"I still don't like it," Juliet announced. Her arms were folded over her chest defensively as she stared through the mirror into the interrogation room. Yin was on the other side, and even if it was impossible, she felt like he could see her.
Lassiter sighed, "We caught him O'Hara. We have evidence that can link him to everything that happened last year, and the gun we found matches the bullet that killed Yang. He's finished," Carlton reaffirmed.
That didn't help her one bit. "Doesn't that feel convenient to you?" She bit her lip; none of this felt real. She'd spent all year agonizing over interrogating this son of a bitch. It was supposed to be pulling teeth and mind games, waiting for him to slip up just slightly so they could catch him in a lie. But all of the evidence they needed to convict him of all his known crimes had been sitting in the house. A confession would just be icing on the cake; it might even get him some leniency in court. Carlton wasn't inclined to allow him that leniency.
Juliet let out a ragged breathe, sick of trying to hold it together. These last few days had been an emotional rollercoaster. She wished Shawn was there. He'd see right through Yin, he'd know what the psycho was up to. If only he'd call her. Wrapping her arms around herself Juliet closed her eyes. He wasn't returning her calls. He hadn't even shown up while they were arresting Yin. She'd needed the closure of seeing Yin loaded into the back of the squad car and she'd thought it might do him some good-she'd said so in all five of the messages she'd left him before they had entered Rodger Larson's house- but he hadn't shown up. She ran a hand through her hair. Maybe everything had been too raw for him, maybe he'd just needed more time to work through what he was dealing with. But she wouldn't know what he was thinking until he talked to her.
She shivered. Had Yin even blinked in the last twenty minutes?
"I just got your message," Gus said, jogging up to them. "You needed me for an I.D?" He glanced in the mirror and paused, "That's him." He shivered too. "I can't believe Shawn and I ever…" Gus shook his head.
"Where is Spencer?" Lassiter asked, looking over Gus's shoulder and into the hallway for the obnoxious consultant.
Gus hesitated. "I thought he was already here," he frowned and turned to Juliet, "He hasn't responded to any of my calls after …last night," Juliet had been on her way back to her car when Gus had returned with the jerk chicken. Gus shifted uncomfortably and frowned. Shawn rarely needed-or wanted-to be alone this long.
"I didn't think he'd miss this," Gus muttered, pulling out his phone. Shawn hadn't called or texted. He glanced anxiously at Juliet, who shrugged; no she hadn't heard from him either. Gus sighed; he didn't like this one bit.
Juliet bit her lip. Shawn had promised he'd come back. He wouldn't break his promise would he? He hadn't left town…no. Shawn wouldn't do that to them. He would see this through to the end, no matter what he was dealing with.
Gus seemed to read her thoughts, "He wouldn't Juliet," Gus said calmly, his eyes fierce.
Lassiter glanced between them, "Wouldn't what?"
"Leave," Juliet muttered quietly, barely able to say the words. She trusted him. He'd looked her straight in the eyes and promised her that he was coming back. But he'd also looked her in the eye for five years and told her he was psychic. She trembled. No, this was different. But he'd been so scared…
McNabb joined them tentatively, obviously skittish to be so close to the serial killer who had nearly killed him last year. "Um, guys, Chief sent me down here. She wants to know how the interrogation is coming," he said nervously.
Lassiter sighed and glanced up at the mirror, "Waiting him out is part of the process." Nobody in the room was going to challenge that thin excuse.
McNabb nodded, "Ms. Raven made the Chief nervous when she called I think. Mary said that even though we caught Yin before he could put his plan into action, we may not have stopped some of the puzzle pieces," Buzz hesitated, "She said…she said that he might have already taken a victim, and just hadn't put the clues into play for us yet," his voice trembled.
Juliet felt her face go pale, "It's been over 48 hours Carlton. We still don't know what choice Shawn was suppose to make. There were no indications of that at the house," blood was pounding in her ears. They had Yin, but what if he had someone, someone who hadn't been reported missing, who wouldn't be found unless they broke Yin. It had seemed too easy. "What if that was his plan?" she murmured, her knuckles going white as she clenched them into fists.
