Page 30 of Inferno

Julio didn’t know that. Or didn’t consider it to be that big of a deal considering this guy would never be able to even touch her. However, in order for her to get her work done, somebody like Richard had to believe she had all the authority in the room.

“One more thing.” She turned back, leaning one fist on the table. “You have a son, don’t you?”

She saw the tiny flinch in his eyes.

“I’ll tell him you said hi.”

She turned and walked to the door, following Julio out into the hall. As soon as the door clicked shut, he said, “What was that about his son?”

“I needed a way to put him off balance, since he felt as if he ended with the upper hand. Now, next time I come in, he won’t be so sure of himself.”

Before Julio could say anything else, the warden approached them. His dress shoes clicked on the tile floor. Julio shook his hand, then said, “This is Detective Jesse. Samantha, this is Warden Bernstein.”

“Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand as well. “I’d like to talk about who visited Richard Sylvana over the years and if he has received or sent any mail.”

Warden Bernstein nodded. “I have an administrative assistant compiling all of that for you now. He’s only had a couple of visitors over the years. His mother, once or twice. A couple of reporters looking for a story, and a psychologist from the local university doing a research paper.”

“What about any letters or packages?” Samantha asked.

“We have documentation of everything that was sent and received. But it’s his incoming mail you’re going to want to take a look at.”

Julio said, “You have it?”

Warden Bernstein nodded. “While you had him in the interview room, we went through his cell and retrieved everything.”

Samantha wasn’t sure that was entirely above board. If Richard got himself a lawyer, he could probably argue an illegal search and seizure. Didn’t cell searches have to be pre-announced? She should find out. But if it saved lives? Warden Bernstein would have to be prepared to answer for his actions.

Bernstein led them to an open plan office with several desks. On top of one was a stack of letters. “They appear to be fan mail. For the most part they are one offs, random letters from people reaching out to Richard.”

“And the rest?” Samantha was all too aware of Julio standing beside her.

This had to be a test. If Romeo was right that God was doing something in her life, then the only possible thing she could think was that He was determined to test her resolve. To make sure she was really living the way she believed she should.

The warden lifted a letter and handed it to her.

“I’ll need to secure all these in evidence bags.” But she looked at it without touching the paper, seeing handwritten words on the page.

I have not yet shown you who I am. But one day you will see me. For I will become as you are, and then so much more.

Reborn in the flames.

The arsonist had reached out to Richard, his idol. Now he was killing people connected to Sylvana’s case. Those who had failed him, perhaps?

Julio said, “We need to find this guy before he kills someone else.”

He was right. At least about this.

They would see what else he was right about. Things she didn’t have the bandwidth to worry about when an arsonist was out there, looking for someone else to kill.

Time was running out.

TWELVE

Julio had been in the Benson Police Department before, but never in the office of the Intelligence division. It probably wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that he much preferred the homey feel of the firehouse. After all, as firefighters he and his colleagues spent so much time in their station that they had to make it feel like a home away from home. Bunk rooms, common room, and a full kitchen.

Then again, cops didn’t come to work and spend hours asleep until it was time to go out and respond to a call. The nature of their jobs was different, but in the end they both served the community. Meeting people on the worst day of their life and extending a hand to help them.

He carried the stack of water bottles in his hands from the break room Samantha had pointed out back to their “bullpen,” as she’d called it. No bigger than the kitchen and living area at the firehouse, they had packed eight desks in here, most of them back-to-back. File cabinets lining the walls. A huge cork board on wheels.

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