The commissioner was not so straightforward, and while Coran was nodding, saying they'd met, Carl Eldritch said, “That's why you were selected to head the task force, Alan.”
Rychman knew a lie when he heard one. The C.P. wanted to remain the C.P., and Alan presented a real threat to him, and they both knew it. Eldritch knew that it was a make-or-break case, and he also knew that the department was coming up empty at every turn. He was gambling that Rychman and company would be as inept as the press painted them. He continued, his tongue greased, Rychman believed, so that he wouldn't choke on his own lies. “I'm sorry I couldn't have been in two places at once yesterday when Dr. Coran arrived. The mayor had hoped to be here, too, but circumstances-”
“ Circumstances being as they are, I fully understand,” Rychman said with an edge to his voice. “Not to worry, everything's in hand. The ball's rolling, right, Lou?”
Pierce had remained silent and had slipped toward the door. He was about to disappear when Rychman asked the question.
He inched back through the door, saying, “Absolutely… everything is under way. And might I add, sir, that everyone associated with the task force is enthusiastic and hopeful.”
“ Good, good,” said the mayor, “we need all the enthusiasm we can muster for this heinous work.”
Lou finished his disappearing act.
Rychman exchanged a look with Jessica Coran. Lou had turned off the radio, tidied the mess Rychman had made, and had done so like a doting servant or faithful wife.
“ It must be good to have such a loyal aide,” she said.
“ I insist on loyalty.”
“ So,” interrupted the C. P, “what're your plans at this point. Captain Rychman?”
“ Plans?”
“ For the apprehension of this… this Claw character.”
“ We are proceeding as quickly as we can, but the task force was just begun yesterday; if you remember, sir, I suggested such a special team two weeks ago, but-”
“ Two weeks ago there were only a few deaths, one victim a prostitute,” countered the C.P. “Allocating a fortune in city funds to this madman-at that time-”
“- would have reflected badly in the papers, I know,” Rychman finished. “Now we've arrived at the same destination. So tell me honestly what sends you gentlemen here, besides this?” He punched his large forefinger at the copy of the Times.
“ It's not just the press, Captain Rychman,” said the mayor. “It's everyone, the clergy, the PTA, the Rotarians, for Christ's sake, the whole city, the community.”
Alan put up his hands. “You think I don't know that everyone is on us?”
“ We need to make an arrest.” The C.P. finally got around to what the visit was actually about.
“ Arrest, huh?” he said, muttering under his breath, “Jesus.” Rychman began to pace like a large, caged bear, then stopped before Jessica and coolly stared her in the eye, asking, “That'd look good? Calm the community brain? Do you agree with this… thinking, Dr. Coran? That we ought to make a wholesale arrest?”
“ No one said wholesale arrest, Alan,” interrupted Eldritch.
But neither Jessica nor Alan Rychman heard him, so intent remained their attention to each other. She said calmly, “No… no, I don't believe an arrest for the sake of an arrest will, in the long run, serve any purpose.”
Rychman's face brightened, but he quickly squelched his smile when he saw the confusion in Eldritch's eyes. Eldritch had apparently believed Dr. Coran was sold on the idea.
She stood up and paced, her cane tapping out a soft requiem. “Gentlemen, detaining and questioning your thousands of MSDOs has already cost more time, energy and paperwork than you can afford, creating several thousand paper trails that will likely lead nowhere.”
“ We can't stand idly by a moment longer!” shouted Eldritch.
She met his eyes. “This killer is not your usual sex offender; he's not a rapist; he's in no way a typical killer.”
Mayor Halle asked her what she was driving at.
“ This maniac is the rarest of murderers. A man who has acquired a taste for female flesh and female suffering. He kills women because he hates women; he is a predator, and people of my sex are his prey.”
“ Is that how you see it, Captain?” Halle asked.
Rychman nodded vigorously. “That's about how 1 see it, yes.”
Dr. Coran continued. “His taste for flesh is an integral part of his gaming.”
“ Gaming?”
“ Fantasizing, fantasy fulfillment, sport, if you like.”
Mayor Halle swallowed. “Well… yes…”
“ He hunts for flesh, for the excitement of it all, to quench a perceived need,” she said, pacing nervously before the three men. “A flesh-eater, like a blood-drinker, is an aberration far beyond your normal sex deviant. He's gone so far beyond what we know as our normal lunatic that… well, this man has returned to a state of cannibalism; in his head and in his genes he is a cannibal doing only what comes naturally, like the flesh-eating ape from which mankind evolved.”
“ A bloody animal,” said Eldritch, trying to imagine the man.
“ But don't be fooled. He's no simple animal,” she countered.
“ Go on,” said the mayor.
“ He displays a very complex personality… perhaps too complex.”
“ Can you be more specific?”
“ I don't believe he will be a simpleton, a crazed drug addict, a street person or one of the names in your MSDO files.”
“ We've already looked at all our deviants and've cut them loose,” added Rychman.
“ Whoever this guy is, he shows careful ritualistic patterns; he's working out a deep-seated fantasy which, as horrible as it is, requires a high level of cognitive thought and planning.”
“ Well, yes, the crimes have shown significant repetition,” said Eldritch. “Pattern crimes…”
Halle took in a great breath of air. “What you're saying is that this guy could elude us for a long time, if we ever catch him at all.”
“ I'm afraid so. And if you're going to force your people to make arrests at this point, it could backfire.”
“ We're not talking about arrests,” said Eldritch. “We're talking about one goddamned arrest.”
Rychman said sharply, “I stand with Dr. Coran. Any arrest at this point is bound to come back to haunt us as the lie it is.”
“ If it takes a lie-” began the C. P, but the mayor put up a hand, silencing him.
“ May I suggest, Captain Rychman, that you do as Carl says and make one arrest. Get a man you've wanted off the street, anyway… a good stand-in for this, this Claw. Bring him up on charges, hold him as long as possible, while you continue to investigate. Who knows, could turn out to be the Claw.”
Rychman stared out his new office window at the teeming life of the city below. He turned and said, “If that's what you want, Your Honor.”
“ Have one of your detectives bring this other fellow in, and have others go through the motions. And when you get the real monster, then all will be settled. I should think it would make for a calmer working environment,” said the mayor.
Rychman nodded. “Sure, yes… yes, you're right… if we could get some of the heat off.”
The mayor stood, took Rychman's hand and shook it firmly. “Good, I'm glad we came to some consensus on this matter.” He turned, faced Dr. Coran and said, “Well, Dr. Coran, I'll be anxious to hear that progress toward apprehending this fiend is going forward with your help. Do maintain a low profile.”
“ Yes, of course.” She shook his hand.