“Hell yes.”

Cooper stands to face her. “You need to persuade Simon to write back to the Butcher—today. I want to find out where his reply letter is going, and see who shows up to collect it.”

“Then I’m going to need a copy of that letter, to take to the hospital.”

“Will a photocopy be okay?” Westfall has packed up his camera.

“That would be great, thank you.” Emma turns back to Cooper, bites her bottom lip. “And… you need to take this to Raymond. This really is part of the Butcher case and Raymond needs to find out from us, or things will get complicated. More complicated than they are already,” she amends.

Cooper thinks for a moment, nods, then leaves to use the phone in Neilsen’s office. Bell walks beside Emma out to the common room, tracking Cooper’s exit.

“D’you think Raymond will raise objections to this? To us?”

“Absolutely. But I’m the one Simon Gutmunsson is talking to, so…”

“Fun job.”

“Tell me about it.”

Bell steps in closer, his voice quiet. “You gonna be okay with him, after last time?”

Emma swallows, straightens. “I guess we’ll find out.”

Cooper arrives back from his phone call. “Okay, Raymond has an ultimatum for you to pass onto Gutmunsson. He said if Simon isn’t cooperative, he’ll make sure the bureau pursues a new litigation attempt.”

Emma frowns. “Simon’s already in for the term of his natural life and then some. What does he care about new litigation?”

“You said he cares about his sister. Raymond said he’ll have the old evidence against Kristin reexamined.”

“He wants to prosecute Kristin Gutmunsson?” Bell is appalled. “For what? She was cleared during her brother’s court case and she’s assisting the bureau now.”

“When it comes to Simon Gutmunsson, Raymond prefers to use a stick than a carrot.”

“Raymond wants to dangle Kristin’s freedom over Simon’s head.” Emma’s lip curls. “Nice. Real classy.”

Cooper’s expression is cold. “If you’re trying to get something out of Simon Gutmunsson, you use every bit of leverage you’ve got. Raymond might not follow through, but he might not need to. Hopefully the threat is enough. Otherwise Simon has no real incentive to help us.” He checks his watch. “Okay, I’m putting you both in a bureau car to St. Elizabeths. I’ve arranged to have an agent accompany you—like you said, Miss Lewis, this really is part of the Butcher case. We need a qualified agent to—”

“Stand in the asylum foyer while I talk to Simon?” Emma’s tone is bullish. “He won’t cooperate if there’s an agent there, you know that. And he won’t tell me the truth if I wear a wire.”

“Miss Lewis, you’re an untrained civilian.” Cooper’s tone is placating. “This is an FBI investigation into a person of interest in an active homicide case—”

“Hasn’t that been the situation with Simon all along?” Emma’s hands go to her hips. “He’s been a person of interest since the first interview.”

Cooper’s expression becomes adamant. “I understand the circumstances, but there should still be some supervision. The local agent will drive you and we can say he supervised, even if he stays in the foyer. I’ll catch up with you at St. Elizabeths—I have to speak to whoever sorts the mail in the Georgetown English department.”