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Chapters (82)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. FORTY
  44. FORTY-ONE
  45. FORTY-TWO
  46. FORTY-THREE
  47. FORTY-FOUR
  48. FORTY-FIVE
  49. FORTY-SIX
  50. FORTY-SEVEN
  51. FORTY-EIGHT
  52. FORTY-NINE
  53. FIFTY
  54. FIFTY-ONE
  55. FIFTY-TWO
  56. FIFTY-THREE
  57. FIFTY-FOUR
  58. FIFTY-FIVE
  59. FIFTY-SIX
  60. FIFTY-SEVEN
  61. FIFTY-EIGHT
  62. FIFTY-NINE
  63. SIXTY
  64. SIXTY-ONE
  65. SIXTY-TWO
  66. SIXTY-THREE
  67. SIXTY-FOUR
  68. SIXTY-FIVE
  69. SIXTY-SIX
  70. SIXTY-SEVEN
  71. SIXTY-EIGHT
  72. SIXTY-NINE
  73. SEVENTY
  74. SEVENTY-ONE
  75. SEVENTY-TWO
  76. SEVENTY-THREE
  77. SEVENTY-FOUR
  78. SEVENTY-FIVE
  79. SEVENTY-SIX
  80. Praise for Blood in the Water
  81. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  82. Newsletter Sign-up

Brooks was speaking as Vincente Carpio’s memories faded to the background. He was ticking through possible strategies for his defense. There might be flaws in the evidence, or reasons to challenge the science that was used to tie Carpio to the crimes. Vincente knew, though, that the science was sound. He’d been deliberate in letting the world know that he was responsible. Maybe there were other suspects that they could offer up to a jury to sow the seeds of doubt. That, too, was impossible. No one would mistake the deliberateness of Carpio’s handiwork. One final option was to plead insanity—the viciousness of the crimes themselves pointed to mental infirmity. But Carpio would never allow himself to be labeled insane. There was nothing infirm about his mind; his intellect towered over those of all who sought to prosecute him, and in that intellect he would find salvation.

“My next court appearance is in two weeks, correct?” he asked, interrupting the lawyer.

Brooks looked startled. “Yes,” he said. “Wednesday the thirteenth. You’ll be formally charged.”

“And you are my lawyer, so what I tell you, you cannot tell to the police?”

Brooks put his pencil down on the table and leaned back in his chair. Carpio saw him glance up at the camera in the corner of the room. “That’s right,” he said. “That would be a violation of my professional ethics.”

“Can I communicate to my brother through you?”

Brooks rubbed his chin. “That’s a little more complicated,” he said. “Anything I tell your brother is not privileged.” He paused. “And if I relayed anything related to illegal activity, I would be putting my law license in jeopardy. I would need a reason to do that.”

“Money.”

Brooks’ eyes went to the camera again before coming back to Vincente’s eyes. “It would have to be a lot of money.”

“Are you trustworthy?”

Brooks’ gaze now seemed to go inward, and he gave a dark smile. “I’ve never betrayed a paying client.”

Carpio nodded. He closed his eyes. “Describe this process where I am formally charged.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I want to know everything.”

THIRTY-ONE

Saturday, February 2

“Where the hell have you been!”

The kitchen door had barely closed behind Diamond, the icy wind slamming it shut with a crash that seemed to rattle the entire house. Cormack was there, leaning against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed.

“I was out,” she replied, not looking directly at him.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“What else do you want me to say?”

Cormack fumed. “Did you get my messages?”