Shame.That’s what it was.That was the key.
No, not shame.Repentance.Cox was illustrating the progression of repentance.
So what came next?
Someone who repented fully.Someone who completely relinquished their crimes and made a full change.Cox wouldn’t see that as enough to protect them from punishment.His God didn’t repent.That was for sinners.
But Cox might consider the death of such an individual as the culmination of the process.They had repented.Now they were going to Heaven, redeemed of their sin.
She smiled, for the first time feeling like she had a read on Cox.She just needed to find someone repenting completely of their sin of theft.
Her smile faded.That could describe so many people.Thousands, possibly.
If she couldn’t find the needle in this haystack, she’d discover it when they received a phone call about another body.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“I’m sorry, sir, but I need more than the hunch of an investigating agent to unseal a juvenile record.”
Marcus wished he had a cigarette.He’d never been much of a smoker and Cheryl had insisted he quit for good when they met, but he could really use one right now.It wasn’t healthy, but it was a lot healthier than slapping a judge, and he was imagining such an action with far too much fondness right now.
“Ma’am—”
“Your honor.”
In that case, it's special agent, not sir,he bit his teeth to avoid saying.“Your honor, Elijah Coxwillkill again.We’re trying to stop him before he does.”
“And how on Earth will Paul Delaney’s sealed juvenile record help you find him?”
Justice the Honorable Pamela Lafayette had a thick accent that widened vowels that should be long and narrowed vowels that should be wide.Haa on Earth… Help eww faand hem?
He reminded himself that his skin was unusually thin at the moment and kept his tone respectful.“Cox is incredibly selective with his victims.Knowing the details of Paul Delaney’s criminal history could give us insight into the specific criteria he’s using to select them.”
Justice Lafayette pursed her lips.“Your superiors can provide a formal order from a federal court to release a copy of that record.Otherwise, you and I have no further business.”
She leaned back and picked up a sheaf of papers, shuffling them for no reason and looking away from Marcus.Marcus got to his feet, staring coldly at the judge.“I’ll do that, your honor.And I’ll make sure they’re aware of your unwillingness to cooperate.”
Lafayette chuckled.“I’ve been a justice of the peace longer than you’ve been alive, young man.You’re not going to intimidate me.”
Marcus left the court, shoulders bunched, eyes glowering at the floor.He hated that he’d lost control of himself like that, even a little bit.Antagonizing the judge wasn’t going to help him.If anything, he’d just guaranteed that she would drag her feet even more.She could appeal that court order and bounce it back and forth between her office and the circuit court for days if she wanted.
He sighed heavily.God damn it, Cox.Why couldn’t you just stay in prison where you belong?
That wasn’t the only reason he was on edge, though.He couldn’t blame the world for his thin skin.
He called Winters, stepping outside of the court and allowing the cool breeze to calm his thoughts.She answered on the first ring.“What do you have for me, Marcus?”
“I have a judge dragging her feet,” Marcus replied.“Our Tennessee vic has a sealed juvenile record, and the Honorable pain in the ass Pamela Lafayette doesn’t feel it necessary to unseal the record.”
“Why do you need to look at a sealed juvenile record?”
“Because we need to know why Cox is choosing his victims.”
“Presumably because they’ve broken the eighth commandment.Do you believe the record will reveal something else?”
A vein over Marcus’s left eye throbbed, but he was nowhere near enough to want to argue with his boss.“We need to know why these victims specifically.Why not many other more serious thieves?We’ve got some ideas, but we need more evidence before we can figure out where those ideas are supposed to point us.”
“I see.All right.I’ll request a court order.Thank you for working with Kate.I appreciate you extending her and me your trust.”