Page 25 of Ghostmaker

Cope shot the woman a questioning look. “I was able to read those thoughts in your mind very easily. You haven’t been trying to mask them at all. If I could read them, so could Crawford. He came off to me as an energy vampire when I first met him.”

“Vampire?” Cisco asked, looking alarmed. “Don’t tell me we’re starting that shit again?”

Cisco had every reason to be worried. His husband, Luca Pennington, had his own run in with vampires several years ago. “No, I’m not talking about an actual vampire. Have you ever met someone who sucks your positive vibes and happy mood right out of you and then they leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed from dealing with them?”

Cisco nodded.

“That’s an energy vampire.” Cope paused. “Hearing Sarah and Christie’s stories makes me think Crawford isn’t after their happy energy, but something much darker. I’m thinking he takes the wrongs people claim have been committed against them and takes matters into his own hands.”

“Like a vigilante?” Cisco asked. “Damn, that’s the last thing we need.”

Cope shook his head. “No, a vigilante tries to right a wrong. Crawford takes the ill will these people have and feeds on it, takes it on as his own, so that when he takes revenge, he gets a release from it. Probably something along the lines of…” Cope paused, he sure as hell didn’t want to finish his thought.

“Achieving orgasm?” Jude asked.

“Right,” Cope agreed. “But worse than that is his anonymity. No one would ever suspect him as being the killer, blame would fall on relatives or coworkers, which is exactly is what’s happening with Sarah today.”

“Worse still,” Ten began, “is the fact that this man appeared to be in his early sixties. Just how long has he been honing his skills and getting away with murder?”

Cisco’s eyes widened. “Riordan, thank you for bringing Sarah to see us this morning. Can you take her to the police station and have her make a statement about her meeting with Crawford?”

“Sure thing.” Riordan got out of his seat.

“Also make sure you turn over the video footage from the museum. I want to know how the killer got into the building and was able to steal an artifact and use it to commit murder.”

“You got it.”

“Am I going to be arrested, Chief Jackson?” Sarah had begun to cry again.

“Not at the moment,” Cisco said. “That could change if the video from last night shows you were the one who killed Miss Walsh, or if you aided or abetted the killer.”

With a slight nod, Sarah followed Riordan out of the reading room.

“Something tells me she’s going to be on the unemployment line this afternoon,” Jude said.

“Why?” Cope asked. “Thinking you deserved a promotion over someone else isn’t a crime. Neither is wanting a rival out of the way so that you will be the one promoted. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t feel angry or jealous of Ronan if he were promoted over you.”

Jude grimaced. “Maybe you’re right, but I sure as hell wouldn’t harpoon him.”

Ronan opened his mouth looking as if he had a wiseass comment to add, but said nothing.

“What do you want us to do, Cisco?” Jude asked. “We have an interview related to the Strickland investigation this afternoon, but we’re free this morning.”

“Look into Crawford. I agree with Tennyson about this man having been at this for quite some time. I’m also betting that Jonas Crawford isn’t his real name.”

“It’s not,” Cope agreed. “I’m free this afternoon too if you want me to come with you on that interview?”

Jude nodded. “Let’s do that. In the meantime, we’ll be in the conference room working on Crawford.”

“Why in the conference room? You’ve got an office upstairs.”

“Fitz is up there working with West Strickland and we don’t want to get in his way,” Ronan said.

“Out of sight, out of mind,” Jude added.

“You two don’t actually think I’m going to let the recommendation of this one man, who doesn’t know the caliber of your work, make me shut down cold case, do you?”

“It’s not you we’re worried about, Cisco.” Ronan ran a hand through his dirty-blonde hair. “The mayor and city council have to approve the budget. We’re more worried about them.”