CHAPTER 35

The door leading from the holding cells opened, and two uniforms guided Mark Caldwell into the room. Bobby didn't acknowledge him, keeping his eyes focused on the table. Caldwell's lawyer, a young, neatly dressed man, sat next to his client, who ignored him. Alex hadn't seen Mark Caldwell since he lay bleeding on a basement floor. The orange prison jumpsuit never made anyone look good, but Caldwell looked only marginally better than he did when he was on that floor. His appearance wasn't helped by his shaved head and the dark circles under his eyes. He seemed, in spite of his swagger, small and diminished. Caldwell leaned back in his chair as far as his restraints allowed, but his attitude seemed to be that of a small boy trying to play a part too old and big for him.

There was a long silence, finally broken by the lawyer. "Detective…"

"So, Mark." Bobby ignored the lawyer. "I understand you're having a rough time at Ryker's."

Caldwell shifted in his chair.

"My client is a target," the lawyer said. "Because of the crimes with which he's been charged…"

"And the ones I know he's guilty of," Bobby said calmly. "Of course, Mark, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Tom Linley."

Caldwell ignored his lawyer's warning look and leaned forward. "I know what you all want. I won't say anything against Thomas."

"That's great loyalty, Mar," Bobby said. "I've heard about that, of course. I told the other agents and detectives that you're devoted to Tom."

A satisfied smirk on his face, Caldwell leaned back in his chair.

"And too much under his influence," Bobby continued.

"I wasn't under his influence," Caldwell said, leaning forward again. "I've told everyone that. Thomas taught me…"

"So why do you want to talk with me?" Bobby asked.

"You wanted to talk with me…"

"No…No…I could care less," Bobby said. "C'mon, Mark…You wanted this…I know your lawyer doesn't want you to do this."

The lawyer frowned.

"So, why did you want to talk to me? I'm here. But unless you start talking, I won't be here long. Unlike you, I can leave any time I want. I can do anything I want. Last night… I had sushi…"

Alex knew that wasn't true. They'd shared Italian last night, or at least Alex ate Italian and Bobby moved the food around his plate. Bobby hadn't eaten sushi since Jo Gage had been arrested.

"Tom introduced you to sushi, didn't he? But neither of you have had a chance to enjoy it lately. But me…I can have sushi…Anything I want…"

Caldwell leaned forward. "I'm surprised you can eat anything…And if I'd had my way, you wouldn't have had enough stomach left to eat anything…"

Bobby laughed—a hollow, empty laugh to Alex, but a laugh nonetheless—and tilted his head. He scanned Caldwell as if the younger man was a bug not meeting Bobby's high standards. "You didn't have your way, did you? Tom took care of that. You're here because of him." Bobby straightened and gave Caldwell a goofy smile.

"Thomas understands me!" Caldwell declared. "He helped me find my true talents…"

"Your true talents? That's a laugh. One girl…That's all you got, Mark…And why did Tom have you contact the police? He was using you, Mark…Using you to get to me…"

"No!" Caldwell lurched towards Bobby, but the chains held him. "He outsmarted you…He outsmarted all of you! He's got bodies you'll never find!"

"But we found some, Mark." Bobby flipped open one of the files. "Even after my time with you, I was able to figure out his patterns." Bobby flipped open another file, and the lawyer flinched. "We found all of these bodies…" Bobby methodically flipped open the files as he spoke. "In the last months. Tom's clever, Mark…But not as clever as he thinks. Not as smart as he told you he was…"

Caldwell stared at the photos. "No…No…" he muttered. "It's a trick…You haven't found…"

"Look at the locations, Mark," Bobby said as if he spoke to a stubborn child. "Did Tom trust you enough to tell you where he put his bodies? Do those photos match those places?"

Caldwell looked frantically from one photo to another. "No…Thomas…Thomas is smart…Thomas cares about me…"

Bobby gave his hollow laugh again. "Sounds to me like Tom cares about as much for you as Declan Gage did for me."

Caldwell's head shot up.

"Ah…You recognize the name," Bobby smiled. "Looks like our mentors were each other's Great White Whales."

Alex's heart pounded. Bobby had just exposed one of his most raw and vulnerable spots.

"Tom kept talking about him, didn't he?" Bobby said. "You really didn't want to come after me, did you?"

"You were a lousy fuck," Caldwell said savagely.

Alex' hand flew to her mouth. Besides her, Ross winced. Only the slightest shiver betrayed any of Bobby's feelings.

"Well," Bobby said after a beat. "You didn't see me at my best. The point is…You know," he said. "I bet you didn't want to hurt Marian Brewster. I bet you'd never have become a killer if you hadn't run into Tom."

