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We arrive at the SCU.Michel and I walk hand in hand to the storage area and we wait while an attendant retrieves the body. After a nod from Ed, the attendant pulls the draping back to reveal Julien's white face. The attendant keeps the shroud just above the shoulders, covering thestake.
"Why haven't they removed thestake?"
"It has to stay in," Ed says. "So they can do therite."
I reach out to touch it and see if there are any memory traces but Ed reaches out to stopme.
"Let me check it," Isay.
He shakes his head. "It's obvious this is the work of the samekiller."
"But it's myjob…"
Michel squeezes my hand to stop me. "Eve," he says, his voice choked. "This is not yourfight."
I frown. Michel lets go of my hand and stands next to the table. I glance from one brother to the other. Identical except for Julien's hair andscar.
"He was older by four minutes," Michel says, his voice choking. "The first to do everything – to walk, to speak, to kiss agirl..."
The first to die… I think, completing histhought.
I wonder about the legendary bond that exists between identical twins. It's impossible to explain in purely scientific terms so one has to resort to paranormal phenomena to account for it, but I'm a scientist. I cling to the belief that everything has a material basis – eventelepathy.
Michel covers his mouth and leans down, pressing his forehead against his brother's. He grabs Julien's jacket and squeezes, and I fear he's going to losecontrol.
After a moment, Ed clears his throat, and Michel straightens and wipes his eyes. I feel a surge of sympathy for him when I see his tears, and mine bite at the corner of my eyes in response. Finally, the attendant re-covers the body. I take Michel's arm and lead him out of the room and his hand slips down my arm, threading his fingers throughmine.
"Our witness told us what happened, but he's not reallyreliable."
"Awitness?"
"Some old vagrant sleeping in the street outside the cathedral," Ed says. "Probably senile. Always pestering the parishioners for sparechange."
"You don't think he stakedJulien?"
"No," Ed says. "He was too old and weak. Probably another vampire or anAdept."
Michel's face is grim as we wait for the elevator to the third floor offices. I get in beside Michel, and am almost overwhelmed at the intensity of his grief. He holds it in such control, his body stiff, his face blank, only his hand gripping mine so tightly shows anyemotion.
We enter Ed's office and Ed sits behind his desk and Michel sits on the chair across from him. He sinks into it and wipes his eyes. I remain standing at the side of theoffice.
"I have your brother's personal effects," Ed says, and thrusts an envelope and a sheet of paper towards Michel. "You'll have to sign this releaseform."
Michel opens the envelope and retrieves a watch, rosary and a ring. He puts them in his pocket but keeps the ring in his hand, turning it over and over in hispalm.
"His clothing," Ed says while Michel signs the release form, "his overcoat is being kept as evidence. It's quitedamaged."
Michel nods. He examines Julien's ring, and then slips it on the index finger on his righthand.
"I know this is painful," Ed says, speaking in a soft voice, "but do you have any idea who might have done this to him? Any enemies? People with a grudge? Was he trying to take over anyone'sterritory?"
"No," Michel says, his blue eyes red from tears. "We've made many enemies over thecenturies."
"It was Soren," I say to them both, but they ignore me, as if they can't even hear what I'm saying. Ed flips a few pages in his file. A knock at the door draws my attention away from Michel. One of the clerical workers hands Ed a file. He returns to his desk and flips through thecontents.
"You should see this," he says, motioning for Michel to join him. Michel goes to his side and leans down to examine the file, which contains several pages of email messages. I peer over Michel's shoulder, careful not to get too close. There I see a research paper on the Cathars. Michel picks it up and reads through the firstpage.
Ed glances up. "What about any groups your brother might have been involvedin?"
