I think we are going to see not Rudolph’s breakdown, but his total destruction, his disgrace. Prison time for him and disgrace.
There is a theory on Reddit that The Man In The Suit is Rudolph and that he tries to kill Murphy and Harry. We see Harry generate a shield and use it offensively to grind the man in a suit into a wall when he pulls a gun on Harry.
Harry won’t kill with magic but he would be willing to injure.
If so this shows two things, Harry may no longer need his shield bracelet as a focus, and secondly Harry has figured out a defensive shield can be an offensive shield. I never understood why he hasn’t ever run a spherical shield around an enemy and then contracted it massively compacting them to basketball size, would work nicely for Blamps, or if in a room full of adversaries just expanded his shield suddenly to crush them against the walls all at the same time, or created a shield around an adversaries head and then contracted it whilst striking a Darth Vader pose.
I agree I think it would be more satisfying to see Rudy be humiliated and disgraced for his actions than killed.
Interesting idea that Rudy is the Man in the Suit.
I would argue, based on previous data, Harry won't kill
willingly. Doesn't mean he might not accidentally.
I think we have known since Cold Days that Harry doesn't
need his magical foci. He prefers them for the same reasons even the most experienced Wizards do: safety. It's just easier and safer to have them. But where he would once have been almost helpless or ridiculously inaccurate without them, he now has enough self-control to replicate most of his normal evocation. But I think it tires him out mentally faster.
Any search that leads to the bank leads to the iris scanner, and unless some very quick repair work is done, the mines in the wall would be revealed. Nothing in the banks inventory is stolen. And for large sums of cash there are some very funny rules. This is a distraction. Either Marcone, Lara or the agents of Nemesis.
Agreed. But I doubt Marcone would allow anyone to examine anything to closely and anything they did find he would be able to silence.
As to the investigation...I think it hardly matters why it is IA. Other than it was a convenient way to bring back Rudolph. If Rudy is leading the charge it will be short lived, and the only important thing is to find out who is paying Rudy.
The relevant factors to do with the investigation have little to do with evidence, and wholly to do with the subjects of the investigation and the timing of it. Why Harry and Murphy? Why both? Why now? Solve those and it's pretty clear what's happening.
Cowl doesn't seem to use money or even mortal authorities, so he is unlikely to be involved at this level. If he wanted Dresden distracted he would send monsters or something far more distracting. It doesn't fit his style. Marcone...doesn't benefit from Harry being arrested but even assuming he did why bother using the law? His distractions in the past have been more murky. And smarter. He would more likely put Dresden in a situation where he made Dresden have to be the hero and protector/savior while going down for something. He knows Dresden's weakness is his constant need to do the right thing. And he might even do it in such a way that Harry wouldn't want to get out from under it. Look how skillfully he got Dresden to save his associate in Jury Duty.
No, this feels far more White Court or (had they still been alive) Red Court. In fact, it feels rather similar to when Mavra blackmailed Harry last time...and didn't Freydis just mention she had been seen recently? Lara or Mavra is my guess. Whichever it is tells us a bit more about their involvement with the Black Council and how they operate.