“Alone?” Sam asks, trying to keep the incredulity from her voice.
“Yes. I wrote this book. Alone.”
“Is this book crime fact or crime fiction, Mr. Albescu?” Sam asks.
“I do not understand. I wroteHow to Get Away with Murder. I am author.”
“Is the story in the book true, Andrei?” Sam tries again.
“I write how-to guide for serial killers,” he says.
Sam sits back, a little breathless and unsure of how to proceed. She can’t believe what Andrei is saying.
“Tell us explicitly: are you confessing to the murders outlined in this book?” Taylor presses.
A pause, then Andrei says, “I confess.”
“What we mean, Andrei,” Sam tries again, “is, did you kill people and then write a book about it? Are you a serial killer?”
“My name is Denver Brady.”
“I need to tell you at this point, Mr. Albescu,” Taylor says, “that I am arresting you on suspicion of murder. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand me?”
“I would like to speak to my lawyer, please,” Andrei says, sliding a business card across the table. Sam stares at it. She knows she has every piece of this puzzle; she just can’t, for the life of her, see the full picture.
Sam and Taylortake adjacent seats in the tiny meeting room, with the door firmly closed. They each stare into their steaming tea and say nothing. Every few seconds one of them sighs or shakes their head. Four floors below them, Andrei sits in his cell as his lawyer is contacted. Sam has also asked for a translator to be brought in urgently.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Sam blows on her tea, not meeting Taylor’s eye.
“Yes,” he sighs, “and I know you don’t want me to say it aloud. You don’t want to hear that Andrei matches Richie Scott’s description of the man who came to his home the evening his girlfriend was murdered.”
“It’s true,” Sam agrees, “I don’t want to hear it, but the arson, too, is leading us to Andrei.”
“Plus, his confession,” Taylor adds cautiously. “And the money from the book sales.”
Sam sighs, taking a tentative sip of her drink. “We’ll have to get a warrant to hold Andrei longer.”
“You don’t think he’s Denver, do you?” Taylor slurps a steaming mouthful.
“I really don’t,” Sam admits. “More importantly, I don’t think he’s the man that killed Charlotte. But, sticking with Denver for the moment, Amy confirmed that Andrei looks nothing like the creep she remembers. Sean said Denver is a northerner, born and bred. Only Richie Scott claims Denver is tall and dark-haired with a foreign accent, and Richie’s as reliable as a wax firefighter.” Sam swallows more hot liquid, feeling it burn its way down her throat. “Andrei said one thing that I do believe, though. He said that Charlotte’s killer simply readHow to Get Away with Murderand copied it. I think he’s right.”
Taylor nods. “Two killers. The man who killed Betty and potentially others, and the man who killed Charlotte.”
“Yes,” Sam says, “and I think both of those men are still on the loose.”
“So, what now?” Taylor stifles a yawn. “Sorry, ma’am. I’m completely shattered. The hours we’re working are…”
Sam nods. “Try and get some rest, Taylor, before we get to question him further.”
She doesn’t say that she needs to finish the book off once and for all, and that it’s time to put Denver Brady’s sick cocktail of truths, half-truths and outright lies to bed.
When Things Go Wrong
We’re coming closeto the end of our time together. I’m sure you’ll agree, having arrived at my penultimate chapter, that I’ve almost fulfilled my promise to you. You now know how to get away with murder.
Let me briefly take you back to how this journey started—with a list of reasons you may be caught. We’ll conclude my personal story with the final item on that list: that 1 percent of us will be killed by our victims.
It can happen to the best.