"I could've done this without him!" Caldwell fought against the restraints. His lawyer moved to warn him, but Caldwell glared at him.

"I wonder…How much did Tom do to Marian? I don't remember him really doing anything to me. I wonder if he can do anything," Bobby ruminated. "He's old…He's lost it…And he used you to do what he couldn't…"

"He…He's my teacher…I owe him…"

"Owe him?" Bobby snorted. "Have you heard from him since you've been in Ryker's?"

"You've kept him away from me…We can't talk…"

"Hate to break it to you, Mark," Bobby said. "But Tom isn't worried about you. He doesn't even talk about you. When you were in the hospital, he never asked about you. Not once. I think he's forgotten you."

Caldwell fell back in his chair.

"Tom only cares about himself and his reputation. I know…Gage was so concerned about his reputation. He was willing to sacrifice anyone or anything."

"Including you," Caldwell tried to snarl, but doubt had clearly invaded his mind.

"Yea…But Tom's abandoned you. You know," Bobby leaned forward. "He's doing pretty well. FBI agents hovering around him. Reporters want to talk to him. Groupies sending him stuff…Wow!" Bobby waved his hand. "You wouldn't believe the stuff. Was that what Tom promised you, Mark?"

"People know my name," Caldwell insisted. "They know me…"

"As Sebastian, Jr.," Bobby said.

Caldwell stared at him. "What?"

"That's what they call you in the press," Bobby said. "Sebastian, Jr….Mark Caldwell…Sebastian, Jr. Sometimes they don't even call you Mark Caldwell. Just Sebastian, Jr." Bobby laughed again. "Tom even took your identity."

Caldwell stared at his hands.

"You know, Mark," Bobby said conspiratorially. "If Tom manages to convince everyone that you knew about his other killings…The states outside New York…The ones that have the death penalty…If Tom cuts a deal…You could be facing a death penalty. For something you had nothing to do with."

Caldwell stared at Bobby, and then at his lawyer.

"Mark…" the lawyer said. "This detective isn't your friend…."

"Mark and I have a bond you wouldn't know anything about," Bobby said. "We were betrayed by our teachers. And…" Bobby looked at the lawyer sympathetically. "You're a decent lawyer, but do you know who Tom has, Mark?" His attention returned to Caldwell, who focused on Bobby with frightening intensity.

"Who?" Caldwell asked.

"Very famous…Very high powered…Paid for by a publisher of true crime books. He hopes to get Tom's story…A story that won't include you, Mark…And that lawyer…He'll see that Tom gets the best deal possible…He'll play the jurisdictions against each other and make sure Tom doesn't get near Death Row…While you…"

Caldwell clenched and unclenched his fists.

"I bet," Bobby continued. "You lawyer has told you that you can't trust Tom…I be he told you that you should cut a deal with us…But you haven't…Because you're loyal to Tom. He doesn't deserve such loyalty. He got you in this mess. He's left you in it. He's abandoned you. Just like all your fathers did."

Caldwell stared at him. "What do know about…Tom told me about yours…"

Alex's heart jumped into her throat. Did Linley know about Mark Ford Brady? Did Caldwell?

If Bobby feared that Caldwell knew about Brady, he showed no signs of it, or of being upset by the reference to the man he thought was his father.

"Yea," Bobby said ruefully. "We got some wonderful role models. Abusive, self-absorbed, selfish, gamblers, alcoholics…Abandoned us for other kids, women, pleasures…But you have a chance to get back at them, Mark. Your father…Your stepfather…Tom…And all those women…Your mother…Your grandmother…Tell us your story…Tell us…And tell the world…"

A terrible gleam entered Caldwell's eyes.

"Tell us," Bobby continued. "And get to Tom before he gets to you…"

"Yea," Caldwell said slowly. "Take control…Show them…Show them all…I…I can tell you…What Tom told me…What he did…Where he left bodies…"

Alex saw a hitch in Bobby's shoulders as a quick wave of relief swept through him. She felt suddenly light headed, and she wasn't sure if Ross stepped closer to her to give her support or if she briefly leaned against him.

"Mark." Caldwell's lawyer stepped in to do his job. "Don't say anything until I get you a deal in writing…"

"I trust him," Caldwell insisted. "Like he said…We have a bond…"

"Listen to him, Mark…You can trust him too," Bobby said. "I know you want to tell your story…To tell the truth…But we want it to work for you…Ok?"

"All right," Caldwell said reluctantly. "But I tell my story soon…And I tell it to you…"

Alex shivered; Ross sighed.

"It's a deal," Bobby said.

