Silence.
“Agreed?”
“I swear, the way these bureaucracies work, you’d think we still lived in caves. I’ve been busting my butt for a year on this case, and now I learn that some crackpot agency is doing an end run? Do you have any information that might be useful, or is that a secret too?”
“We have reason to suspect an inside link.”
“Inside. As in law enforcement?”
“Maybe. We would have shared files a long time ago if we didn’t suspect that someone inside may be tracking with Slater.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning we’re not sure who we can trust. For reasons I can’t go into today, I don’t think Slater is who you think he is.”
“You mean the boy? Idon’t even know who I think he is!”
“That’s not what I mean. He probably is the boy. But who’s the boy?”
“You tell us. He threatened you, didn’t he?”
“That was a long time ago, and we have no ID. For all we know, he’s the director of the FBI now.”
“Please, don’t patronize me.”
“You’re right. He’s not the director of the FBI. All I’m saying is that we can’t eliminate the possibility that he’s someone on the inside. I’ll know more tomorrow.”
“This is ridiculous. Where are you now?”
Sam paused. She had no choice now. Withholding information from Jennifer would only hamper her investigation at this point. She needed the FBI to focus on their own investigation, not meddle in hers. And there was this little fact that Kevin was missing.
She explained her rationale for taking Kevin, and Jennifer listened patiently, interrupting occasionally with pointed questions. Sam’s reasoning finally won her a grunt of approval. The news of Kevin’s disappearance didn’t.
“So as far as we know, Slater does have him,” Jennifer said.
“I doubt it. But it does look like I’ve made a mistake. I didn’t expect this.”
Jennifer let the apology go, which from Sam was as good as an acceptance. The FBI agent sighed.
“Let’s hope he comes in. Soon. How well did you know him when he was a boy?”
“We were close. I didn’t have a better friend.”
“I visited his aunt’s house this morning.”
Sam sat on the bed. How much did Jennifer know? Kevin had never shared the details of his life in the house with Sam, but she knew much more than he suspected.
“I never did see the inside of the house,” Sam said. “His aunt wouldn’t allow it. It was hard enough sneaking around the way we did.”
“Was there abuse?”
“Physical, no. Not that I saw. But in my book Kevin suffered severe, systematic psychological abuse from the day he entered that twisted house. You talked to Balinda?”
“Yes. She’s created a sanctuary for herself in there. The only realities that make it past the cutting floor are the ones she decides are real. God only knows what the house was like twenty years ago. Manipulation of a child’s learning process isn’t unheard of—it’s even broadly accepted in some arenas. Military school comes to mind. But I’ve never heard of anything like Balinda’s little kingdom. Judging by Kevin’s reaction to the place, I would tend to agree. He suffered abuse in that house.”
Sam let the phone line remain silent for a while.
“Be careful, Jennifer. This is a case about a hurting man as much as it is a hunt for a killer.”
Jennifer hesitated. “Meaning?”
“There’s more. There are secrets behind the walls of that house.”
“Secrets he hasn’t shared with you, his childhood sweetheart?”
“Yes.”
By the sound of Jennifer’s breathing, Sam knew she felt uncomfortable with the tone of the conversation. She decided to expand the agent’s mind a little.
“I want you to consider something that’s nagged me for the last two days, Jennifer. No one hears, understand? This is between us. Agreed?”
“Go on.”
“I would like you to consider the possibility that Kevin and Slater are really the same person.” She dropped the bomb and let Jennifer respond.
“I . . . I don’t think that’s possible.” Jennifer chuckled nervously. “I mean that would be . . . the evidence doesn’t support that! How could he pull off such a crazy stunt?”
“He’s not pulling anything off. Please, understand me, I’m not suggesting it’s true, and God knows even considering the idea terrifies me, but there are elements to this case that just don’t sit right. I think the possibility is at least worth some thought.”
“He would have to be calling himself. You’re suggesting he was in Sacramento, blowing up victims three months ago?”
“If he is the Riddle Killer. I’m working on that.”
“And if he is Slater, who’s the boy? We found blood in the warehouse, consistent with this story. There was a boy.”
“Unless the boy was really Kevin. Or there was no boy.”
“You were there—”
“I never actually saw the boy, Jennifer.”
“Your father forced the family to leave! What do you mean you never sawthe boy?”
“I mean I told my father the boy was there—there was plenty of evidence at my window and I believed Kevin for the rest. Call it a white lie. Regardless, I actually never saw the boy. We forced the family of a bully to move, but thinking back on it, the boy ran off before my dad could apprehend him. He accused a local bully based on my testimony, and I based my testimony on Kevin’s. But there was no definitive evidence that it was someone otherthan Kevin. I didn’t even know Kevin had locked the boy in the warehouse until yesterday.”
“The physical evidence for Kevin being Slater doesn’t add up. He blew up his own car?”
“I’m not saying that he isSlater. I’m only positing a possibility. Considering his childhood, Multiple Personality Disorder may not be out of the question—the Kevin we know wouldn’t necessarily even know that he’s Slater. Everything that we have so far could fit the scenario; that’s all I’m saying. There are no inconsistencies. Think about it.”
“Neither is there any evidence to support it. Highly unlikely. MPD results only in very limited cases of severe childhood abuse. Almost always physical abuse. Balinda might be a witch, but she doesn’t fit the profile for physical abuse. You said so yourself.”
“You’re right, there wasn’t physical abuse. But there are exceptions.”
“Not any that fit this scenario. At least not that I know of, and it is my field of study.”
Probably right. Highly unlikely, but in cases like this every possibility had to be considered.Something was not what it seemed, and as disturbing as her suggestion was, Sam couldn’t just discard it. If Kevin was Slater, exposing the fact would be the greatest favor she could do for her childhood friend.
On the other hand, hearing herself say it out loud, the notion sounded absurd. A simple voice or handwriting analysis would settle the matter.
“Have the lab run a handwriting comparison from the jug.”
“We already have. Standard procedure. It was negative.”
“It’s technically possible for multiple personalities to have varying motor characteristics.”
“In this case, I don’t think so.”
“Then start comparing it with everyone else connected to the case. Someone on the inside’s working this, Jennifer. Someone’s not who we think they are.”
“Then get me your file.”
“It’s on the way.”
“And if Kevin contacts you, call me. Immediately.” To say that the agent sounded agitated would be like saying the sky was big.
“You have my word.”
“As much as your plan to isolate Kevin may have made sense, having Slater’s voice on tape could be invaluable. Particularly in light of your suggestion. Turn it on and leave it on.”
Sam picked up Slater’s silver phone and switched it on. “Done.”
“The recording device is still active?”