Page 29 of Inferno

“How about weakened structures to aid in the collapse of the building?” Julio said.

“And victims carefully chosen,” Samantha added. “Though, this last one had potentially collateral damage. Unless the arsonist intended to kill everyone in that meeting.”

Richard sat back in his chair. “How should I know? I’ve been in here for twenty years.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll see who has been visiting you.” She watched his eyes flare, and decided they also needed to check into mail he had received or sent. Everything was opened and checked. Every letter and package the inmate received went through close scrutiny.

If there was something to find, she was going to find it.

“Whoever he is,” Julio said, “he’s using your tactics. The tricks of your trade that you honed over all those years. Wouldn’t you want to know who it is that’s trying to steal your thunder?”

Richard shrugged one shoulder. “What’s to steal? I have nothing, and like I said, I don’t care about fire anymore.”

Samantha decided to try a different angle. One that wasn’t exactly on the table, but she could work out the details later if necessary.

“This guy knows everything about you,” she told him. “Which means you know exactly what kind of person he is. You could have valuable intel that will help us catch him before he kills someone else.”

Assuming Richard even cared enough to want to do the right thing.

But she had more leverage than just counting on his goodwill.

“If you provide us with information that leads to his capture, I can speak with the district attorney and find out what kind of concessions you might be able to receive. Rewards for good behavior. Maybe even a reduced sentence so you can see the light of day before you’re past being able to enjoy it.”

She was aware Julio had shifted. No surprise he didn’t like what she was saying, but he also didn’t object to it here. He had always trusted her ability to do her job, and she was counting on that trust right now.

This was a negotiation. As much as cops didn’t want to make it so, often interviews were nothing but a battle of wills on who could outsmart the other. She had always liked the thrill of figuring out how to persuade a suspect to talk to her.

Becoming a detective might have been at least in part about not being a beat cop anymore. But also, changing the direction of her career trajectory had been more about working cases than responding to calls. Getting her out of walking the beat where she had no idea what she would be responding to on any given day. Like entering a house and seconds later a bomb going off.

Now that she did the job, she knew she had the skills to do it well. She might even go so far as to say that being a detective was what she had been born to do.

Too bad being a cop had cost her everything else that was good in her life.

“And when anyone in here finds out I’m cooperating with the police?” He huffed out a laugh. “What do I care what happens on the outside? The only thing I’ve got left is me.” He thumped a hand on his chest. “And I’m not getting killed for trying to skate out of my sentence.”

Some cops, at this juncture, might start to threaten to take away what concessions he had already worked in for himself. The freedoms he had in this place. They might convince him they had the power to throw him in solitary for weeks at a time.

As far as Samantha was concerned, no one deserved inhumane treatment. Not even criminals.

“Then answer me one question before I go.”

Richard waited.

“First, your mother dies. Then your lawyer. So who’s next?” She paused. “If it was you, who would be next on the list?”

He studied her, probably thinking through his answer. Although if she had to guess she would say he already knew exactly who would be next.

The judge?

The arson investigator who had testified against him years ago, or one of the original investigating detectives, maybe?

Could be this current arsonist was planning on picking off every single member of the jury that had convicted Richard Sylvana twenty years ago.

Richard leaned slightly forward, a predatory smile on his face. “Have fun figuring it out.” He sat back in the chair and chuckled to himself.

“Come on.” Julio tapped her on the side of her arm. “Let’s go.”

Samantha stared down Richard for a few more seconds, then pushed the chair back and stood. He didn’t need to believe thatJulio was in charge. That lowered her in his eyes, diminishing his perception of her authority.

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