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Caldwell folded his arms, noddinggravely as he turned his gaze towards the door that led to the holding cellarea. ‘So what's the story with this guy? How does he tie into our victims?’
‘Therapy sessions,’ Ella said.‘Donna Shepherd saw him at least once. Rebekah Holden saw him regularly. He'sthe common denominator.’
'Good enough,' Caldwell said.
‘Only solid link we've got so far,but we need to pull that thread,’ Ella affirmed. She exchanged a brief glancewith Ripley, who was leaning against the door with a shoulder. There were nobeads of sweat on her forehead, no heavy breaths. Ella envied the old dog'scardio levels.
‘Let's hope it unravels the wholedamn sweater,’ Caldwell muttered.’You two are up for the task, though. I cansee it.’
‘Doesn't matter how up for it weare if we don't have the evidence,’ Ella replied. 'We need something solid. Theonly evidence we've got so far is circumstantial.'
‘Let's get something solid then,’Ripley chimed in. 'We'll need a warrant to search his place. Chief, can you getone of your guys to try and trace Puder's last movements? We need to know wherehe was last night and Friday night.'
‘Yeah. Before we get there, let'sstart with what he'll tell us. Just because he's speaking in four-letter wordsdoesn't mean he won't slip up.’
‘Or unwillingly,’ Ripley added,with a wry twist of her lips that did little to soften the hardness in hereyes.
‘His rap sheet doesn't paint apretty picture.’ Ripley added, firm and matter-of-fact. ‘Assault, domesticabuse... He's no stranger to violence.’
‘Running only adds guilt to theequation,’ Ella replied.
‘Flight is a response to fear,’Ripley continued. ‘Fear of getting caught? Fear of what we know?’
‘Or fear of what he's done,’ Ellamused, her mind sifting through the possibilities like a jeweler inspectingdiamonds for flaws. When she was looking at him in the factory, she could sensethe imperfections in Puder's facade, just waiting to be exposed. ‘Strangulationtakes strength, control. And he's got the build for it.'
‘Close enough to leave no trace,’Ripley agreed. ‘And let's not forget proximity. His place, his job, smack inthe middle of our crime scenes.’
‘Behavioral profile fits him like aglove,’ Ella added, her lips pressing into a thin line. The web of evidence wasthere, but it needed to be tightened, each strand meticulously connected tohold the weight of justice.
‘Then we've got ourselves a primesuspect,’ Ripley said.
‘Prime indeed,’ Ella echoed,finally tearing her gaze from Puder. ‘But circumstantial until we dig deeper.’Her mind was already cataloging questions, anticipating lies, preparing for theverbal sparring that awaited.
‘Deeper we go then,’ Ripley saidwith a nod, resolute. ‘Into the rabbit hole.’
‘Hard evidence or a confession,ladies,’ Chief Caldwell's voice cut through the cacophony, his words sharp asflint. ‘That's what we need.’
Even from behind the door, shecould hear Puder's incessant cries to let him go. He was rattling somethingagainst the bars
‘Confessions can be twisted out oflies,’ she said, her mind already working like a lock pick, ready to finessethe tumblers of truth from Puder's tale.
‘Are you sure you don't wantbackup?’ Caldwell arched an eyebrow.
Ella shook her head, her jaw set.‘No. Too many bodies will set him off more. I need him volatile, notexplosive.’
‘Be careful,’ Ripley warned. 'We'llbe listening from out here. Bang on the door if you need a helping hand.
Pausing for a moment, Ella took a deepbreath, drawing in the cold air of the precinct. This was it—the moment beforethe plunge, the calm before the storm. She ran through her strategy once morein her mind, each question she would ask, each reaction she anticipated fromPuder.
Time to unmask this maniac.
***
Ella pushed open the heavy metaldoor that led to the holding cells. The corridor beyond was stark, lined withcold concrete and steel doors, the air thick with the stench of sweat anddisinfectant. Her jaw set with resolve; today, she would peel back the layersof deceit that cloaked a killer.
As soon as Ella entered, the clamorof the holding area assaulted her senses. Daniel Puder was in mid-tirade,hurling obscenities at the guards at the end of the hallway. The otherprisoners had pressed themselves against the farthest corners of their owncells, creating a buffer of fearful space around the man whose reputationclearly preceded him. She’d deemed Puder too volatile for the interrogationroom, so she opted to keep him locked up tight until he exhausted himself.
‘That's enough, Puder,’ Ellabarked. She had no time for displays of bravado.
