Chapter Twelve
Back at the station, the time had come. Chad sat in the interview room in front of me, an image of your typical college grad. Clean cut, innocent face—cute. “Would you like something to drink—eat?” I asked, attempted to create a sense of camaraderie with the young chap.
Chad gave an award-winning smile as he looked at me with pretty, blue eyes. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”
Neither the smile nor the eyes won me over. I’d like to do to this man what he had done to his victims, only worse. Even though I had the ability to do just that, I knew I couldn’t—mortal rules and all.
It didn’t mean the thought hadn’t crossed my mind and always would when I met these vicious killers.
And now, with all my doubts running through my mind about this whole situation, I seriously questioned doing just that. Instead, I held back and went through the procedure as I always did. I needed to ask questions—give the appearance I was a skilled interrogator before I locked him in and warped his mind to spill the beans. This was being videotaped, the camera in the corner was evidence of that. I needed to go through the procedure protocol called for.
“You are all so wonderful here,” Chad said, snapping me away from my thoughts.
Then his expression became confused. “Will I be going home soon?”
I gave a loud snort. “I highly doubt that.” I opened the file in front of me, took out all eight photos of his victims and spread them out in front of him. “Do you know these women?”
Chad leaned in and a twinkle of pride rose along his face. “Aren’t they so lovely?”
“They’re exquisite,” I concurred. “God’s marvels.”
Remembering what the doctor had told me, I focused my questions along the lines of his advice.
When the time came that he would be prosecuted, the doctor would indeed testify as to what he learned from Chad and also what he told me. I needed to make sure I covered my tracks with all this.
“That is just how I see them,” Chad marvelled.
Ah, ha. He was right where I wanted him. It was important I set out a path that would lead me to my final answers. Get him to admit that he knew them. I had to make it appear that I’d broken through to him. “So you do know these women?”
“God knows those women and I am his messenger.”
It was more curiosity that led me to my next question. Now that I had him here, it intrigued me a little to understand the way his mind worked. “What message are you sending them?”
“That they are beautiful and loved. That they’re God’s creation and he is proud of them.”
That was certainly the most f**ked up thing I’d ever heard. It was hard to really grasp how his mind worked. I suspected no matter how much time I spent with him, I wouldn’t understand. “And why do you feel the need to tell them this?”
As Chad leaned down to examine the pictures more closely, his expression immediately turned dark. “These woman defied God.”
“I know that,” I said, eager to move along. “They had to be punished.”
The questions were moving along just as I hoped it would. Things were falling into place that would allow me to capture his mind and gain the truth from him without arising suspicion.
Chad looked away from the photos and met my gaze. He gave a cruel smile that spoke of the evil that lived inside of him. “I defeated the Devil out of them.”
On that disturbing note, I reached back into his file and pulled out the photo of Sabrina. “What about this woman?”
Chad’s brows furrowed as he eyed the paper with disgust. “She sinned.”
This was the real Chad. The one the women must have faced when they died. He looked at the others as if they were treasures. Since he hadn’t seen Sabrina’s dead body and decorated her face, she was still a person that needed to be saved by him. “This one has yet to be saved.”
Shame crossed Chad’s face and the disgust melted away as he looked like a little school boy being scolded. “I have failed Him.”
“There’s still time.” I hoped he’d give me something. I tried to remain calm but knowing that soon I could just will the truth out of him, I began to get antsy. “Take us to her and I will let you complete your mission.”
The darkness in his gaze only intensified. “You are not welcome there. God would not forgive me.”
Right then, I realized he’d just given me a clue. If I went into this questioning further, it would be obvious that he spilled the truth out of nowhere. I had him right where I wanted him. “Chad, look at me.” He did so. “God will forgive you if you act now. Where have you put Sabrina?”
Chad’s eyes glazed over. His contact was steady with mine. “In God’s house.”
I nodded, not surprised by his answer. “Yes, you want to send her to God, I’ve got that. Where?
What location?”
His brows drew together as if he struggled with himself. Almost as if he was searching for the answer, but kept coming up blank. “In God’s house,” he repeated.
Fuck, this was going to be hard. His mind was so confused and sick—asking simple questions just wouldn’t register with his mind. I tried a different route. “If you needed to go and see Sabrina, where would you go?”
“To God’s house,” he repeated.
“Oh for f**k sakes,” I snapped. “Yes, you’d go to God’s house, but where is it, Chad? What’s the street name?”
Chad smiled, a proud expression flashed across his face. “God’s house lives in us all.”
I threw up my hands up in frustration and wanted to flip him the bird or slam his head down on the table. Before I could snap out another question or act on my impulses, a knock sounded on the two-way mirror.
My chair hit the wall as I slammed it back, I scowled at Chad then headed for the door. I flung it open, stepped into the other room and slammed it behind me. “What is it?”
Mike let out a very tired sound. “We need to change our course.” He gave me firm look. “This isn’t working and we need to break him.”
Pride wanted me to yell, let me back in there, but I knew he was right. My power over him wasn’t strong enough. He was answering my questions truthfully, but I didn’t have enough strength to will what lay deep in his troubled mind. Talk about a punch to the stomach. Here I was, a powerful vampire with an ability to dive deep into a mortals mind and I failed at doing just that.
I stayed in my pity-party for well over five minutes as Mike discussed our next steps.
Then, suddenly, an idea suddenly presented itself. I quickly glanced at Kellen, examining.
His brows furrowed as he watched me in return with a look of complete bewilderment on his face. “What?”
“You?” I pointed at him.
He arched a brow and that confusion on his face only deepened. “Me…what?”
“You’re an excellent interrogator. It’s why you’re here.” I winked. “You have a go at him.”
Mike nodded with excitement. “That’s right.” He smacked his head clearly annoyed with himself. “My mind is so busy I forgot the obvious. From what I’ve heard of you, you’re legendary.”
I rolled my eyes at that. Of course, Kellen would feed a bunch of bullshit to make himself look like some rising star. “Yes, Kellen—you are the best.”
Kellen’s lips tightened as he gave me a rebuking look. He looked like he was about to refuse, but before he could, I glanced at Mike. “You’re going to ignore this conversation.”
Nick stepped forward. “What—“
Before he could finish his words, I repeated the line to him too. Both men instantly went quiet, their eyes glazed over as they were lost in space. I glanced back at Chase and Kellen, who both gave me a studied look. “You can mind-warp him, Kellen. Of course, you’ll have to pretend to interrogate him, but you can get in deeper into his mind then you can will it out of him. My powers just can’t go up against his mind, but you…” I really hated admitting this. “…are more powerful than I am.”
Kellen scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I have no clue how to interrogate anyone, Hadley.”
As if there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. I patted his cheek reassuringly. “I’m confident you’ll do just fine here.” Kellen was a very old vampire. He exuded strength. I didn’t doubt that once he captured him, he would get the answers we needed. A mortal couldn’t refuse to answer Kellen, no matter how messed his mind was. He would have to be tricky, ask the right questions, but I had no doubt he would manage just fine.
I glanced at Mike and Nick, snapped my fingers to make sure they both looked at me. “You can listen again.”
The haze cleared their eyes, they both blinked once then Mike said, “Kellen, are you up for this challenge?”
Chase laughed.
Mike shot him an annoyed look and his brows furrowed with unhappiness.
“Something about this amuses you?”
Chase shook his head as he bit his lip. “Nope, nothing at all.”