CHAPTER 39

"I'm getting tired of this," Alex muttered as she watched Bobby sit at the table in the interrogation room.

"I'm not fond of it," Ross said.

"Thank you, Sir," Alex said. "What you said…Bobby needed to hear something like that…"

"I meant all of it," Ross said. His eyes focused on Bobby. "I still don't understand him…But I know a good detective when I see one."

The interrogation room's door opened, and Thomas Linley, accompanied by two uniforms, entered.

"Detective Goren," Linley said genially. "How good to see you again."

Bobby didn't look up. "I understand that you don't wish to have your attorneys present during this interview. You understand your rights?"

Linley smiled as the uniforms checked his restraints. "Is all of this really necessary, Detective Goren? We know each other so well. I know my rights. And these restraints…Are they really necessary? We both know that I'm not going to try anything here."

Bobby nodded to the uniforms, and the two men left the room.

"That's true," Bobby said without looking up at Linley. "You don't attack unless your victim is helpless."

Linley frowned slightly and leaned back in his chair. Alex saw where Mark Caldwell copied some of his attitude, but Linley was far more arrogant and assured than his protégé.

"Detective…I'm disappointed," Linley said. "That doesn't sound like someone who wants something from me. And should I keep calling you Detective? As I recall, we were on a more informal basis when we last met."

"We were never on any kind of basis," Bobby replied flatly. "Detective is fine."

"Very well…" Linley said. "I'd hoped we might be on a friendlier level. That perhaps I could speak to you like your late mentor. I was sorry to learn of Declan Gage's death. I had hopes we might meet again. Perhaps discuss our protégés. I confess Dr. Gage appears to have the better of the two."

"Probably because I got away from him," Bobby said calmly. "Mark was always under your influence. Which is why you both got caught."

"Really, Detective." Linley had an unpleasant smile on his face. "I've heard how Mark betrayed me under your influence. His character is a little weak."

"Of course it is," Bobby said. "You couldn't have turned him into a murderer unless it was."

Linley's smile faded. "What are you suggesting?"

Bobby looked up at Linley for the first time since the killer had entered the room. "Well…Mark doesn't have a strong personality of his own."

"He wasn't allowed to reach his full potential," Linley said.

"I wonder what that would've been. Without you, I don't think he would've become a killer. Certainly not a torture killer. It's funny…" Bobby tilted his head. "Mark Caldwell probably would've been a nobody. Probably in and out of prisons until he got killed. But now…He's killed only one person…And that one under your instruction…And he's as famous as you are."

"Only because of his association with me…"

Bobby shrugged. "It doesn't seem fair. You have all of these victims…You taught Mark…And now he's eclipsing you…"

"You're trying to get me angry, Detective," Linley said amiably. "So I'll tell you where all my bodies are buried…"

"Well…We haven't needed you for that," Bobby said with equal amiability. "You seem to know a lot about what Mark's done. You've probably heard that he told us about where some of those bodies are."

Linley smirked. "But you don't know how many there are…Where they are…"

Bobby ignored this statement. "But, you know, we didn't really need Mark. We found a lot of the bodies before what he told us."

Linley leaned forward. "How many? And how do you know who they are?"

Bobby laughed and dropped his pen. "Oh, where have you been in the last years? We have DNA now…Oh, that's right…You were in prison…Surely you've heard about these things…We don't need you to identify the victims. Even if you could…"

"What do you mean…If I could?"

"Well…You're old…Almost as old as Gage…And his mind was mush before he died," Bobby said. "So, how much can you remember?"

"My memory is just fine…"

"So, you remember Martha Findlay?"

"Of course," Linley said. "Gage's great mistake…"

"We found her," Bobby said. "Found her and several other bodies. You're not very original. Your patterns…Once we find one body, it's easy to find others."

It was obvious this was not the way Linley expected the interview to go.

"If you know so much," Linley said. "Why are you talking to me? If you can find my projects, why bother with me?"

Bobby shrugged. "Well, it would save us time and money if you told us. Might get you better treatment."

"Us? I only see you in this room, Detective."

"That was your request…Or did you forget that already? I wasn't particularly interested in renewing our association."

"This "us"…There is no "us"…You're the one who figured it out," Linley insisted.

"I'm part of a team," Bobby said. "A great many people contributed."

"But you're the one," Linley said. "But you…You care…" He spoke disdainfully. "It's a weakness Gage didn't have. You care. That's why you're here. To help the families." Linley laughed. "If the families cared about the things, they would've protected them."

"I don't see caring about others as a weakness," Bobby said.

"It's how I got you," Linley said. "I knew you'd have to save that thing. I knew because of what Declan Gage said about you."

