She could not comprehend what he was saying. “Why house arrest?”

“He’s too expensive to take care of. He’s personally wealthy. He can afford around-the-clock care. The state of Ohio does not want to foot the bill.”

“But he’s a serial killer. He has to go to jail.”

“He’s already in jail in his own body. He cannot be punished any more.”

“He can be executed.”

“This isn’t going to trial,” Slate repeated.

Then she understood. The Bureau did not want the case publicized. “You’re still protecting the husbands of the victims. They don’t want anyone to know what their wives did.”

“What’s wrong with that? What purpose does it serve to ridicule the men, and yes, their wives? The women are dead, let them rest in peace. Let’s leave the husbands alone too. They have suffered enough.”

“It’s not a question of purpose. Professor Gene Banks is a serial killer. He must be found publicly guilty. That is protocol. Anything less than that is unacceptable.”

Slate was annoyed. “You have the nerve to lecture me on protocol? From the moment I brought you in on this case you violated the trust I placed in you. You lied to me about what you learned from the videos. You took an unauthorized trip to India and China and sought out information on a suspect, which you subsequently withheld. You ignored the chain of command of your home office, and pursued on your own a man of unquestionable ferocity. All because you wanted to be the big shot. And you still have the same motive and you won’t admit it. You want a trial because you want to be publicly acknowledged as the one who stopped the infamous Acid Man. Say it, Agent Fienman, you don’t want justice, you want personal acknowledgment.”

His verbal attack took its toll on her. Much of what he said was true. “I didn’t think I would meet him face-to-face,” she muttered.

Slate softened. “You made a mistake in judgment. I don’t condemn you for that. No one is asking you to leave the FBI.”

“I seriously doubt I’ll be of any use to the FBI in this condition.”

“That’s a question you need to discuss with your doctors. At present—when and if you do feel better—you may return to your job. You’ll receive a reprimand that will go on your record. But I have two of those and they haven’t hindered me in my career.”

“Has he told you what he did with the bodies?”

“No. He refuses.”

“You made such an extravagant deal with him and he still refuses?”

“The matter is closed.” Slate stood and offered his hand. “You behaved like a fool, but at least you were a brave fool. Best wishes on a speedy recovery, Kelly.”