I’m standing when the door opens, and Lawson walks in with his hands cuffed and his feet shackled. The sight of him like this almost brings a smile to my face until I remember why he’s in here, and then my stomach drops to my knees. I’m tempted to place my hand over my stomach, but the sick bastard will suspect that I’m pregnant, and I can’t have that.
“Hello, pretty FBI lady.”
“Agent Hughes,” I say, correcting him. “I hope you’re being treated as poorly as possible.” The guard at the door chuckles and hides his grin behind his hand. “Sit down, Ted.” It dawns on me that his name is synonymous with criminals. It’s like he was doomed from the beginning.
Ted makes a tsking sound, and it sets me on edge. It creeps me out, and while I know or suspect I’m protected, I don’t feel safe. He sits slowly and methodically and never takes his eyes off mine. I divert my attention to the folder I brought in and open it. The first photo is of Constantin Samson. I set it on the table and watch while Ted looks at it.
“Do you know Samson?”
He shrugs.
“When did you meet him?”
He shrugs.
“When were you on his yacht?”
He shrugs.
“Did you pay him money?”
He shrugs.
I slam my hand down on the table, startling him. He smiles. “What’s your deal, Lawson?”
He leans back in his chair. “As I see it, you need me. I’m here for the rest of my life along with my secrets. My friends,” he pauses and looks at the picture of Samson. “They trust me to keep those secrets to myself.”
I knew this was the stance he would take. “I see. So, what do you want?”
“What do you mean, pretty FBI lady?”
His lack of respect for me is maddening. I clear my throat. “Clearly, you’re waiting for an offer. I need information that I know you have, and in exchange, you want something. So, what do you want?”
Lawson’s eyes widen. “I do love to negotiate.”
I highly doubt it. I nod and motion for him to continue.
“Let’s see.” He taps his lips with his finger, which is a bit comical since his hands are cuffed, so his other hand is just there, limp. “A conjugal, but she has to be untouched. Fresh,” he says as he licks his lips. “Blonde too.”
“You’re not married,” I point out.
“Well, someone to love then.”
“What you do to these girls isn’t love.”
His eyes darken and I know I’ve pissed him off. I have to watch my words, or he’ll stop cooperating. “They loved me, just as much as I loved them. Maybe even more.”
If I had my gun, I would shoot him. Instead, I pick up the folder and thumb through it until I find the image I need. It’s of a blonde, around ten, and completely fabricated on the computer. She bears no likeness to any human other than the head of a model a hairdresser would use. My team suspected this would be what he wanted and came up with the idea. I wasn’t on board at first because I didn’t want the image to look like any of our victims or any unsuspecting child out there. While Lawson won’t get to keep the image, I don’t need him describing this picture to someone on the phone. With one last look, I flip the photo around and slide it to the middle of the table. His eyes light up like the sky on the Fourth of July. My team had been right.
“Oh, she is delicious,” he says as his finger traces her make-believe face. I pull the photo away and put it back inside my folder.
“Now,” I say as I reach for my yellow notepad. “Tell me about Samson.”
He shrugs again but then says, “I’ve been on his yacht.”
“When?”
Again, with the shoulder. “Couple years ago, with Donna.” He looks at the small window and sighs. “I do miss her. She was so easy to manipulate. She was my first virgin, ya know. So perfect at thirteen.”
I hate my job.
“She wanted me, her older brother. She used to hide in my closet when I’d have girls over. I could see her behind the door, the dark shadow lurking. I always left the light on so Donna could see me, and I’d look at her while I fucked whatever girl was there. One time, I had a threesome, and little Donna stayed in my closet for hours, watching her big brother and the girls. I caught her once, getting herself off, and I told her I could do it for her. That I could make her feel good. That I’d be the only man never to let her down. And I didn’t let her down. I gave her a baby and tried to give her another. She desperately wanted a son.”