“Did Jonathan Ebersole explain to you his motives for doing so? To bring their life into his art, as that art had been rejected over and over as ordinary. At best. Did he explain that he needed to take lives to continue to create his art?”
“My client won’t answer that question. It’s purely speculative.”
“It’s not. It’s fact. He told us, Phoebe. He couldn’t help himself. You’ve made him believe he’s too important to be denied anything. He told us he explained it all to you. You told him not to discuss it. You told him you’d protect him, get him away where he could live free and do whatever he needed to do.”
“My client will not respond to—”
Eve rose, leaned in. “You knew. You knew what he’d done, why he’d done it. You know what he is, you knew what he’d continue to do. If things got too sticky in Caracas, you’d just move him somewhere else. Lives taken? They didn’t matter. Only he matters.”
“He’s my son. He’s my child.”
“He’s your monster. Created by you, nurtured by you.”
“You shut your mouth about my boy.” Phoebe rose, leaned in so they were all but nose to nose.
“Ms. Harper, please sit. Please leave this to me. This interview is over.”
“You’re not in charge here, Phoebe. You’re never going to be in charge again. Your baby boy’s going to prison, off-planet, forever.”
“He won’t serve a day. I’ll destroy you if you try. You think because you wear diamonds with your weapon it puts you onmylevel? I’ll ruin you for what you’ve done to my son.”
“Give it a shot. You? You’re never getting out of a cage either. Your baby boy made sure of it.”
“You coerced him. You’ve twisted his words.”
“Didn’t have to. All I had to do was play you. Tell him he was a genius, that his art was masterful. When you know as well as I do it’s crap.”
Eve saw the slap coming, let it land.
“And there’s one more,” she said as the attorney sprang up, tried to control her client. “Assault of an officer, on record. You made him what he is, Phoebe, now you have to live with it. So do your two daughters, whom you haven’t mentioned once. For your knowledge of Jonathan Ebersole’s actions, for your knowledge of his intentions to continue his murderous spree, you are additionally charged with accessory to murder after the fact, and conspiracy to murder before the fact. How long there, Reo?”
“She’ll get life, no parole. I’ll give you on-planet, Counselor. That’s it.”
Now Felds looked more desperate than resigned. “We will take this to trial.”
“I look forward to it. As a proven flight risk, we both know your client will be remanded.”
“If this is the best you can do,” Phoebe snapped, “you’re fired. I’ll engage more competent counsel.”
“Ms. Harper—I need to consult with my client.”
“The one who just fired you?” Eve asked. “Enjoy. You?” She looked back at Phoebe. “No, you’ll never be in charge again, and that goes down as one of the biggest accomplishments of my life so far. Peabody, arrangefor an officer to wait outside and escort the prisoner back to her cell after she speaks to her former attorney.
“Now, interview end.”
“You think because you married wealth and power you understand what it can and will do?”
Eve paused at the door, glanced back. “I think because I’ve spent my career dealing with monsters, some who make even you look small, I know what I’ll do to stop them.
“And I’ve done it.”
Stepping out, Eve shoved both hands through her hair.
“She clocked you pretty good,” Peabody told her. “Your cheek’s still red.”
“On record. Will she get life, Reo?”
“I’m going to promise you that, and I don’t make that kind of promise lightly. She’s wrong about a jury. Any true mother will see what she is. You wrapped her for me, Dallas. I’ll tie the bow.”
