become China and start shooting anyone who didn’t follow your rules. It would be the end.”
“I just have a hard time believing any of this is possible,” Silver said.
“Of course you do. Because you were raised to believe that the systems are there to protect you. Why? Because you were told they were by the schools that teach whatever is printed in history books by the winners of wars. The media repeats over and over that the system works and that nobody is above the law, and because we want to live in a world that’s safe, we believe it. It’s a comfortable lie. It makes us feel good, so we’ll fight to insist it’s true.”
Silver had no rebuttal.
He gave Silver a hard look. “You’re a fed. You’re part of the machine that enforces the law. But what if you discovered that there was a whole system that didn’t obey it? What if you discovered there were two worlds — one where you had to obey the rules, and one where the people with real power ran the systems for their own enrichment and didn’t observe any of them? If you let that leak out, what would your job be like? How would you maintain control? Wouldn’t that create a society where you have to keep order with the point of a sword?”
“You’re describing a conspiracy theory. Not reality.”
“Sure I am. Anytime someone calls it like it is, it’s described as a kooky conspiracy theory — because the powerful understand that the best defense against understanding is to label the truth as nuttiness. Just have all your pundits say it’s nutty and absurd. Lenin knew that — he said to just repeat a lie until it became accepted as truth. That’s why a few small groups control the media and why this story will never, ever get printed. Because the same group that engineered the greatest transfer of wealth in history runs that machine, too.”
“So your solution was to kill these six men? How did that help anything? How did it change anything?”
“It cut off one of the heads of the hydra. One of the groups that carried it out. There are others. Much more powerful others. But I can’t get to them. I don’t have the time, or the means. But what I do have is my legacy. The ugly reputation of The Regulator. People will want to know why I killed these very rich men. I intend to explain why and to name names. That was the whole point. To create a set of events that would get even the apathetic titillated enough to want to read about why I did it. Why I killed these seven men, and how they were part of an evil that’s perverting the basics of the society we live in. Because as strange as it sounds, I believe in good and evil — and they were part of something that can only be described as evil.”
She looked at him strangely. “Six men. You’ve killed six men. You said seven.”
He glanced at his watch. “Did I? Well, when you take my statement downtown, I’ll tell you about number seven. Now let’s get you untied and properly armed so you can arrest me and stop this senseless killing spree, shall we?”
“You’re serious.”
“Absolutely. I surrender. You solved the case, you captured me dead to rights, and I will make a full and complete confession. Hold still, and I’ll snip the ties off your wrists. Sorry I had to do that. I needed to keep you out of trouble until your team could make it here.”
“My team?”
“Silver. May I call you Silver? Do I look stupid? Of course you have a team on its way. Now hold still, and I’ll give you back your Glock — loaded, of course — and if you don’t have a team coming, you’ll be free to call one and get it here. Time is running out for me, so there’s no point in delaying. I suppose if all else fails, you could call 911.”
Howard walked over to her and flicked open a pocketknife, then severed the ties with its razor-sharp blade before closing it and flipping it aside. She watched in dumfounded amazement as he walked out the door and returned a few moments later with her weapon and her purse. He handed her the gun, which she pointed at his head as he reached into her purse and withdrew her phone and a set of handcuffs. He dutifully placed them on his wrists and locked them before tossing her phone onto the mattress.
“There. Now let’s see if we can get me processed without getting shot by one of the good guys, shall we?” he said.
The sense of surrealism she had been experiencing intensified as she watched him calmly walk to the far corner and sit down, smiling as if without a care in the world.
“Honey, did he hurt you?” Silver asked Kennedy.
“No, Mom. Although he did make me read a lot.”
She squinted at him and then checked the Glock to verify it was indeed loaded.
“What do you mean, your time is running out?” she asked softly.
“I’m dying. I mean, we all are, but I’m dying a little sooner. That’s all. That’s why the rush.” He shrugged.
“You’re going to make it this easy? It’s over, just like that?” she asked unbelievingly.
“I was actually planning to go into your headquarters this afternoon and surrender. You just saved me the trouble. And this is more dramatic, I think you’ll agree.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“I gave your daughter some books. One of the favorite expressions of the hero, Sherlock Holmes, is also one of mine. Something to the effect of: when all other explanations are proved false, what’s left, no matter how unbelievable, is the truth. You’re out of all other explanations. Which leaves you with me…and the truth. Now make a call so we can get out of here. You look like shit and could pass out at any minute if you’re not careful. And I’m not getting any younger. Come on. Chop chop.” Howard smiled, and for a moment, she felt an altogether inappropriate emotion. “It wouldn’t look too good if I was brought to justice by a ten-year-old, would it? Call in the cavalry. I’m going to get a little rest while we wait. Kennedy, keep the ice on her head until we’re rescued. Don’t be a slacker.” Howard leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, a look of peace on his face.
She felt the ice bag press against her head a little harder as her daughter endeavored to be attentive.
Training her weapon on Howard’s now-resting frame, still dizzy from the concussion and Howard’s revelations, Silver powered on her phone and pressed her speed dial.
Eighteen minutes later, the first agents made it down the stairs.
Chapter 25
“How’s the head?”
Silver looked at Richard and Seth, standing by her bed as she waited for the doctor to arrive.
“Feels like a mule kicked me. And you don’t even want to know about my back. I have a hunch that bruise is going to be with me for some time to come.”
“It’s been a rough week to be your butt, hasn’t it?” Seth asked with a grin.
“Don’t you two have anything better to do than hang out pestering me in the hospital?”
“Not since you solved your daughter’s kidnapping,” Seth observed, “and ended one of the biggest serial-killing rampages in the city’s history. No, it’s been kind of dead today since that happened.”
“How’s Sam taking the news?”
“I don’t think this is quite how he saw his week finishing out,” Richard said diplomatically.
“I’ll bet,” Silver agreed, offering him a pained grimace.
“Brett is flying in this evening and will be stopping in to see you. He wanted me to tell you,” Seth said. “I think he’s going to offer you a knighthood or something. Do they do that here? Knighthoods?”
“I’ll settle for a raise.”
The door to the room opened, and a doctor walked in, trailed by a second physician.
“Am I going to live?” Silver asked.
“I think so,” the doctor said. “You sustained a concussion and lost some blood, but the stitches we put in fixed the bleeding, and a few days of rest should set the concussion right. No physical exertion for a few weeks, and we’ll want to keep you in overnight for observation to make sure there’s no hemorrhaging we missed on the CT scan. We’ll also keep icing your spine for the next six hours to minimize the subdural hematoma and inflammation.”
“Do I really have to stay here overnight?”
“I can’t hold a gun to your head, but it would be a good idea.”
