Chapter 22: The Consultant
December 8, 2008 - Evening - Tedd's Apartment
Lorelei's voice was tight over the phone.
"I met him today. The consultant. Dr. Linus Wagner."
I set down the case file I'd been reviewing, full attention focused. "And?"
"Something's off. He's professional, charming, says all the right things. But the way he looked at me..." She paused. "Like he was studying me. Not just being friendly—analyzing. Reading me."
The description made my blood run cold. Predators studied their prey, learning patterns, finding weaknesses.
"What did he ask?"
"Normal questions. Why I volunteer, what motivates me, whether I've experienced trauma myself." Her voice dropped. "I maintained cover story—just want to help women in crisis. But he kept pushing, asking follow-up questions about my background, family history."
[ **ANALYZING: THREAT ASSESSMENT** ]
[ **SUBJECT SHOWING PREDATORY INTEREST MARKERS** ]
[ **INTERROGATION PATTERN: VICTIM SELECTION** ]
[ **RECOMMEND: IMMEDIATE BACKGROUND CHECK** ]
[ **ENERGY: 68/100** ]
"Did Patricia seem concerned about his behavior?"
"No. She treats him like he's invaluable. Introduced him as 'Dr. Wagner, our trauma specialist who's saved lives.'" Lorelei's frustration bled through. "Everyone loves him. I'm probably overreacting."
"You're not. Trust your instincts." I pulled up my laptop. "Give me everything—full name, physical description, anything else."
"Dr. Linus Wagner. Mid-fifties, gray hair, glasses, professional attire. Psychiatrist specializing in trauma counseling. Patricia said he's been volunteering since the late nineties."
I ran the name through CBI databases while she talked. The results loaded slowly.
Dr. Linus Wagner. Licensed psychiatrist since 1985. Specialization in trauma and PTSD treatment. Volunteer work at multiple women's shelters across Northern California. Clean record—no complaints, no criminal history. Respected in his field, published research on trauma recovery.
Perfect credentials. Impeccable reputation.
The System flagged something underneath.
[ **ANALYZING: DR. LINUS WAGNER BACKGROUND** ]
[ **VOLUNTEER HISTORY: 1998-PRESENT** ]
[ **FACILITIES: 7 LOCATIONS** ]
[ **CROSS-REFERENCING WITH MISSING PERSONS DATA...** ]
[ **PATTERN DETECTED** ]
[ **3 FACILITIES HAD UNEXPLAINED RESIDENT DISAPPEARANCES DURING HIS TENURE** ]
[ **PROBABILITY: 73% - CIRCUMSTANTIAL CONNECTION** ]
[ **INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE FOR LEGAL ACTION** ]
[ **ENERGY: 65/100** ]
"Three facilities. Three locations where women vanished while he volunteered. That's not coincidence."
"Tedd?" Lorelei's voice pulled me back. "Did you find something?"
"He's clean officially. But three shelters he's worked at had resident disappearances. It's circumstantial—not proof—but it's a pattern."
Silence on her end. Then, quietly: "What do I do?"
"Continue volunteering. But new rules—check in every two hours, never be alone with Wagner, and if anything feels threatening, you leave immediately. Understood?"
"Understood."
"I'm serious, Lorelei. This guy could be dangerous."
"I know. I'll be careful."
After we hung up, I sat in the dark apartment, mind racing. Dr. Wagner fit the profile perfectly—intelligent, trusted, with access to vulnerable women. But evidence was thin. Pulling Lorelei out now meant losing our inside access. Leaving her there meant potential danger.
The protective instinct and investigative necessity warred in my chest.
December 10, 2008 - Afternoon - CBI Headquarters
I approached Jane during lunch, calculating how much to reveal.
"Hypothetically," I said, sitting beside his couch. "If someone's investigating cold cases connected to women's shelters, what would you look for?"
Jane's attention sharpened immediately. "Hypothetically?"
"Hypothetically."
