“We can tell,” Ella said. “Want to tell us about Barry Windham?”
“Who?”
“Barry Windham. A coin collector and local electrician.”
“Never heard that name in my life.”
“You know his brother, Trevor.”
“Oh,” Steen tapped himself on the head. “Yeah, I know Barry. I think.”
“Well, we found him dead this morning too. That’s three people all who have a connection to you. Pretty damning, wouldn’t you say?”
Steen came back to the front bars again. “Lady, you ever heard of statistics? Those three guys probably had links to a million suckers like me. Yatesy did business with any old bastard. Loveridge was as crooked as I am and them Windham boys would sell their mother a timeshare if it made them a buck. Plus, what about all the boys I do business with that are still breathing? You ever think about that?”
An hour ago, Ella was convinced they had their man. But now, doubts were coming thick and fast. Kevin Steen was clearly a piece of work and had skeletons in his closet, but she couldn’t definitely say he was responsible for these murders. For a mouthy criminal, he made some good points.
“All of our victims were found with coins at the crime scene. Kevin, you’re big in the coin collecting scene, correct?” asked Ella.
Steen shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe. Dying art, these days.”
“Then what’s that I found in your jacket? Something for your personal collection?”
Steen ran his hands across his scalp, spreading some of the drying blood. “I lifted it for a collector. And before you ask, he’s not from around here. He lives in New Jersey.”
“You want to tell us about this big four?” Ella asked. “Your parole officer mentioned it.”
“She did, huh? Well, I’m just gonna be honest here because I don’t got the energy for this. The big four are the four items you need to get back in the game. I’ve only been out the pen for a month and I need to get back into it.”
“What items are these?” Byford asked.
“Doesn’t matter. Anything. It’s a thief’s term. Most new fences won’t accept your goods ‘til you’ve got four valuable pieces. That’s how they know you’re a big deal and not some schmuck who got lucky.”
Ella folded her arms and ran through all of the other questions she had, realizing that Kevin would just deflect them like he had done. She turned to Byford, who looked equally at a loss. If she wanted something from him, she had to dig into his psyche. Rile him up. Mia’s old trick.
“Kevin, before we go, mind telling us about your murder trial?”
“No.”
“Well, can I make an assumption then?”
“Sure, why not.”
“My assumption is that the serial killer I’m looking for is standing right in front of me. We’ve got enough evidence to send you right back to prison today and make sure you never see daylight again. I think not only did you kill Alan, Jimmy, and Barry, but you killed Barry’s brother five years ago too.”
Steen dipped his hand on the bucket and violently threw water on his face. He spat a wad out.
“I think you burglarized Trevor’s store, then went back and killed the poor old man three days later. Because you’re a coward who wants to swipe your problems under the carpet. You couldn’t handle a fair fight with him, just like you ambushed me from behind earlier today. You’re weak, disgraceful, and hide behind a tough façade.”
“Oh yeah? You think?” Steen spat. “We’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will. You got a taste of murder five years ago, and you’ve spent every day since pleasuring yourself to the thought of it. It’s the only way a weakling like you can get your kicks. Once you got out, you went back straight back to killing, probably to claw back a sense of dominance after all the late-night beatings you took inside.”
“Enough,” Steen shouted as he slammed his hands against the cell. “I didn’t kill those three guys, you hear me? I steal, I don’t kill. Mistakes happen. But I don’t kill.”
Ella saw the chink in the armor. “Mistakes happen?”
Steen’s pupils dilated in fear. He must have realized what he’d said.
“Just tell us the truth, Kevin. Otherwise you’re in for a very long road ahead.”
He began to pace around the cell like a captured beast. “I done him in, alright? Five years back. Windham’s brother. I wanted to teach him a lesson and things got out of hand, but I didn’t mean it. Happy now?”
Ella celebrated on the inside but kept her demeanor calm. “Why didn’t you just admit this at your trial?”
“Call me crazy but I didn’t want to go to jail for the rest of my life.” Steen sat back down and calmed himself. He’d just accidentally given himself a long custodial sentence.
“Agent Byford, I’m done here. Anything to add?”
“Not a thing. I think we’ve got everything we need. See you soon, Kevin.”
The two agents left the suspect behind, still seething from his outburst. They made their way out of the holding cells and back up into the office.
Byford had been wrong, Ella thought. They didn’t have everything they need.
There was still a very pressing matter to attend to.
They still needed to find out who the real killer was.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
Tobias Campbell sat at a very old computer about ten yards from his glass prison cell, counting down the minutes, the seconds.
Every Wednesday, the Category A inmates of Maine Correctional Institute were given access to the prison library where they could use computers, read books, play games, or study. Tobias was the only prisoner in the facility listed higher than Category A (the mythical Category X that many prison officials denied even existing), meaning his routine was different from the others.
Tobias was prohibited from mixing with other prisoners, so guards wheeled a computer into his underground chamber every Wednesday evening. It was a formality more than anything, since Tobias didn’t really use the computer, not that he had much time for technology anyway. The computer had no Internet access and even no access to the localized prison Intranet. It was just a barebones machine with basic games, pictures, and some music files. Tobias usually just sat there for an hour, looking at the screen while an armed guard kept watch.
But today, things were going to be a little different.
Tobias Campbell hadn’t had a formal education, had never seen the inside of a school in his life. His entire upbringing took place within the carnival. A traveling carnival, with sideshow freaks, gaffs, conmen, and swindlers trying to make an easy buck off the gullible public. His father had been what was known as a carnival barker, the man whose job consisted of enticing people in to see their famous freak show. There are only two kinds of freaks, ladies and gentlemen. Those created by God, and those made by man. The creature in this pit is a living breathing human being that once was... well, that’s another story that happened a long time ago, a long way from here. Look if you must.
Tobias’s first job as a curious 10-year-old boy was to walk through the carnival grounds and locate the marks, punters who had money to burn and could therefore be milked dry. He’d slip past them, marking their back with a piece of blue chalk. That way, the carnies at the stalls would know they were the punters to keep on the edge of a victory. Just one more try at ring toss. Come on, you’ll definitely do it this time.