"Take your time with the investigation, for it will be your last chance to realize you’re wrong again.When I come for you, you won't see me coming.It will be soon, Dr.Payne.Very soon.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
"All right, I have two things for you," Derek said to Alison.
They were back in the CBI offices, and Thomas Bennet was in handcuffs.Derek had a lightness about him.He was sure they had their man.
Alison knew it pointed toward Bennet, but the way he had spoken back in the community hall unbalanced her.He was nothing like she expected, and he came across as a man reformed who truly believed in what he was saying.
"What do you have?"she asked.
"First, we’ve put a message out through all media outlets: news stations, social media channels, paper-based publications in the next few days, and targeted ads," Derek said."We’re encouraging women to speak up and come forward, and there will be guarantees of protection where needed and special liaisons for them.It’s a work in progress, but we want to ensure we don't lose any witnesses.This is all because of you."
"I appreciate you putting that into action," Alison said."I really feel this will help a lot of women.Maybe some won't come forward, but many will.What’s the second thing?"
"We already have the credit card transactions and CCTV evidence of Bennet being at two of the locations, but there’s more," Derek said."He claims to have not been in the area because of the three women, but in the last three weeks, Bennet has accessed court documents from the three trials the women were involved in."
"Okay, that is suspicious," Alison said.
"Right?You’d think he would have mentioned that when we first spoke to him, especially when I mentioned the woman by name.I know you’re still skeptical, but this is a lot more evidence than any of the other suspects we’ve brought in."
"No, you’re right," Alison said."I just… I believe he’s trying to help people, and I’m sure he cares about the men he’s helping.Still, he can do that while still being a killer.The killer we’re looking for is likely a functioning member of society.It’s unlikely they’re dedicating their life only to murder and have no one in their life.That fits with Bennet.We know we’re looking for someone connected with the justice system, someone perhaps wanting to target me, and someone who’s capable of violence while being calm and calculating.He ticks all those boxes.And it’s a good cloak to hide behind.Everything he does and says might be covering for the fact that he’s a killer."
"I think when he sees what we have on him, he’ll crack.He was far too calm and calculated back at the community hall.Too calm.I don't buy it."
"He did ask for a lawyer as soon as you arrested him," Alison admitted."Before that, he was happy to answer our questions, and I did believe that he wanted to help the investigation.He might be genuine, or he could have something to hide."
"He’s hard to read," Derek said.
"Maybe," Alison replied.
There was a lot of evidence against him, and that tipped the needle in one direction, but he had spoken earnestly, and that tipped the needle in the other direction.The thing was that Alison believed what he said.That gave way to a more chilling conclusion: Bennet was superior to her, and his manipulation had become so good that he could manipulate her without her knowing.
"I’m ready to go in there," she said to Derek.She was ready to face the man who could be her greatest challenge.
Derek led the way, hoping his folder of evidence.He opened the door and entered first, with Alison following.
Thomas Bennet sat at the metal table in handcuffs, his lawyer beside him.The lawyer wore jeans and a shirt and had a roughness about him.Alison didn't know the lawyer but had a hunch that he had been chosen because of that rough edge, and perhaps he was an ex-criminal himself, now reformed.
"Is this necessary?"the lawyer asked as Derek and Alison walked to the table to join them.He pointed at the handcuffs on his client’s wrists."My client has been nothing but cooperative and poses no risk.Can we take the handcuffs off, please?"
"Your client is the prime suspect in a murder investigation," Derek replied."We’ll leave the cuffs on for now."
"It’s fine," Thomas assured his lawyer."As soon as we’ve cleared all of this up, we can remove the handcuffs.They're not all that uncomfortable compared to some previous occasions."Thomas chuckled."Special Agent Sullivan was very gentle."
Derek and Alison sat at the table opposite Thomas and his lawyer.Derek took his time producing his evidence.He took out the two still images captured from the CCTV cameras and the three credit card statements, each with one line highlighted.He flipped them to face Thomas and his lawyer and slid them across the table.
"Oh, come on," the lawyer said."My client already told you where he was on all three occasions.On all three occasions, he was visiting clients to counsel them.He does that for dozens of clients, and the three on those occasions are regular clients.We have already provided my client’s online calendar with the appointments scheduled.I assume you’ve reached out to the three clients and confirmed he was with them at the stated times?"
"We have reached out," Derek said."The only problem is that all three women were killed after the scheduled meetings.So, Mr.Bennet had ample time to meet with his clients and then kill the women."
"So, what?He goes around killing women at residences that happen to coincide with meetings he has with clients?"the lawyer asked.
"If he happened to be in the area right before all three murders, that is some coincidence," Derek said.
"And coincidences happen," the lawyer confirmed."You also stated that a call was made to the police after the third murder.You believe that to be the killer, right?My client was with one of his clients at the time the call was made.If the killer made the call, as you believe, then my client can't be the killer."
"We assumed the killer made the call to draw us there, but we can't be certain about that.The number was blocked, and we don't know where the call came from.We don't know who made the call."
