That was Caldwell's backup plan. For the backup plan. He killed the lights to stop you from resetting the switch because he needed the cycling to continue, but it also stopped him from getting his window. Darius said because the cycling kept running too fast, so he outsmarted himself. Okapor said he forgot that complicated plans have a lot of pieces that can fall.
Okapor almost smiled. Detectives love it when they do that. He picked up his notepad. We're going to need you both to come in tomorrow, later today, technically for formal statements. Is that manageable?
Yes, Victoria said. Yes, Darius said. Okafur left. The command post was quieting now. The initial urgency settling into the longer, steadier work of processing and documenting and building the case.
Officers moved with less speed and more purpose. The storm outside was genuinely easing. Darius could hear it in the building. The groaning dropping down to something more like a conversation and less like an argument. Victoria stood up.
She looked around the room officers. Detectives equipment the controlled aftermath of an emergency in its final stages. And then she looked at Darius and said, "Walk me to the lobby. " He stood up. They walked down the last two flights of stairs together and through the lobby where Gerald was still at his desk, pale and tense and deeply relieved to see them both. He stood up when they came in and said, "Miss Hayes.
Thank God. " And she crossed to him and put her hand briefly on his arm and said, "It's all right, Gerald. It's over. Go home. " And he nodded and grabbed his jacket from under the desk with the speed of a man who has been told something he deeply needs to believe. At the front entrance, the rain had dropped to something manageable, still there, still steady, but no longer violent. The city outside was wet and quiet, and orange lit in the way of early morning, and two police vehicles were parked at the curb, and a crime scene unit van was pulling up at the service entrance to the right.
Victoria stood at the glass and looked out. "My car is in the executive garage," she said. "They said it's accessible from the south. Will you drive? Darius said.
She looked at him. Should I not? You've been running on adrenaline for 3 hours. He said it just stopped. She considered that.
Looked at her hands. Turned them over once. Palm up, palm down. I'll call my attorney. She said he'll come.