Theman laughed. 'I'll bet it's not that bad.'

    Tommytook out his hair dryer, blew the hair from the man's shoulders. When he wasdone he dusted the man's neck with powder.

    'So,you're going to a wedding reception?' Tommy asked.

    'Yes,'the man said.

    'Whereabouts?Over at the Legion Hall?' Tommy took off the cape. He picked up his brush,brushed off the last stray hairs from the man's shoulders and neck.

    'No,'the man said. 'This is at the Crystal Room.'

    Tommyhad never heard of the Crystal Room. 'Is that around here somewhere?'

    'It'sin Philadelphia.'

    Tommyshrugged. He figured that the man was on his way across the state. They got alot of travelers here, being so close to the Flight 93 memorial. Tommy wonderedhow the man had managed to find the shop.

    Theman stood up, straightened the crease in his trousers. 'I really appreciatethis. I feel like a new man.'

    Anew man, Tommy thought. I wish.

    'Itwas my pleasure.'

    Theman slipped on his coat. 'How much do I owe you?'

    Tommytold him. The man doubled the price, as promised.

    At justafter eight Tommy locked the shop. As per his explicit instructions, he leftthe register open, drawer out, under a solitary spotlight.

    Hewalked quickly to the parking lot. The temperature had dropped in the past houror so.

    'Thomas?'

    He spunaround. He saw no one, just the long-shadowed street.

    Thomas?Who the hell called him Thomas? The last person to call him Thomas had been hisex, Jeremy. But that had been in York, and that was three years ago.

    'Hello?'

    Silence.

    Tommystepped back around the corner. A car trundled past, one person inside, neverglancing his way. He looked both ways down the street. And saw him. The man hehad just given the trim to. Except now the man was wearing a dark jumpsuit,zipped to the throat.

    'Benvenutoal carnevale.'

    Theman lifted something into the air, an object about the size and shape of alarge old-school garage-door opener. Tommy heard a loud crackling sound,smelled something burning. Then his legs went south.

    In a van.Moving.

    Tommyblanked out. Came back.

    Hecould not move his head.

    Thevan was stopped. The man climbed into the back, put on a pair of thin latexgloves, shut the doors. Classical music was playing on the car stereo. Violinsor something.

    Tommyheard something else. It sounded like a drill.

    Tommyscreamed.

Chapter 57

    Byrnestopped for coffee in North Philly. He washed his face and hands in thebathroom. Fatigue was a shambling monster within. When he slipped back into thevan he turned on his cellphone and saw that he had five messages. All fromJessica. He called her. 'Where are you?' Byrne asked.

    'I'mat Jefferson Hospital,' Jessica said.

    Jefferson?Why?'

    'Iran into an old friend of mine today.'

    'Whatare you talking about? Who?'

    'LucasAnthony Thompson.'

    'What?How?'

    Jessicagave him a brief recap, starting with the suicide of Joseph Novak, thevoicemail from the dead, the existence of Novak's journal, and the assault byLucas Thompson on her. Byrne took a moment to absorb it all.

    'Man,I leave the city for one minute,' he said.

    'Tellme about it.'

    'IsThompson in custody?'

    'No,'Jessica said. 'He's dead. And Novak's journal is gone.' She filled him in on therest of the details.

    'Wheredid it happen?'

    Jessicatold him.

    'Thatwas the Kimmelman crime scene, wasn't it?' 'Yeah.'

    'Havethey moved him yet?'

    'Yeah.CSU is all over the place.'

    'I'mgoing to stop there,' Byrne said. 'When did they say you could get out ofthere?'

    'Aboutan hour or so. Vincent is with Sophie. Can you pick me up?' 'I'll be there.'

Chapter 58

    Byrnearrived in front of the hospital at about nine-thirty.

    Jessicawas waiting, forced to sit in a wheelchair - which made everything seem so muchworse than it was. Spotting his van, she got out of the chair, crossed thedriveway, and slid into the passenger seat.

    'Youlook okay,' Byrne said.

    'Iam okay. You know how it is. You break a fingernail and they want to doexploratory surgery. Keeps the premiums up.'

    'Whatdid they say?'

    'I'mfine. No concussion. They said I'll have a headache for a day or so. They wantto see me again in two weeks.'

    Byrnedrove slowly before pulling into the small temporary parking lot. He put thevan in park. 'Tell me more about this.'

    Jessicatried to organize her thoughts. It was a little difficult after getting herbrain scrambled. She told Byrne what she remembered about Joseph Novak's diary.

    'Hewrote that he was beholden to someone,' she said.

    'Hisword? Beholden?'

    Jessicanodded. 'He wrote: All Saints Day. It is done. I know now that I will beforever beholden to him.'

    'AllSaints Day. November 1st.'

    'Yeah.'

    Jessicaalso told him about the photograph in the back of the journal.

    'Anyidea who the woman was or where it was taken?' Byrne asked.

    'None.I didn't recognize the place.'

    'Andthe word hell was on the back?'

    'Yeah.Just that. Hell.'

    They fellsilent.

    'Nowit's your turn,' Jessica said. 'What happened up in Chestnut Hill?'

    Byrnetold her about his conversation with Christa-Marie. Jessica had the feelingthat her partner was not telling her everything, but that was his way. He wouldtell her only what she needed to know at this moment.

    'Shesaid there are going to be more killings,' Byrne said. 'She said that she couldhelp us.'

    'Andthat was it? No details?'

    'Nodetails.'

    'Didshe sound ... how do I put this ...'

    'Nuts?'

    'Yeah.That.'

    'I'mnot sure,' Byrne said. 'Yeah, I suppose she did. A little. But I'd like to talkto her one more time before all hell breaks loose with her. You know as well asI do that the second I put this on the record they're going to send ahalf-dozen shrinks up there. She'll shut down completely.'

    Therain picked up again. For a few moments there was only the sound of the musicfrom the stereo and the staccato impact of raindrops on the roof of the van.

    Byrneturned in his seat, put his hand on hers. 'You sure you're okay?'

    'Goodto go,' Jessica said. 'Never better.'

    Byrnejust stared.

    'Okay,I may have been better once. I think it was the summer my cousin Angela hadthat Thai stick.'

    Byrnesmiled. He squeezed her hand, put the van in reverse. