CHAPTER TWENTY
Alison was deep in thought when they reached the Department of Corrections headquarters. None of it made sense to her. She had been sure Keller had written the report when she had read it, but she was doubting that.
Just like I was doubting my previous decision. Is that what this is? He wanted me to doubt the decisions I made in the past, and now, he calls us to make me doubt what I thought was true? Or is he innocent, and I’ve been wrong all this time?
Whatever was happening, it was messing with Alison. She couldn’t figure out how the pieces fit together. If Keller was the killer, why had he called them? To prove he was smarter? Better? To play a game with them? To confront them and get away with it? To prove Alison wrong?
If he wasn’t the killer, then who was? That was the part of it that made her really doubt herself. If she was wrong about Keller, she couldn’t see a second suspect that she could be right about.
"Are you ready to do this?" Moore asked once they were parked.
Alison heard the real question behind the superficial one: Are you up to this? She nodded. Even if she wasn’t up to it, she would still do it. She had to know the truth and whether or not she had been so very wrong.
They exited the car and entered the main building. Alison had been to the Department of Corrections headquarters before. She knew her way around, and after touching base at the front reception desk, they headed for Keller’s office.
‘This is weird, isn’t it?" Moore asked.
"Yeah, it is," Alison agreed.
They passed offices on their way to Keller’s, people arriving at work and getting started at their desks. A group of people was gathered in a conference room. It should have made Alison feel safe to have people around, but it felt as if they were walking into a viper’s den.
When they reached the Chief Psychologist’s office at the back of the building, they both stopped and looked at each other. Neither said a word nor made any silent gestures. They just took a moment before Moore knocked.
"Come!" the voice boomed from inside.
Moore opened the door and entered first, followed by Alison. They entered, and Alison closed the door behind them.
Dr. Raymond Keller sat behind his desk, engrossed in something on his laptop as they entered, and he didn't look up.
He fit the description of the man they were looking for.
Well-dressed, white male, brown hair, and a mustache.
He finished what he was doing on his laptop and finally looked at them with a wide smile.
"Alison, so wonderful to see you again." He held his arms out, palms open, facing each other at a slight tilt. "And you must be the woman I spoke to on the phone, Detective Moore, right?"
"That’s correct," Moore said.
"Please, sit down," Keller said, gesturing to the two chairs on the other side of his desk.
"Alison, has been far too long. I have been following your career with the FBI, and it has really boosted the profile of our field.
We were almost unknown to the general public a year ago, but everyone knows the work you have done, and many forensic psychologists want to follow in your footsteps. "
"I…That’s not why I do it," Alison said.
"No, of course not," Keller said, clasping his hands together. "You always had a strong sense of justice, and I see that shining through in the work you do. I know you well enough to know your motivations, but the side effects of your work there are a benefit to us all, so thank you for that."
"Where were you last night, Dr. Keller?" Alison asked. "We went to your house, but you weren’t there."
"No," he asserted with a half-chuckled. "If I were, we could have sorted all of this out there and then.
I have recently entered into a relationship with a woman I met online.
I never thought I would engage in such methods, but you have to keep up with the times.
I suppose that our changing work in psychology helped with that.
I find myself staying aware of what is current and what is not because we have to do so in our field. "
"And you were at her house last night?" Detective Moore asked.
"Yes, that’s correct." Keller looked around on his desk and found a pad and a pen.
He wrote a short note and then passed it to Moore.
"You can call her, and she’ll confirm that I was with her last night.
Now, I understand your investigation is connected to the recent murders.
I hope that those deaths coincide with times I was also with her, not only to clear me from your investigation, but also allow me to help if I can. "
"To help?" Alison said.
"Of course," Keller said. "You’ve done wonders for the field, Alison, and now, someone out there is attacking us.
I don't claim to know everything, but from what I’ve seen in the media and how people are talking, there have been three victims, and someone is on a crusade to prove that early release is a bad thing.
That has definitely gained my concern as Chief Psychologist, and I will aid the investigation in any way I can. "
"I appreciate that, Dr. Keller," Moore said.
Alison could see that Moore wanted to call the woman now, but she also didn't want to leave Alison alone in the room with Keller.
From the confidence Keller had when talking about the woman he was with the previous night, Alison believed it was the truth.
Whether that meant he was innocent or using her as a cover was another matter entirely.
"Of course, I don't want to step on any toes," Keller said. "If I can help, then I will, but I will keep my nose out of it if you have it under control. You have Dr. Payne working with you, and she really is the best of us." He looked at Alison and smiled.
"We have it under control for now," Alison said, still wary of him.
Keller held his hands up before him. "Yes, yes, of course.
As I said, I won't get in your way. Whatever is best for the investigation.
I know that you came looking for me last night, and word gets around quickly, so I also know you have been talking to others in the field.
I can grant you access to any files in the department, including personnel files.
I won't force them on you, but they are there if you need them. "
"Do you know who has access to my old psychological assessments?" Alison asked. "Is there a way to know who has logged into the system and read them or downloaded them?"
"Um, I do know that a lot of people have access and can request access," Keller said, taking his time.
"I don't know how to find out who has accessed the files, but I can put you in touch with that department or the IT department, and I’m sure they will be able to help you.
They are both in the building, and the building is yours to explore at your leisure.
No places are off limits. The quicker we can put a stop to this, the better. "
"We appreciate that," Alison said.
He was good, very good. Either that, or he was completely innocent, but Alison was leaning toward the former.
There was something in the way he was measured and helpful that came across as an act, and then there was the lack of questions.
Alison had asked to know who had accessed her old files, and he had given her the run of the building.
He hadn’t asked a single question about what her connection might be and why someone would want to access her old files.
Almost as if he already knows the reason.
"Okay," Keller said as if he were the one in charge of the meeting.
"I don't want to say that I’m a busy man, because there is nothing more important right now than helping you find a killer, but I do have work to do.
Do you have any more questions for me, or would you like me to direct you to another department?
Perhaps you wish to call first and check my alibi?
Or, pardon me for not thinking of it sooner, but can I get you both a coffee? "
"No, that won't be necessary," Detective Moore said. "I only ask that you sit tight here until we’ve made some initial inquiries, and once we’ve done that, we’ll let you get back to work."
"Of course," Keller said.
He still stood up, and that put both women on edge.
"Dr. Keller?" Moore asked, tensing and ready to pounce.
"It’s all right," Keller said. "I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to call for some coffee to be brought. I don’t wish for you to be too polite to refuse it, so I’ll have my assistant bring some anyway. She’s right outside the door."
It took a beat for Alison to remember there was no assistant on the other side of the door. She was too late to do anything, too late to warn Moore.
There was a click as the door was locked from the inside, and then a whoosh through the air and a sickening thump as he slammed something into the side of Detective Moore’s head. Moore collapsed to the side, taking her chair down with her.
Alison jumped to her feet in shock, knocking her chair over behind her.
Then she came face-to-face with the killer, just as she had wanted to do.
"We have a lot to talk about," Keller told her as he pointed his knife at her chest.