Murder Takes the High Road(84)

“I might as well have walked out, for all we got out of him.”

Pine shrugged. “You opened up a dialogue. Maybe that’s worth something.” From his tone, Pine didn’t believe it.

“Maybe.” Elliot didn’t believe it either.

“Do you think he’s serious about trying to claim he had an accomplice?” Pine asked a short time later as they were walking to the parking lot.

It was a relief to be outside. To fill his lungs with fresh air and feel the sunlight on his face. Elliot had nearly forgotten that stale, metallic, disinfected scent unique to correctional institutions. The blur of chemicals was intended to mask sweat and urine and the inevitable odor of way too many people packed into too small a space for too long a time.

Pine added, “That had to be what he meant by ‘my work is done.’ Why would he wait till now to play that card?”

Elliot shook his head. It was definitely late in the game for that move. But then Corian was playing his own game. And making the rules up as he went. “An apprentice? An acolyte? Who the hell knows?”

“That’s for sure. Homicidal freak,” Pine muttered.

Corian was an aberration, true enough, and nothing would have made Elliot happier than to never have to gaze into his odd tiger eyes again. But declining Corian’s invitation was a luxury he didn’t feel he had a right to. Not with so many grieving people waiting for answers.

Wednesdays were not regular visiting days for the detention center, and the large sloped lot was largely empty. Elliot had parked in the shade of a spindly maple, leaves already starting to yellow in the September sun.

“He can’t plead not guilty,” Pine said. “Not with the mountain of evidence we’ve got against him. He can’t imagine—”

“Hell yeah, he’ll plead not guilty.” Elliot was almost touched by Pine’s na?veté. “They always plead not guilty. His lawyers have already laid the groundwork for not guilty by reason of insanity and they’ll keep hauling witnesses onto the stand to testify he’s nuttier than a fruitcake. Which he is. Though not in the eyes of the law. Not so far. So yes, I think it’s entirely feasible he’ll try to play that card. What does he have to lose?”

Nothing. And they all knew it. Including Corian.

Pine gave a curt “See you at the briefing this afternoon.”

Elliot raised a hand in dismissal and peeled off, striding toward his silver Nissan 350Z.

Pine stopped. Turned back. “Mills.”

Elliot looked up from unlocking his car door.

“If he’s not lying about an accomplice...”

Elliot nodded. “Yeah. The thought occurred to me.”

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