Walsh stared at the photos, his confidence wavering.He almost looked sacred now.“It was...in the back area.Near the cooling systems.”
“Which cooling systems?”
“The ones that...that circulate the air through the building.”
Miles exchanged a glance with Vic.Walsh was guessing, describing generic HVAC components rather than the specific installation points they'd documented at each scene.
“Jeremy, let's talk about Robert Hahn,” Vic said.“The bus driver.”
Walsh's agitation increased.“He was the most dangerous of all.Every day he transported dozens of innocent people while exhaling contaminated air from vehicle emissions.He was spreading chemical warfare through the entire public transportation system.”
“How did you get access to his bus?”
“I waited until he was conducting his pre-trip inspection.Then I activated the cleansing protocol.”
Miles felt his skepticism growing.“You activated it how?”
“Remote activation,” he said with a shaky smiled.From a safe distance.”
“What kind of remote device for that one?”
Walsh's eyes darted between Miles and Vic.“A standard...a radio frequency transmitter.”
“What frequency?”
“The optimal frequency for...for ensuring proper molecular cleansing.”
Miles stood up abruptly.Walsh was improvising, making up technical details that sounded plausible but were completely wrong.The actual delivery systems had used technology far more sophisticated than Walsh was describing.He was telling lies and making guesses.Yet oddly enough, none of these lies would be sufficient to nail the bastard.Quite the opposite, actually.They exonerated him.
“Jeremy, I need you to be very specific about something.”Miles sat back down and looked directly into Walsh's eyes.“How exactly did you get into the elementary school to install your device?”
Walsh's confidence crumbled.“I told you, through the ventilation system.”
“But the school's HVAC system is completely inaccessible from outside the building.The only way to reach the installation point would have been through the school's interior.”
“I...I found a way.”
“What way?”
Walsh's rocking became more violent.“I waited until after hours and...”
“The school has motion sensors throughout the building.Any movement after hours would have triggered the security system.”
“I disabled the sensors.”
“How?”
Walsh stared at him, his mouth opening and closing without sound.Finally, he slumped in his chair.“I don't know.I just...I wish I had the courage to do what needed to be done.”
Miles felt a defeat wash over him.He was both furious and sickeningly disappointed at the same time.“You didn't kill anyone, did you, Jeremy?”
“I wanted to!”Walsh's voice became small and defeated.“I’ve wanted to for a while now.It’s the only way to… to cleanse this world!And so many people are just so… they don’t care what they’re doing to others!To the whole world!”
“So you made up the confessions,” Vic said, folding her arms together.Miles wasn’t positive, but he thought she might be taking such a stance to keep herself from pummeling Walsh.
“When I saw the news reports about the fluorine deaths, I knew someone else had found the courage to act,” he said, near tears now.Someone with the proper equipment and expertise.”Walsh looked up at Miles with something approaching admiration.“Whoever did this understood the truth about chemical contamination.They had the strength to perform the necessary cleansings.”
Vic leaned back in her chair.“You're confessing to murders you didn't commit because youwishyou had.”