He set down his tea, full focus on me now. "Predators inserting themselves into victim services. Classic pattern—volunteer, consultant, someone who appears helpful while selecting targets. They build trust, learn victims' vulnerabilities, use that access to isolate and control."
The description matched Wagner perfectly.
"How would you identify them?" I asked.
"Cross-reference their presence with disappearances. Look for patterns in timing, victim types, locations." Jane studied my face. "This is about your girlfriend's sister, isn't it?"
No point denying it. "Possibly."
"And your girlfriend is currently investigating these shelters."
"She's volunteering. Gathering information."
Jane's expression shifted—concern mixing with understanding. "Be very careful. People who hunt vulnerable women are patient, intelligent, and extremely dangerous. They spend years building credibility specifically so nobody suspects them."
[ **ANALYZING: JANE'S WARNING** ]
[ **GENUINE CONCERN: 94%** ]
[ **PERSONAL EXPERIENCE INFORMING ADVICE** ]
[ **OFFERING EXPERTISE WITHOUT JUDGMENT** ]
[ **ENERGY: 63/100** ]
"How do I protect her without pulling her out?" I asked.
"You don't. Not fully." Jane's voice was quiet, serious. "If she's determined to investigate, your job isn't to stop her—it's to ensure she survives it. Communication protocols, safety checks, backup plans. And if things escalate, you extract her immediately, investigation be damned."
"Voice of experience?"
"Always." His expression was haunted. "I didn't protect my family when I should have. Don't make my mistake."
The admission hung heavy. Jane's entire existence was built on the failure to protect his wife and daughter from Red John. That regret informed everything he did, every case he worked, every life he tried to save.
"Thank you," I said.
"Don't thank me. Just keep her safe." He picked up his tea again. "And if you need backup—real backup, not official CBI involvement—you know where to find me."
The offer was genuine, unconditional. Partnership extending beyond cases into personal crisis.
"I might take you up on that," I said.
"Good."
December 10, 2008 - Evening - Phone Call with Lorelei
"New safety protocols," I said without preamble.
Lorelei sighed, but didn't argue. "I'm listening."
"Check in every two hours. Text or call, I don't care which. If you can't check in, I'm coming to get you."
"Okay."
"Never be alone with Wagner. If he asks for private conversation, decline. If Patricia schedules you for shift when he's consulting, find an excuse to stay with other volunteers."
"That might raise suspicions."
"I don't care. Your safety matters more than the investigation."
Silence. Then: "You're really worried about him."
"Three shelters with disappearances while he volunteered. That pattern plus your instincts equals credible threat."
"What if I'm wrong? What if he's just intense and I'm being paranoid?"
"Then we waste some caution. But if you're right and we ignore it..." I didn't finish. The implication was clear.
"Okay. Every two hours, never alone with Wagner, immediate extraction if threatened. Anything else?"
"Yes. I love you, and if anything happens to you, the investigation stops mattering."
Her laugh was soft, affectionate. "You're very protective."
"You're very important."
"I love you too. I'll be careful."
After hanging up, I pulled up Wagner's file again. Clean record, impeccable credentials, pattern of being present when women vanished. Not proof, but enough to justify paranoia.
The System provided final assessment.
[ **DR. LINUS WAGNER: PERSON OF INTEREST** ]
[ **THREAT LEVEL: MODERATE TO HIGH** ]
[ **EVIDENCE: CIRCUMSTANTIAL** ]
[ **RECOMMENDATION: MAINTAIN SURVEILLANCE** ]
[ **LORELEI SAFETY PROTOCOLS: IMPLEMENTED** ]
[ **ENERGY: 61/100** ]
December had only just begun, and already the investigation was escalating. Lorelei was inside Safe Harbor, close to someone who might be connected to Miranda's murder. And I was outside, relying on safety protocols and desperate hope.
The pieces were moving faster now. Question was whether I could keep Lorelei safe while they did.
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