Page 50 of No Quarter

“You know our partner Will Cooper is receiving medical treatment,” Valerie said. “A broken nose, bruised ribs, and a possible concussion. He’s an FBI employee, you’re looking at a good amount of time for that.”

“Please don’t try to intimidate my client,” Torben’s lawyer said. He was a small man with red hair and a mustache to match, going by the name Mr. Linford.

“I’m not,” Valerie said. “But I do need some answers. Now.”

Torben stared at her in silence, his dark eyes menacing. He clearly wasn’t interested in talking.

“Do you know who we are?” Charlie asked, leaning forward with a cold intensity. “We’re from the FBI, and we have evidence linking you to one murder in Buford and another two up at Elmwood Retreat.”

Torben remained silent, his expression stony. But Valerie could sense the fear lurking just beneath the surface. They were close to getting what they needed out of him. But they would have to push harder to get it.

“Tell us what’s going on,” Charlie said firmly. He laid out three photographs on the table showing the three victims. “Why did you strangle these three women?”

Torben glanced at the photos, but still said nothing. His lawyer glared at them with frustration written all over his face.

“If you have hard evidence linking my client to these tragic deaths, I’d like to see it.”

Valerie felt frustrated. All they had was the fact that Torben fit their emerging profile. He had been violent. He had been a patient at Elmwood. And he ran at the first sign of the authorities.

“Your client is not helping himself,” Charlie said. “If he cooperates, we can go easy on him. If not, we’ll make sure he rots in jail for the rest of his natural life.”

Torben’s lawyer looked close to exploding with anger, but Torben himself finally spoke up.

“What do you want to know?” he asked, his voice a low growl.

Valerie felt the man’s guard dropping slightly out of tiredness. She would use that to prod deeper. She thought back to what Doctor Whitmore had told her about him. The question of whether he killed a family pet before he was originally sent to Elmwood

“Do you like dogs, Mr. Torben?” she said, leaning back in her chair.

The harsh fluorescent light above cast shadows on Peter Torben’s eyes. But it was clear this question affected him.

“What ... What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just answer the question,” Charlie said.

Torben stared down at his hands for a long time before finally replying.

“I used to have a Labrador,” he said eventually, his voice little more than a whisper. “He was my best friend.”

Peter Torben’s eyes welled up with tears and Valerie knew they had struck a nerve.

“What happened to him?” she asked gently.

“I killed him,” Torben said, his voice breaking. “At least, they say I did. I don’t know ... I don’t remember ... They said Istrangled him with my hands, but I go dark sometimes, and I can’t remember what I did and what I didn’t do.”

Valerie let the man’s confession hang in the air for a few moments before continuing.

“Why did you do it?” she asked.

Torben looked up at her, his eyes haunted.

“I don’t know,” he said softly. “I just ... I just couldn’t help myself.”

“Do you remember killing the dog, Mr. Torben?” Valerie asked, sensing uncertainty in him.

“No,” Torben said, shaking his head. “I don’t remember anything about it. But my family had me committed after it happened. They said I was a danger to myself and others.”

“And why did you agree to go to Elmwood?” Valerie asked.

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