"What?" Carlton frowned.
Her voice got higher, more panicked as the pieces fell into place, "He was just sitting there…waiting for us. What if he took another victim, and we just don't know about it yet? We may be able to convict him for everything else, but if there's a live victim out there then…," her tongue felt heavy, it was resisting saying the words, "Then he still has all the power," she finished. It didn't matter if they could convict him for her kidnapping, for Abigail's, for Yang's murder. None of that mattered if he had another victim in play.
Lassiter swore softly, "O'Hara, let's get in there," he muttered. "Guster, I want you to get Henry and go find Spencer. I don't care what crap he's dealing with. If Mary's right, we're gonna need him." Carlton didn't wait for an answer; he swung into the interrogation room.
Juliet closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. She felt a hand on her arm and opened her eyes to see Gus staring at her in concern. She smiled, "I'll be ok Gus," she promised, sounding much more confident than she felt. Hesitating only momentarily before she pushed the door open, she grit her teeth as instantly, she saw Yin's eyes slither over to her.
He grinned. "Detective O'Hara," he said, his voice surprisingly tranquil, "I'm glad to see you're doing well," he nodded.
Her nostrils flared, "Why don't you just tell us what we want to know, and we can have McNabb escort you back to your cell," she folded her arms across her chest, shifting her weight to one foot impatiently.
Yin smiled, "Well what exactly is it you want to know detectives? I believe you found your smoking gun, quite literally, at my house," he turned to Carlton, "I'm sick you see," he shrugged.
Carlton grit his teeth, and Juliet watched him, impressed with the unusual level of restraint he was showing.
"The last note you left, at the scene of Yang's murder. You said that Shawn had another choice to make," Juliet grit her teeth, forcing her voice to remain professional and unaffected by Yin's presence and his psychotic smirk, "What was your plan?"
Yin smiled, "That's private Detective."
"Private?"
"It's between me and Shawn," his smile widened, "It had nothing to do with you or Ms. Lytar, I promise."
Her hands twitched, and she briefly fantasized about putting a bullet between his eyes just for good measure. Juliet inhaled deeply, then let a breath that was shakier then she would have liked it to be.
Yin glanced around the room curiously, "Where is Shawn by the way? I was hoping to get to meet him, face to face," he looked at Juliet, his calm smile returning.
"Spencer didn't think you were worth his time," Lassiter replied cooly.
Yin's smile erupted. It was surprisingly toothy, "Yes, much too busy I'm sure," he murmured. He paused for a long moment, "What's he up to these days?...Following his dreams?" Yin goaded.
Lassiter slammed his chair back and lunged for Yin. Juliet leaped between them, pulling her partner back, "Carlton!" He tried to fight her, "Carlton! He's not worth it," she insisted. He breathed deeply, steam practically coming out his ears, "He's not," she promised, giving one last warning shove to push him away from Yin.
Yin chuckled, "You know, we considered you Carlton. You're more of a Yang than a Yin, but…" he shook his head, "If not for that nasty temper of yours…" he laughed, "Well let's just say this encounter might be a lot different."
They froze. "What the hell are you talking about?" Lassiter growled.
Yin shrugged. "I'm saying that you are ultimately inconsequential, Detective Lassiter," Yin said calmly, looking at Lassiter as if he was a small child.
Lassiter turned to Juliet, "This is a waste of our time O'Hara," he muttered. Her partner moved towards the exit, more than fed-up with Yin. Juliet put her hand on his arm, stopping him.
"The SBPD has everything it needs to lock you up for a very very long time," she fixed him with her most determined glare, ignoring the icy chill that went down her spine. "As a courtesy, you're being given the chance to confess to the crimes you've committed-it might even get you leniency during your sentencing," She bit her lip, if she revealed their suspicions about another victim he could run them in circles, on the other hand, Yin didn't seem to be in the giving mood, so if she didn't ask, they'd probably never know. "It's also your chance to tell us what you were planning for your game this time," she stiffened as a smirk spread across his face, "Use that chance or don't use it-either way," she leaned in, angrily, her hands on the edges of the table. Yin sat still, his hands folded patiently in front of him, "You're finished," she hissed.
