She slid over a file folder. She wondered if John himself knew exactly how far the middle child connection went.

John remained stoic, regarding the folder indifferently. Ruby couldn’t tell if that was his genuine reaction or he was simply trying to act the way he believed Vallejo would. John was Vallejo’s student after all, and Vallejo had a knack for making people look up to him.

“You can tell us how you met Vallejo or I can guess,” Ruby said.

For most of the case, John had been a step ahead, but not anymore. Ruby cracked a piece of the code and now she could see so many connections. She was particularly interested in finding out how much John was aware of and how much Vallejo kept secret even from his loyal subjects.

“We’ve only been in contact recently,” John said indignantly.

“What, did he write your sister a fan letter?” Gabe asked, eyebrow raised. “Did they express their mutual respect for each other?”

It was hard for John to deny his awareness of Vallejo when Marcia had written songs that so clearly were inspired by the Lucky 13 crime spree. John could only play so dumb.

John narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. Ruby knew he was lying, but his behavior made Ruby even more suspicious about why.

“I don’t think that’s true,” she said. “I think you met him over three years ago when you followed Marcia’s band into town. I think he came looking for you. He came to one of Marcia’s shows, maybe struck up a conversation with you at the bar?”

Ruby folded her hands in front of her. Her muscles flexed painfully where her wounds were still raw.

“I think Vallejo knows something you don’t and that’s why he sought you out,” Ruby pressed on, carefully watching John’s body language as she spoke. He didn’t need to speak to reveal things.

“He knows more about the world than you ever will,” John replied. “You know nothing of his plans.”

Ruby shrugged as if she didn’t care.

“I’m starting to think you only know the bare minimum of his plans. But I would like to know how he told you what to do, what pattern to stab in,” she said.

Whatever charm John used on the women he stalked, he was not turning it on for Ruby. He remained impassive, though with an air of superiority. She wondered if Vallejo had taught him that too, or if John had always thought himself more important than everyone else.

“I know that one of his victims shares enough DNA markers with you to be your half-sister,” Ruby said. “She was younger than Marcia but older than you. Likely the product of an affair. But that also makes her the middle child of your family.”