“Having this woman,” Mira put in, “the one he wanted, the one who would, at the very least, serve as a surrogate for his obsession, choose his cousin? I believe that would have been the psychotic break. While he may have raped others, such as the incident when he was eighteen, he likely considered those assaults merely bending the female to his will. Giving her, in his mind, what she truly wanted. He may have used LCs—and if so, they would resemble the aunt. But when Rosa Patrick chose his cousin, forced or rough sex was no longer enough. Assaulting the female, no longer enough. The couple had to pay, the man dominated and humiliated, the woman taken sexually and—vitally—forced to give him validation.”
“‘Best you ever had,’” Eve finished.
She paused, noted that Roarke brought Mira a cup of tea. “We know who he is, what he is, where he lives, and where he works. APA Reo will secure the necessary search warrants for his residence, his studio. Peabody, find out the suspect’s schedule for today. Use whatever ploy works.”
“Can do.”
“McNab, request from Captain Feeney an e-team, including uniforms to secure, to be deployed on my go to the studios. All of the suspect’s electronics in that location are to be confiscated.”
“You want me there?” McNab asked.
“No, I want you at the residence, where it’s more likely he keeps any records of his crimes, of his victims and his plans. Should the schedule indicate the suspect will be at the studio at the time of the go, I want Peabody, Tredway, and Olsen to take him in for questioning. Should the schedule indicate he’ll be at his residence, we all hit it.”
“That’s a lot of cops,” Olsen pointed out.
“This started with the Patricks, and that’s your case. You’re going to be there for the takedown.”
“Sir,” Trueheart began. “The suspect may be in another location, on a shoot or in a meeting.”
“Should that be the case, it’s Peabody, Tredway, Olsen. You, Baxter, McNab, and myself hit the residence wherever the fucker may be. If he’s there, we serve the warrant and proceed. He will be held and brought in for questioning. I’m taking the lead there.”
“No argument,” Tredway told her.
“I’ll break him.”
“As long as we can watch,” Olsen added.
“Mira, I’d like you to observe as well.”
“I’m planning on it.”
“The rest of you, remember: He’s a coward, and cowards can be more dangerous than the cocky.”
Reo circled a finger in the air as she studied her ’link screen. “You’ll have your warrants within thirty because I’m just that good. Go get him.”
“Peabody, get me his location.”
Peabody rose. “Let me just…” She wandered off into the kitchen. “Oh, man, the kitchen, too!”
“Focus, Detective.”
“Give me a couple.”
“Getting a last hit of real coffee before the wars.” Baxter strolled back to the buffet.
Roarke pulled Eve aside. “Tag me, will you, when you bring him into Central.”
“Sure, if you want.”
“I do. I want to watch you work him.”
“You must have a couple million things to do.”
“I did at least a million of them last night and this morning. Let me know. I’d like to be there. I saw what he did to Daphne Strazza firsthand.”
And because he believed, very strongly, his cop might need him before it was done.
Peabody hurried back. “He’s slated as working from home until noon today.”