Caldwell's lawyer had been debating with the FBI, the NYPD, and other agencies for some time, and a deal was quickly in place. To Alex's dismay, Bobby remained in the interrogation room with Caldwell, and to Ross and several other officers' dismay, Bobby warned Caldwell of possible problems with any deal that might be made.

"There's a lot of people with a lot of interest in this case," Bobby explained. "Someone might not want to sign off on it. Your lawyer will explain all of this…"

"You'll tell Thomas about this?" Caldwell asked eagerly.

Bobby fought off the image of Jo Gage urging him to "Tell my Dad everything" in his head. "I'll tell him," Bobby said.

"You know," Caldwell said casually as he leaned back in his chair. "I thought you had a lot of guts…All we did to you…All I did to you…And you stayed quiet…"

In spite of his pounding heart and swimming brain, Bobby remained outwardly calm. He shrugged. "Well, I knew Tom got off on screams…I didn't want to give him the satisfaction."

"Yea…Frustrated the hell out of him." Caldwell smiled. He might have been discussing a football game. "'Course…I'd never gone for a guy before. Neither had Tom. He told me there was at least one guy he'd killed. He'd got in his way. Tried to save a girl…Something like that. Imagine caring enough about a bitch to get in the way of a guy with a big, jagged knife."

"Imagine," Bobby said softly.

Caldwell's lawyer, looked very satisfied, finally returned, accompanied by a brigade of other lawyers, FBI agents, NYPD officers, and representatives from several legal jurisdictions and agencies. Caldwell reveled in the attention, so much so that he gradually forgot about Bobby. Using several maps, Caldwell began to show the sights where Linley had told him there were bodies. As Caldwell expansively held court, Bobby moved further and further away until he was near the room's door, where he ran into Alex. His eyes begged her to help him escape.

"C'mon," she said as led him out of the room.

Bobby kept his head lowered as Alex guided him away from the interrogation room and the bull pen. He felt the stares bore into him. Alex led him to a tiny room that barely held a small table and two chairs. She pulled one of the chairs away from the table, and Bobby collapsed in it. He held his head in his hands.

"Oh, God…Eames…Alex…I…I'm so tired…I…I think I'm going to be sick…"

Alex seized a wastebasket and held it up to him. He threw up. When he finally stopped, Alex placed the basket in a corner and sat in the chair next to him. He slumped across the table, his head resting on his outstretched arms. His skin was damp with sweat, and he shivered. His eyes were closed.

"Bobby?" Alex tenderly brushed his forehead. "Are you…" The idea of asking if he was all right seemed horribly cruel and stupid to her.

"I…I'm sorry," he said in a painfully low and ragged voice. "You…You have to keep taking care of me…"

There was a soft, hesitant knock at the door. Alex considered not responding to it, but finally stood and strode to the door. In full attack mode, she opened it, ready to fight anyone who might be ready to move on Bobby. Captain Danny Ross nearly took a step backward when he saw her.

"Eames," he said, and held up his hands in what he hoped she'd recognize as a sign of surrender and peace. "How is he?"

Alex glanced at Bobby, who showed no signs of being aware of Ross' presence. "He…He's sick…"

Ross sniffed the air. "He threw up…I don't blame him…"

"Yea." Alex stepped out of the doorway. She decided she could trust Ross. "And he's still not so good." She stepped back to Bobby. "How'd you find us?"

"One of the FBI guys saw you come back here," Ross answered. "I cut him off from following you."

"You might have prevented a murder," Alex said.

Ross smiled sadly. He stepped closer to Bobby, who still didn't acknowledge the captain's presence. "Detective," Ross said with surprising gentleness. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Bobby blinked and slowly raised his head. "Do…Do they need me?"

"No…And even if they do, they're not going to get to you any more today," Ross declared.

"Caldwell's talking?" Bobby asked. His voice was very weak and raspy.

"Singing like a canary…I always wanted to say that," Ross said.

"They…They need to document everything he says," Bobby said. "Tape everything…And when they check the sites…Lots of photos…" He tried to stand, wavered, and slumped back in the chair.

"Bobby…For God's sake…Take it easy…" Alex gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll get some help to get him out of here," Ross said to Alex.

"Thank you," Alex said, her eyes not leaving Bobby as Ross left.

"You…You didn't come in," Bobby said. "That must have been hard for you…"

"I promised you I wouldn't come in unless you signaled me…But you're right…It was very hard…"

"Please," he said. "I…I…I don't want to back out there…I…I don't know if I can…Please…Not now…"

"Don't worry…I'll take care of you…" Alex said. She touched his cheek, and he leaned into its warmth.

"You know," he said in a voice so low she could scarcely hear him. "It…It's only going to get worse…I…I wouldn't blame you…"

"I know…But we both can get through this…"

END CHAPTER 35