“It’s a real issue, Marcus.”
“But not always.Not in every case.Kate, Elijah Cox is in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison.He can’t talk to anyone.He can’t call them.he can’t write them, he can’t see them.He’s as locked up as it’s possible to be.He’s been plucked out of his spiderweb and put in a concrete box.He’sdone.”
“He’snotdone.He won’tbedone until he’s finished with me, and he’snotfinished with me.”
“Is he not finished with you, or are you not finished with him?”
Kate’s nostrils flared.She glared at her partner, but he held her gaze, not backing down an inch.His insistence that she was just being paranoid reminded her of her conversation with Gabe in his office a few days ago.This was one of the few times she could guarantee shewasn’tobsessed with Cox.She knew he was involved because hehadto be.This case had commandment killings written all over it.It had to be him.
A tiny voice in the back of her head asked if itreallyhad to be him.And hadn’t she thought just a few hours ago that it very well might not be him?That Hartwell might be acting on her own?
She looked away.“No Bible verses, no reference to Cox or the commandments, and no stenography.I’m not giving up on her as a suspect, I just don’t want to throw all of our eggs into that basket yet.”
“But you’ll throw them into Cox’s basket?”
“Jesus Christ.”Kate threw her hands into the air.“Marcus, have I ever been wrong about Cox’s involvement?”
Marcus looked away.“Not… exactly.”
“Right.I’ve been wrong about what he’s planning, how he hopes to achieve it, and who he’s using, but I’ve never been wrong when I’ve looked at a case and determined that he’s involved.I… accept that it’s possible that this killer is independent.But I find it very unlikely.And before we tell Winters—and our victims loved ones—that we’ve caught our killer and solved this case, I want real proof.All of this?”She gestured around the room.“Is circumstantial.It’s not enough.That’s all I’m saying.”
Marcus looked down at his chest, lips pursed.He took a deep breath, opened his mouth.Closed it again.Finally, he nodded.“Okay.Fair enough.We need more.So where do we go?How do we find more?”
“We get a warrant for Hartwell’s apartment first and foremost.I’m sure she’s been home, and we’ll probably find no evidence left, but we’ll give it a shot.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
“Actually, I want you to delegate that to the police.I want you and me to follow up on another possible suspect.”
“Anothersuspect?You don’t think we should finish with the suspect we have?”
“I think we stay in process with her while pursuing other leads.I just really don’t like the lack of commandments anywhere in this office.She doesn’t even have a pocket Bible.”
“Maybe we’ll find one at her apartment.Or maybe you were right earlier when you theorized the Bible was just ancillary, and she was probably Googling verses on her phone when she was inscribing the ciphers.”
“Maybe.I justreallyhate the word maybe.”
He chuckled, and his lips spread into a smile.“Yeah.Me too.”He sighed and lifted his smile to meet her face.“Okay.What’s the other suspect you have?”
Kate pulled one of the files unrelated to Hammond and Santos and set it on the desk.“Julia Whitmore.Murdered five years ago.She was abducted on her way to her dorm room.Her body was found in the Chicago River, naked and… Well, the details aren’t important.”
Marcus scoffed.“Lovely.Let me guess.Killer got away.”
“Yes.Leroy Washington’s DNA matched that found on the victim.Unfortunately, it was obtained without his consent and without a warrant when the police raided his trash can and got it off a takeout box.”
“And because it was on his property and not in public, it was deemed inadmissible,” Marcus guessed.
“Exactly.Enter James Whitmore.According to Hartwell’s file on Julia, Mr.Whitmore—her older brother—went ballistic.Ended up doing six months for aggravated with a deadly when he jumped Leroy Washington with a tire iron.”
“Ouch.That could have been attempted murder.”
“That’s what he was charged with.He plead down.”
“Okay.But why would he go after a guy who offed his business partner and a woman who killed her mother?Allegedly, of course.”
“So, I looked him up,” Kate said, showing Marcus her phone.
He took it and read aloud.“Justice For Julia.Advocating for Victims of Miscarriages of Justice.”
