KNOW THINE ENEMY

Chapter 8

They followed the truck out to the main road, passing the Animal Control officers on their way in.

"Glad that dog's getting help," Eric murmured. He glanced at Horatio. "Do you like dogs?"

"More than I used to. Since Cecile got that little monster, Seb. He's got… character."

They drove in silence for a while, until Eric suddenly laughed.

"What?"

"I was thinking – This woman's killed two people, and wrecked two cars in the process. It could get mighty expensive."

"I suppose she'd have changed method. We found a gun in the trailer. Although, using a vehicle sort of shields you from the actual killing. Shooting's rather up close and personal. She might not have had the stomach for it."

"I'm just glad we caught her."

"Now we have to pull the evidence together…"

It proved very easy. With Eric processing the outside, and Horatio the interior, the SUV readily yielded evidence of its impact on Judge Westbrook and his dog. Inside, there were fingerprints of only one person. And that was Laura McClusky.

Horatio peeled his gloves off. "That's it, then."

"Look at this…" Eric held up something minute in his tweezers.

"What is it?"

"A hair."

"You've got plenty of those."

"This one's red." He put it carefully in an evidence bag. "It was snagged in the broken headlight. We'll prove it hit you yet."

Horatio shrugged. "With one hair? Anyway, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Well, I think it does." Eric said firmly. "And we've got her hit list."

"I'm going to see how Frank's getting on."

Before that though, Horatio returned to his office, and phoned the State's senior prosecutor. "Gerry? Horatio… Thought I'd just give you a heads up – we've got Judge Westbrook's killer."

Gerald Duffy was his usual ebullient self. "That's the best news I've heard in a while. Is it solid?"

"Bit more to do yet, but it's as near a sure thing as you can get. She also killed another man – Joseph Johnson." He outlined the case.

"What a charming woman," the prosecutor murmured.

"And she tried to kill me…"

"My God, Horatio! Are you serious? What – she ran you down?"

"Yes, but I got away with a few bruises. Oh, and you can add a couple of charges of animal cruelty, if you think there's any point in a murder trial."

"You'd be surprised. If she ever starts to look sympathetic to a jury, that's just the sort of detail to bring them back. File everything you've got, Horatio. I'll decide what to use."

They talked for a little longer. Horatio liked Gerald Duffy. His easy genial manner belied his razor-sharp mind, and masked a vast knowledge of the law and a keen instinct about jury trials. Horatio was always reassured when he was doing the prosecuting himself.

"Must go, Horatio," he said at last. "You take care, my friend. I'd hate to lose my favorite good guy."

"You too, Gerry."

He went to find Frank and found him eating a very late lunch at his desk. "Well?"

"I'm taking a break. She's all 'no comment, no comment' at the moment. I got bored."

"It doesn't really matter. The evidence is so solid."

"Nice to break her though. Get a confession. She's a real piece of work…"

"I've just talked to Gerald Duffy – told him what to expect," Horatio said.

"He was delighted, no doubt."

"Well, the judge was a friend of his. He said, the only problems he could see were a possible plea of insanity."

"Which she is, of course."

"Oh, probably. I mean, that much revenge for a low-life like Biggs? Must have been the love affair of the century. I don't believe it for a minute. God knows what her motivation is. Although…" he mused, "killers do attract these strange women… I think Ted Bundy got six marriage proposals… But, as Gerry pointed out, the legal definition of insanity is far narrower. She planned it all out, stalked her targets, worked out their routines; clear premeditation. The other problem is whether she actually killed Johnson, but there's no doubt that was her intent. So yes, I'd say he was looking forward to taking her on. Oh, and he said he'd seek the death penalty."

"Seems kinda… just." Frank stood up. "I'll have one more go at cracking her. Come in, if you want."

"I might later."

Laura McClusky's eyes narrowed in recognition when Horatio stepped into the interrogation room. "You!"

"Me," he said evenly. "In one piece, as you see."

"Bastard…" she muttered under her breath.

"Laura, I'm sure Detective Tripp has told you we've got all we need to charge you, so I'm just satisfying my own curiosity. How did you know I'd be on that street?"

She glared at him for a moment, then said. "Turn the recorder off."

Horatio nodded to Frank, who did so.

"I was driving round, seeing how and where I could get to you. I couldn't believe it when I saw you walking down the street, without a care in the world. That hair's unmistakeable, Lieutenant Caine."

"And you couldn't resist me, huh?"

She shrugged. "I should have waited. I misjudged it, but it was my first attempt, and I obviously needed the practise. Did it hurt?"

"One more question. Why?"

"Why you?"

"No. Why the killing spree? Not for Leroy Biggs, surely."

"I loved him. We were going to be married."

"Really?"

"You wouldn't understand. He was funny, sensitive…"

Horatio heard Frank's derisive snort, but he just nodded. There was clearly no point in arguing with her. He turned to go.

Laura added, "You shouldn't have executed him. It's barbaric."

He turned back, eyes angry. "Strange choice of words, Laura… Nothing much more barbaric than running down an old man and his dog."

"I was sorry about the dog, but it couldn't be helped. At least he wasn't strapped to a gurney, injected with poison-"

"You're against the death penalty. I get it." Horatio turned away again, then, at the door, looked back. "Tell you what, Laura… You might just get a chance to experience it first-hand. Hope it was worth it."

THE END