Page 26 of The Girl He Claimed

"Don't play games withus," Christopher growled. "We have evidence linking you to the ExsanguinationKiller's murders. You can't deny it."

Dr. Chang's eyes darted around, andPaige tightened her grip on her gun. "Stay where you are, Dr. Chang. Wehave questions to ask you about the Exsanguination Killer."

Dr. Chang looked over at Paige withsomething between pity and contempt.

"What's this really about,Paige? After our session, I know how much you've been looking for answers. Areyou so desperate that you'll do whatever it takes to make someone lookguilty?"

"Are you going to cooperate,Dr. Chang?" Christopher asked. "Or are we going to arrest you hereand now?"

Dr. Chang paused. "I heardabout what happened to Professor Thornton and his wife," she said."It was on the news. I know how much they meant to you, Paige. And you,Agent Marriott. The news said that you lost your wife recently."

She sounded as though she were inthe middle of a therapy session rather than being on the verge of beingarrested. She made it sound as if she were in control of the whole situation.

"We're not here to talk aboutthat," Paige said.

"But my guess is that'sexactly why you're here. You're angry, you're grieving, and somehow, at random,you've latched onto me. Now, you're bursting into my house and-"

Paige had had enough. She put thebutterfly hair clip down on the kitchen counter, where Dr. Chang could see it.

"This was found at the sceneof the Thorntons' murder," Paige snapped. "And I'm not prepared to dothis here."

She moved forward, grabbing Dr.Chang's arms and wrenching them behind her back while Christopher covered her.She handcuffed Dr. Chang.

"You'd better get your lawyerto meet us at the FBI's offices, Dr. Chang, because you're under arrest."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Paige stood outside the FBIinterrogation room, trying to hold back her frustration as she watched Dr.Chang conferring with her lawyer through the one-way mirror there.

Paige couldn't believe that Dr.Chang was still denying any involvement with the murders. The evidence againsther, the presence of her hairclip, was strong, but she seemed unfazed by itall. Paige had half expected the doctor to start boasting about what she'd donewhen Paige had set down the hair clip on her kitchen counter.

Instead, it seemed that Dr. Changwas determined to keep denying this all the way. Paige knew that she needed toget to the bottom of this and find out why Dr. Chang was doing this. Thisinterrogation was going to be a contest of wills, of trying to get inside thepsychologist's head even while she tried to get into Paige's. It was abouttrying to get her to admit her part in this, or, failing that, to try to gether to show enough of what she was like to convince a jury that she was thepsychopath Paige thought she was.

As she stood outside, she heard thedoor behind her open. It was Christopher, who must have just finished reviewingsome of the evidence with the forensic team.

"Any updates?" Paigeasked.

Christopher shook his head."Not yet. Forensics don't have any DNA or fingerprints to compare Dr.Chang's to. We've pulled some from the hairclip and that will match, butthere's nothing from the rest of the scene. We've managed to get warrants onthe basis of the hair clip, so I have a CSI team going through her house whilea tech team is looking through her digital footprint. If there's anything thereto link her to any of the crimes, they'll find it. But it will take time."

Time. That was the hardest part ofthis, having to stand there and let everyone else involved do their jobs. Paigedidn't want to wait, didn't want to be patient. She wanted to go in there andforce answers out of Dr. Emily Chang, whatever it took. Paige knew that she hadto hold that impulse in check, but it was hard.

"Are you going to be able todo this?" Christopher asked her.

Paige nodded, staring at the one-waymirror. "I have to. We have to get as much evidence as we can for herinvolvement, and we need to find out where Adam Riker is. To do that, we needto get her to start talking."

Paige knew that would be anythingbut easy. Even in her one session with Dr. Chang in a professional capacity, itwas obvious that she was intelligent, perceptive and used to being in controlof things. The Exsanguination Killer's MO suggested that she was careful, thatshe planned for every possibility, and that she never gave away anything shedidn't have to.

"We will," Christophersaid. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

Paige nodded, took a breath, andheaded into the interrogation room.

Inside, Dr. Chang was sittingcalmly, her lawyer by her side. The lawyer was a man of about fifty, in a darkgrey suit and with a stern expression. Paige took a seat across from Dr. Chang,trying to keep her emotions in check and be professional.

She had to keep her cool and stayin control of the situation. She was the one asking the questions, and if Dr.Chang thought that she was losing her grip, she would have the upper hand.

"Dr. Chang, we have somequestions for you," Paige said, keeping her voice calm and measured."Questions that youcouldhave answered back at yourhouse."

"I have advised my client notto answer any questions," the lawyer started to say, but Dr. Chang lifteda hand, stopping him.

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