isn't a person in this office who doesn't believe that Vincent Cardoni is a homicidal monster, but the sad truth is that there isn't enough evidence to hold him. We've already faxed Bishop our written assurance that we won't arrest Cardoni within twenty-four hours of this meeting.
If he knows you don't have the evidence to arrest him, why does Cardoni want to meet with you? DeVore asked.
Before he could answer, the intercom buzzed and the receptionist announced that Dr. Cardoni and Roy Bishop were in the waiting area. Greene told her to show them to the conference room. Then he turned to DeVore.
You can ask him yourself.
Vincent Cardoni took a seat opposite Mike Greene at the long table in the conference room. A row of stitches crossed Cardoni's cheek. Roy Bishop, a large man with styled brown hair, sat next to his client. Sean McCarthy studied the surgeon carefully. It was hard to believe that this was the man he had arrested four years before.
Good morning, Dr. Cardoni, McCarthy said.
I see you're still as polite as you were when you arrested me.
Except for growing a little grayer, I haven't changed. But you certainly have.
Cardoni smiled.
Why don't we get down to business, Roy? Greene said. I' m dying to know why your client wants to talk to me.
It's a mystery to me, too, Mike. Dr. Cardoni has not confided his reasons to me.
I hope you're planning to confess, Doctor, Greene said. It'll save us a lot of trouble.
There isn't a thing for me to confess. Contrary to what you believe, I never murdered anyone. Justine killed the people at the farmhouse, and she's responsible for the victims in Milton County.
Who's responsible for cutting off your hand? McCarthy asked.
Cardoni held up his right hand and slid down his cuff. Everyone in the room stared at the jagged scar encircling his wrist.
I did this, Cardoni told McCarthy.
Plastic surgery, a false identity and self-mutilation? That's pretty extreme behavior for an innocent man.
I was desperate. I couldn't see any other way to stay alive.
Want to explain that to us? Greene prompted. Cardoni looked at the DA and the two detectives.
I can tell that you don't believe me, but I swear I' m telling the truth. Justine was Clifford Grant's partner in a black-market organ scheme. She killed him, then set me up so that Martin Breach would think I was the one who ripped him off.
Cardoni took a deep breath. He looked down at the conference table when he spoke.
You've seen Justine. She's beautiful and brilliant, and she was always two steps ahead of me. Justine knew every one of my weaknesses.
Look, I know I' m no saint. The pressure in medical school was too intense for me. I used all sorts of pharmaceuticals to cope with it, and they almost destroyed me. Fighting my addiction was exhausting, and it was easy to give in when Justine brought me cocaine. I didn't even realize that she was trying to break me down until it was too late.
I also didn't know why she saw so much of Clifford Grant until Frank Jaffe told me that Grant was harvesting organs for Martin Breach. He told me about the raid at the airfield. Justine was Grant's silent partner. She framed me to make Breach think I was. Shortly after Frank got me out of jail two of Breach's men attacked me. I was able to get the better of them, and I made one of them tell me why I was attacked. This was the same day I learned that the Milton County DA was trying to reopen the motion to suppress and that there was a good chance I would have to go back to jail. I was strung out on coke, and I figured I was either going to be tortured to death by Martin Breach or end up on death row. My only way out was to convince everyone that I was dead.
So you chopped off your hand, McCarthy said.
Cardoni fixed on McCarthy. He seemed exasperated.
Imagine you're accused of a crime you didn't commit. The state of Oregon wants to give you a lethal injection, and a vicious criminal doesn't think that would be a violent enough death. Don't you think you might take desperate measures to save your life?
I've got too many real-life problems on my plate to worry about hypothetical ones, Doctor. Maybe you can give me the answer to one of them. Did you steal a coffee mug and a scalpel with Dr. Castle's fingerprints on them and plant them at the farmhouse to implicate her?
Haven't you been listening to what I said? She's insane. She's a mass murderer. You've got her now. I' m begging you, don't let her get away with this.
Dr. Cardoni, Greene said, I agreed to this meeting in the hopes that you would surrender yourself or at least admit your guilt. Instead you've told us a story that you can't support with one shred of evidence.
Cardoni's head dropped into his hands. Greene continued.
I'll be frank with you. I don't believe a word you've said. I think you framed Dr. Castle for your own bizarre reasons and set up this meeting in the hopes that you could manipulate me into furthering your plan to send an innocent woman to death row. It's not going to work.
If you let Justine out, she'll kill again. She is the most dangerous murderer you've ever dealt with. You've got to believe me.
Well, I don' t. Unless you want to surrender or confess, this meeting is over.
Chapter 52
The guard let Justine Castle into the interview room at the jail. She looked at Amanda expectantly. Amanda waited a beat, then smiled.
I've got great news. We're holding another release hearing this afternoon. The DA's recommending your release.
I'll get out of here? Justine said in disbelief.
By tonight.
Justine sat down heavily. After a moment she reached across the small table and gripped one of Amanda's hands.
Thank you, thank you. You have no idea what it's meant to have you as my attorney. I don't think I could have made it through this ordeal without you.
The warmth and intensity of Justine's response caught Amanda by surprise and made her heart swell with pride. She covered Justine's hands and squeezed them.
You've been incredibly brave, Justine. I think we've turned the corner on this case. With luck, it will be behind you very soon.
Justine was about to say something else when her features changed from relief and happiness to concern. She released Amanda's hands.
Why are they letting me go? Justine asked abruptly. Have they arrested Vincent?
Amanda stopped smiling. No, but they've spoken to him. She related what Mike Greene had told her earlier in the day.
They just let him walk away? Justine asked incredulously.
They can't prosecute him, Justine. They don't have any evidence connecting him to the murders at the farmhouse.
What about the murders in Milton County?
All of the evidence from that case was suppressed.
This is bad, Justine muttered to herself. This is very bad.
You'll be okay, Justine.
Justine fixed Amanda with her eyes. A pulse was throbbing in Justine's temple, and her skin was so tight from tension that Amanda could imagine it ripping.
You don't understand the way Vincent's mind works. He's insane, he's relentless and he believes that he is infallible. No matter what the odds are against him, he'll come after me.
He won't try anything with everyone watching.
That's the worst part, Amanda. Vincent will bide his time before making his move. He waited four years to frame me. Now he'll disappear and wait until everyone has forgotten about him. I'll never be able to sleep, I'll never
