“We have something to work with,” he said. “Angela has been combing the country and beyond, and the problem has been that Neil Browne has switched identities a dozen times. She managed to trace everything back. Dr. Neil Browne is really Sonny Hartfield, born in New Orleans and, according to records, died in New Orleans during the storm.”

“So that’s when he ditched his real identity!” Katie said.

“After the storm,” Dan said, “there must have been chaos I can only imagine. Say Sonny Hartfield was with the group your father went after, when he was protecting others during the storm, Katie. And Hartfield was already with the big man, and they were already working on becoming the super six, immortal beings in the vein of the Axeman and Allan Pierce. They would have been the core, and they would have added others in. Now that we know his real name...”

“You want me to go in?” Andre asked. “He doesn’t know me yet. He’s very defensive toward Ryder, Axel and you, Dan.”

Dan glanced over at Katie. “He might realize he’s in real trouble and could possibly save his supposed mortal shell if he was to turn in evidence now.” He took a breath. He really didn’t want to say this next bit. “What if we send Katie in? Katie looking right at him will either give him tremendous pleasure...or it could shake him. But, Katie, I don’t know if it’s something you want to do or can do. I don’t want to put you in a bad situation.”

Katie stared back at him, firm resolution in her green eyes.

“Yes. I can, and I will.”

With Special Agent Andre Broussard at her side, Katie faced the man she had known as Neil Browne and now knew to be Sonny Hartfield.

He wasn’t alone; he now had a public defender at his side, a Mr. Rutger.

“Your questions will come through me,” Rutger said. “And anything you have to say at all will come through me.”

“Fine,” Katie said before Andre could speak. “Sonny Hartfield, you piece of scum! In the middle of disaster and tragedy, you went after people who were already down and beaten!”

Hartfield’s eyes darted to his attorney.

The public defender was young. He had a blank expression, a miserable expression. He probably wasn’t happy about his job, being brought in to represent such a man.

He would still do it to the best of his ability.

“Was that a question?” Rutger asked Katie.

She looked at him. “That man murdered my parents, and I know that he did.”

“That’s not a question. It’s an allegation.”