ght.” He frowned. “Grayson lawyered up and called in Sam Cross, but Kane has already spoken to him and he’s willing to allow Jo to speak to his client. Kane suggested letting her and Carter handle him—Sam Cross, I mean.”
Hackles up, Jenna shook her head. “No way. It’s my collar. I should be doing the interview.”
“It’s your call, but you know as well as I do that having a behavioral analyst like Jo asking the questions and Kane as her wingman, would make more sense. Grayson has a violent history and they need to find the underlying cause of it.” Wolfe sighed. “Kane obtained a DNA sample from him as well. Grayson wanted a soda, so Kane gave him one and bagged the can. I’m running it against Diane Tate’s DNA now.”
Jenna took the bottle of pain meds the nurse gave her and pushed them inside her pocket. “Trust Kane. He doesn’t miss a trick.” She gave the wheelchair a grimace but sat down. It was pointless arguing with hospital policy. “Shouldn’t you be home with Julie? Surely Webber can wait on the DNA results?”
“Julie was asleep before we arrived home.” Wolfe pushed the wheelchair out the door. “She’s bruised and shook up but okay. The doctor gave her something to sleep. Emily is sitting with her. I have a bag of body parts to take care of and you’ll need answers ASAP.”
It was good to see Jo and Carter sitting in the back seat of Wolfe’s truck. Jenna climbed in the front and turned to look at them. “Thank you so much for coming. My cruiser is at the office if you need it, and you’re welcome to stay in the cottage.”
“Thanks. We’ll move our gear into the trunk when we get to the office.” Carter looked her over and frowned. “You look like you need some rest. Nasty bruise you have on your head, and your arm must be painful.”
Jenna shook her head. “They gave me something for the pain, but I’m not missing the interview with Grayson. This guy is one of a kind.”
“If the DNA comes back a match, I have a way of getting through to him.” Jo leaned forward in her seat. “I’ll need to speak to the DA, but as he was ten at the time of his mother’s murder, I might have a way to get inside his head and convince him to admit to the ski lodge murders.”
Fifty-Eight
The smell of fresh coffee greeted Jenna when she arrived at the office. In her absence, Kane had fed the prisoner, arranged his legal counsel, and ordered in a ton of food from Aunt Betty’s Café. He was currently waiting outside the interview room, to make sure the secured Grayson didn’t cause a problem for his lawyer, Samuel J. Cross. Maggie had returned to the office and informed her that Rio had written his statement and Kane had sent him home. He’d be back first thing in the morning to assist Rowley.
Jenna led Jo and Carter into her office and went to the coffee machine. “We might as well grab something to eat while Grayson is talking to his lawyer. There’s a ton of food here. Help yourself. It’s going to be a long night.” She poured coffee, grabbed some sandwiches, and looked at Jo as they returned to her desk. “So how do you want to do this?”
“I guess it all depends on how much Sam Cross allows him to say.” Jo sat down and placed her food and coffee on the desk. “A psychopath, and I’ve little doubt he is one, isn’t easily intimidated. They like to believe they have the upper hand. Reasoning with them never works, so we have to make it appear that we are offering him a way out of trouble.”
“He must know he’s facing serious jail time.” Carter collapsed into a chair and let out a long weary sigh before tossing his Doberman, Zorro, a few cold sausages and adding a few more to Duke’s plate. “I figure we suggest making a deal with the DA to take the death penalty off the table if he cooperates with us.”
Intrigued, Jenna sipped her coffee, allowing the rich brew to spill over her tongue. Kane had insisted on supplying the office with his special blend of coffee and she’d missed it being away for so long. She nodded. “Maybe suggest he’ll be immortalized in the FBI’s ongoing research into psychopathic behavior. It worked for James Stone, one of our other cases. He lapped it up.”
“Yeah, they sure like to be famous.” Jo smiled. “Grayson is particularly of interest mainly because he switched his MO for each victim and none of them resembled the slash, kill, mutilate cycle he had as a kid.” She nibbled at a sandwich. “We can use that fact… that interest in him to make him talk.” She looked at Jenna. “Kane should be involved. His insight is an asset and so is Ty’s.”
“Why thank you, ma’am.” Carter grinned. “I have interviewed a few psychopaths in my time, but I’ve learned a whole lot from you.”
“Sam Cross is waiting outside.” Kane walked into the office, closing the door behind him. He wore an exhausted expression and nodded to Carter and Jo. “He didn’t specify what he wanted. I guess he needs to discuss something with you, Jenna.”
Why would the defense lawyer, Sam Cross, want to consult with her about anything? They’d never gotten along, and had crossed swords many a time. Concerned, she nodded. “Send him in. He’ll be talking to all of us as Jo and Carter are officially involved now.”
“Okay.” He grabbed two chairs from alongside the wall and placed them in front of Jenna’s desk and then pulled open the door. “Come in and take a seat. You know special agents Jo Wells and Ty Carter. They’re involved in the case.”
Jenna waited for Cross to sit down and rested her aching arm on the desk. “What can I do for you?”
“My client is prepared to speak with you.” Cross drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “I gather that in the rage of battle he said a few things. Eyewitness accounts of three law enforcement officers and Julie Wolfe’s testimony to prove attempted murder is all you have. I will fight to defend him against the other charges and have told him so.”
“He won’t be getting bail.” Carter pushed back the brim of his Stetson. “We’re prepared to hold him pending further evidence for a time, so he won’t be fronting a judge for a while.”
“And I’ll be determining if I consider him a risk.” Jo leaned back in her chair.
Jenna met the lawyer’s gaze. “Wolfe is running tests as we speak that will tie Grayson into the death of his mother.” She shook her head slowly. “I honestly can’t believe you want to defend this guy. He tried to strangle Julie right in front of us. He begged us to allow him to kill one more time.”
“I’m a defense attorney.” Sam Cross stood and leaned on the table, eyeballing her. “I’m here to keep you honest. It wouldn’t be the first time you arrested the wrong man.” He checked his watch. “Are you ready to interview my client? It’s getting late.”
“You know the way.” Kane got to his feet and brushed past him on his way to the coffee machine. “The sheriff will be right along.”
Jenna’s phone buzzed as the door closed. It was Wolfe. She listened and smiled. “Thanks, that’s going to change things. I’ll tell the team. We haven’t interviewed Grayson yet.” She disconnected and looked at Kane. “The DNA is a match. The suspect is without doubt Paul Tate, our missing kid.” She looked at Jo. “Ready? Let’s do this.”
“Sure.” Jo stood. “May I suggest you start in and then I’ll take over the questioning with Kane? Once I’ve established a rapport, you and Carter can ask questions.” She smiled. “I have an idea. Kane, can I have a word?”
“Sure.” Kane pushed away from the counter and followed her into the hallway.