Yin stared at her calmly for a long moment before sighing, "You think I have another victim." It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
The corner of his lip twitched upwards.
She heard Carlton swear softly behind her and knew he'd seen the smallest twitch too. It was true then. Yin definitely had another victim in play.
Elsewhere:
"So you're the new Yang huh," Shawn muttered, twisting and flexing his good wrist as much as he could, hoping to loosen the restraints.
Mary Raven laughed. "It's pretty amazing isn't it? I mean, I spent so long hearing about how brilliant Mr. Yang was from Mary at school…Yang was like a celebrity to me. A role model of what the absolute perfect serial killer looked like. When Yin approached me I was…honored," her expression darkened, "Of course, me being the new Yang only happened because the other Yang failed," she turned to Shawn, the look in her eyes far from sane, "When she saw me, standing outside the armored truck with a gun pointed right at her, she just…laughed," Yang grinned, "And then I put a bullet between her eyes."
Shawn clenched his jaw. "That's a lovely story," he muttered darkly. The pain from his leg and other injuries was starting to get to him, making it harder to stay conscious.
Yang laughed and pulled a chair over, sitting down right in front of Shawn. "I don't quite know what to do with you Shawn," Mary muttered, surveying his face carefully. "I wanted to be here, Yin didn't need to convince me. " She bit her lip, "A catalyst is really what you need to make you see the truth. Yin tried last year but," she laughed, "Well you know that didn't work." She sighed, "So here's how it's going to be: I'm going to give you one chance to join me peacefully. If you say no, I'm going to go out and kill somebody. Not just anybody Shawn-someone you know." Shawn stiffened, "No one you were particularly close too," she shrugged, playing with the knife in her hands, "Probably just a casual acquaintance of some sort. Maybe that coroner you've hit it off so well with…Woody? Or maybe that pesky ex-girlfriend Gina-although that would probably be doing you a favor…" Mary grinned, "And after I kill them, I'll come back, and give you another chance to join me. If you say no? Well, we will just repeat the same process," she stood up and leaned over his chair, "We'll do it over and over and over until you agree to take your rightful place as Yin."
Shawn chuckled darkly," Either I join you or you kill someone I care about," he shook his head, "That's hardly a choice."
Mary shrugged, "You have options; the fact that you consider one of them to have a bad outcome isn't my fault."
Shawn said nothing.
Yang shrugged, "People die Shawn. You can't help that. But if you join me you can influence the who and the when," she grinned evilly, "But until you join me, the choice is all mine."
He was silent a long moment before he spoke. Shawn sighed, "Before I except any job offers, we really need to talk about the benefits package. Medical? Dental? You know what, I'm sure you've got those covered," he nodded thoughtfully. "Now vacation days? What? Two weeks off? Pretty standard. I think I'm going to take some of that time off now," Shawn grinned, "You can e-mail me, through the Psych office, and we will set up a nice meeting time, complete with virgin sacrifices, creepy robes, and chanting. But for now, you can untie me, and let me go. And we'll just, play the whole getting together to kill people thing by ear," Shawn shrugged nonchalantly.
Mary laughed humorlessly, "Shawn, I don't think you quite understand this partnership. You," she pushed the knife into his chest, the point digging into his flesh through his shirt, "Are a creature of chaos," she spun the knife skillfully and pointed it towards herself, "I'm not. I like order. I gave you your choice. You chose to-rather flippantly- say no," she walked towards the door and paused, "When I get back, there will be one less person in the world Shawn, and it will be all your fault."
Shawn felt his chest tighten, "No, wait! Mary stop," but the door was closed and the lock was being slide into place. Shawn trembled. He'd just signed someone's death warrant.