‘Derrick Brosky’s here in the building, and you’ve spoken to him.’ Emma controls her breathing. ‘Okay, so he’s not the College Killer. But he might be the link between Peter and the videotapes. He might havegivenPeter the videotapes.’
Carter opens out his palms. ‘Well, that’s what we’re trying to establish, but he’s exercised his right to an attorney.’
‘He’s not talking?’
‘It’s going to take some time,’ Carter admits.
‘But we don’thavetime.’ Emma thinks this should already be mind-blowingly obvious. ‘Linda Kittiko doesn’t have time.’
‘We’re very close now—’
‘How long are you able to hold him?’
Carter remains patient. ‘His arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow, but he’s unlikely to walk.’
‘Unlikely?’ She presses harder. ‘So he could still skip out.’
Carter shakes his head. ‘It’s a federal obscenity case, and possibly an additional charge of intent to distribute.’
‘But he’s not a physical threat, and there’s no concerns about violence.’
‘We think, considering the seriousness of this case and the graphic content of the videotapes, the judge will be understanding.’
New suspects, further steps, more delay.Emma feels her stomach flutter with tension and fatigue. ‘So you’re going to sweat Brosky for information about his contacts in Pittsburgh. How long will that take?’
Carter shrugs. ‘It depends on his level of endurance. It could be a couple hours or a couple days.’
‘A coupledays.’ Emma closes her eyes, breathes out, opens them again. ‘No. Send me in there.’
There’s a pause. The chattering sounds of the fax machine and male voices echo from the bullpen down the hall.
‘Miss Lewis, I can’t do that,’ Carter says quietly.
‘Can’t or won’t?’ Emma counters. ‘Look, I’ve talked to serial killers, the insane, and the incarcerated. I can talk to this guy. I can get answers out of him faster.’
Carter’s brown eyes regard her solemnly. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
‘That’s what you said about Paradise,’ she reminds him.
‘And I was right. Paradise was a mess.’
‘We got good intelligence from it.’
‘We lost the target. And this is not the same.’ The fan spins above them. Carter wets his lips, preparing to rebuff. ‘I can’t send a civilian consultant into an interview room with a suspect. It would imperil the legal case. I could lose my job. It’s illegal, unethical, and most probably for you, unhealthy.’
‘Don’t you think anabducted girlis in amoreunhealthy position? Inmoreperil?’ Emma can’t understand how he doesn’t feel her sense of urgency.
‘If Brosky doesn’t talk about who he sent the tapes to, we’ve got his phone records, delivery records, known associates …’ Carter’s whole manner has firmed. ‘Let us do our job, Miss Lewis. We’ll find Linda Kittiko faster that way.’
‘How?’Emma finds her anger is taking on a hard, glassy shape, like a lump of obsidian. ‘You’re going to spend forty-eight hours digging through records, waiting on court orders, hoping Brosky cracks and gives you Peter’s address … Peter’s not going to hold her too long. She could bedeadalready.’
‘Miss Lewis …’ Carter pinches the bridge of his nose before looking at her again. ‘Emma. I understand your motivations here. I know you don’t want another young woman to suffer. I know this case is a terrible reminder of what you went through—’
‘God, shutup.’ Emma stands abruptly, shifting away. Thecorners of her eyes are wet, and she can’t let Carter see. ‘This case is not “a terrible reminder”. I don’tneeda reminder – Ilivedthrough it. And I live with the aftermathevery goddamn day.’
Sheis the reminder, Emma realizes – a living, breathing reminder to the FBI of what can happen when they fail.
She turns to face Carter head-on. ‘The College Killer has already had Linda Kittiko for almost as long as Huxton had me. Send me in to talk to Brosky.’
