilities of the seemingly innocuous hatpin. But beyond this irregularity I see nothing singular or remarkable about his crime. If he is not a jealous lover then he is, at worst, a lust murderer. He availed himself of Fräulein Zeiler’s favours and then he killed her.’
    ‘I beg to differ.’
    ‘I would have thought that much was indisputable!’
    ‘Allow me to make some clinically relevant observations. In cases of lust murder, the pervert kills to ensure compliance. A dead womancannot reject sexual advances. The same is true — only even more so — of a necrophile. We know from Professor Mathias’s evidence that Fräulein Zeiler gave herself willingly. Her murderer, therefore, did not need to render her insensible. He did not need to take her because what would otherwise need to be taken was already being freely offered!’
    Rheinhardt looked confused.
    ‘I’m not really following your argument … and I still don’t understand your objection to my initial remark.’
    ‘You suggested that intercourse occurred and then the perpetrator killed Fräulein Zeiler. This gives a false impression of what I believe actually happened. The perpetrator did not kill Fräulein Zeiler after sexual intercourse — he killed her during intercourse!’
    Rheinhardt blew out his cheeks and let the air escape slowly. He motioned as if to speak, but immediately fell silent again.
    ‘To drive a hatpin,’ Liebermann continued, ‘through the foramen magnum and into the brain is not an easy task. The head would have to be bent forward, widening the aperture between the final vertebra and the skull; however, sexual intercourse would have afforded the perpetrator ample opportunity to conduct such manipulations. He might have lifted Fräulein Zeiler’s head — to kiss her, perhaps — while he positioned the hatpin in readiness for his … ultimate pleasure.’
    ‘What do you mean by that? Ultimate pleasure?’
    ‘I mean,’ Liebermann replied, ‘that he very probably culminated as he drove the hatpin home. You see, if I am correct he is in actual fact nothing like Krafft-Ebing’s lust murderers and necrophiliacs, who find the dead arousing. He doesn’t find the dead arousing — he finds death arousing, death itself! He is a thanatophiliac!’
    Rheinhardt poured himself an extra-large brandy and gulped it down with uncharacteristic speed.
    ‘You said that it wouldn’t be easy to insert a hatpin directly into the brain.’
    ‘Indeed.’
    ‘Yet he seems to have had no trouble doing so.’
    ‘In which case,’ said Liebermann, ‘he has had plenty of practice.’

11
    ‘I’ M SORRY TO DISTURB you, sir,’ said Haussmann, standing in the doorway. ‘But there’s a young woman downstairs who wants to see you. She’s a bit agitated and she’s very’ — the young man assumed a woeful expression — ‘insistent.’
    ‘Why does she want to see me?’ asked