"I'm not sure why you…and Gage…were so obsessed with me." Bobby hid his hurt well. "I was certainly your great mistake. By taking me, you got the police right after you…"

"Did I?" Linley smiled his unpleasant smile. "I've heard…I know there are a lot of cops who wouldn't lift a finger to help you."

Alex didn't dare look back at the Brass behind her. From the corner of her eye, she saw that Ross was at least honest enough to look ashamed.

"Some, perhaps," Bobby said in the remarkably calm voice he'd used throughout the interview. "But there are some cops who do like me…Or at least owe me…And then there's the ones who are just good cops…"

"You tell yourself that, Detective. But they looked for you only because they wanted me," Linley sneered.

"Well…They found you, didn't they?"

Bobby unzipped his leather binder. "We…All of us on the task force…We're starting to think you're not what you say you are…At the very least, you're not what you used to be."

"What? What do you mean?" It was obvious that Bobby's calm demeanor increasingly infuriated Linley.

"Well…Mark told us you didn't touch Marion Brewster. You just watched."

"I told him…"

"You know what I think?" Bobby leaned forward. "I think you're like Declan Gage…I think you're old and your skills are deteriorating. If they were that good to start with…"

Linley jerked against his restraints. "I've left dead women all over the East Coast…I got you…A NYPD Major Case detective…Because of what Gage told me about you…That big heart of yours…He said it would always be your weakness…That you care for people…People who aren't worth half of you…"

"I've never bothered with that distinction," Bobby said. "Much easier to assume I'm not as important as anyone else…And…You know…It's a good bet…I don't really have anyone…"

"I have a legacy…More than you have," Linley said.

"Mark?" A smile played on the corners of Bobby's mouth. "Mark's not much of a legacy."

"My victims…All of them…"

"Oh…Those…" Bobby pushed his chair back, stood, and began striding around the room. "You know we've already found some of the bodies. We've figured out your patterns…"

"You," Alex thought. "You figured it out, Bobby. You did it."

"There's nothing especially interesting about your crimes. At least from what we know about you and your victims. You're not especially creative or prolific."

"I caught you!" Linley shouted.

"No…" Bobby waved his index finger back and forth. "Mark caught me…Mark tortured me…If Mark had had his way, I'd be dead. You messed it up."

"No…I planned it. I was the master."

"Master?" Bobby laughed the hollow laugh Alex hated when he used it against Caldwell. "You didn't even get rid of my cell phone. And you didn't get me to break…"

"Yes…Yes I did," Linley insisted. "Right before they came. You broke."

Bobby sat and cocked his head. "I knew help was coming. I knew it was a matter of minutes. I didn't break. I was…resigned."

"You…I know you." Linley shook with rage."Gage…Gage said you were fascinating…You could've become something like me…"

Alex held her breath. She felt Ross's tension grow.

"But I didn't," Bobby said calmly. "I made a choice. I'm not sure how or why it happened…But I made a choice…The right one…"

"Gage said that you felt guilty because you left your mother…Your brother…" Linley's eyes gleamed. "And…And you didn't pay attention to Mark and me…You were responsible for that thing's death…And Detective Eames…You were responsible for what happened to her."

The words struck Bobby silent.

"I know why you stayed quiet while we tortured you…Why you stayed silent…You wanted it…You needed it…It was your penance. We did you a favor!"

Before Ross could charge into the room, Bobby responded.

"We? I don't recall you doing anything. You told Mark what to do, but you never did anything that I can remember. I don't think you could or can. You're an impotent, weak old man. Not a master…Not a great serial killer…Just a weak old man…"

Linley seethed.

"I bet you didn't kill a quarter of the people you claim," Bobby continued.

"I did!" Linley shouted.

"Prove it," Bobby said. "We need more than the words of a weak, forgetful old man."

"The place where I lived before that bitch sent me to prison. In the attic. In the eastern corner. There's a place between the roof and the beams. My records are there. They'll prove what I'm saying. You'll see…"

There was a great buzz and rush behind Alex and Ross.

"Great," Ross muttered. "Didn't anyone check on this?"

Alex's attention focused on Bobby, whose shoulders slumped slightly.

Linley realized what he'd just revealed. "You…You bastard…You son of a bitch…"

Bobby slowly raised his head, and a bitter smile crossed his face. "You may be closer than you know," he said softly. He stood, picked up his binder, and started to leave.

"No! No!" Linley shouted. "This can't be! You…This isn't over…Our battle…"

The two uniforms rushed in the room and started to try to get Linley out of the room.

"The only battle was on your side," Bobby said wearily. "I'm not here because of some personal vendetta. I'm not here to save Declan Gage's reputation. I'm here to help the families of the victims and because it's what I do."

"We should've grabbed that bitch you have as a partner!" Linley shouted as the cops struggled with him. "You should thank me! I gave you what you wanted!" His voice faded as he was dragged away from the room.

END CHAPTER 39