Chapter 95: The Deceptive Serpent

Rossi stood before the team, holding up a small note encased in an evidence bag, displaying it for everyone to see. The note was covered in a dense array of numbers.

"Rosalind and her followers crafted a slew of false leads to mislead us. Let's start by discussing the search of her prison cell."

"I knew Rosalind had a habit of reading, so after we searched her cell, I had FBI agents check all the books she borrowed in the past six months. Inside one of the novels, we found this note."

Captain Grey took the evidence bag and glanced at it. "It's a simple substitution cipher. The numbers on the corners indicate the book's page number, and the ones below are the line numbers."

Rossi nodded. "Correct. The agent on-site quickly deciphered it. It spells out a name: Brian Coleman."

John raised his hand in confusion. "But the guy Jack shot at the scene was identified as Caleb White. His driver's license had that name."

Rossi signaled for patience. "Yes, this was Rosalind's first trap. We raided Brian Coleman's residence and found his walls plastered with photos of the victims. However, FBI records show that Brian Coleman had been missing for some time. If we had followed this lead further..."

At that moment, Captain Grey's phone beeped. He checked it and spoke gravely, "The forensic team just discovered a recently buried body near the old zoo. Fingerprints confirm it's Brian Coleman."

The room buzzed with murmurs. It was clear that Brian Coleman was merely an unlucky scapegoat. If not for Dr. Brianna's team's lead to the old zoo, they might still be chasing Brian Coleman all over the city.

"Next is the second trap." Rossi's gaze shifted to Tim and his group.

"The LAPD traced the underground black market operation in the women's prison to Benjamin Lacey, a mid-level gang leader. He gave us another name: Jerry Javier, who records show worked as a guard in the women's prison in 2017, the same one where Rosalind was held."

Tim, looking annoyed but compliant, added, "We raided Jerry Javier's place with the SWAT team, only to find the guy is disabled, with only one functioning leg."

"He did work as a prison guard, but five years ago, he was severely injured in a prison riot, leaving him nearly paralyzed from the waist down. He claimed his identity was stolen three years ago, and his personal credit history was in shambles."

Rossi redirected the focus to the photo of Caleb White on the whiteboard.

"The FBI traced Jerry Javier's credit card records for the past two years and found a purchase of a small diesel generator, matching the model found at the old zoo."

Captain Grey summarized, "We can now confirm that Caleb White was Rosalind's true accomplice. Three years ago, he stole Jerry Javier's identity to infiltrate the women's prison and get close to Rosalind."

Jack chuckled. "That explains it. Rosalind was using her manipulative tactics to form a cult-like following. Caleb White could be considered her first disciple. No wonder she kept rambling on. John, she probably had you pegged as her next target."

All eyes turned to John, whose face turned red. Angela teased with a grin, "Better watch out, John. That seductive viper's bite is deadly."

Captain Grey, in a good mood, looked at John. "Rosalind will be transported back to prison tonight. Her deal with the DA is off the table. If you still want to talk to her, now's your chance."

John shook his head vigorously. Jack, however, stood up and pulled out another evidence bag. "I'll go see her. I have something here that I'm sure will 'delight' her."

Captain Grey nodded, allowing the meeting to adjourn. "Get some rest, everyone. You've all worked hard."

As everyone got up to leave, they handed Jack their FBI tracking devices. No one wanted to carry those around now that the case was closed.

"Uh, I'm still missing one. I gave it to that Channel 8 news anchor. I'll get it back from her tomorrow."

Jack collected the devices and handed them to Rossi. The older agent gave Jack an amused pat on the shoulder, clearly misinterpreting the situation. Jack didn't bother to correct him and quickly headed to the holding cell.

He stood before Rosalind, who looked distinctly less composed than before, her facade of calm shattered. Jack stared at her, expressionless, and began, "We rescued the third victim. She's being treated at the hospital, and your follower Caleb is dead."

Jack didn't aim to boast to a serial killer. Instead, he felt a strange mix of thoughts, wanting to see her one last time. This woman had meticulously plotted for so long, setting intricate traps. Yet, Brianna's forensic team's intervention and Jack's involvement had disrupted her plans in a straightforward manner. It was almost poetic justice.

Jack vaguely remembered that Rosalind had more than one admirer. There was a breakout attempt later on, but he had only skimmed through the plot on Bilibili while gaming, so the details were hazy.

Now, with the situation under control, he thought it might be worth provoking her a bit, just in case she planned any future moves. By the time she resurfaced, he would be a seasoned FBI agent with enhanced skills. Stirring her up now might ensure she comes after him again, giving him a chance to handle her more decisively.

Rosalind's face twisted in a grimace. The smug smile was gone, replaced by a clenched-teeth frustration.

"Such a disappointment!"

Jack felt this wasn't enough. He needed to push her further, to see if he could make her truly lose her composure.

"Your story ends here. You'll be forgotten by the world, rotting away in that tiny private cell."

"No!" Rosalind suddenly lifted her head, a smile returning to her face.

"There's still the third burial site I haven't disclosed, more bodies, more graves. I can continue to make deals with the DA. Sooner or later, some ambitious bureaucrat will agree. You're too young to understand this now, but you'll learn. Everyone grows up eventually, right?"

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter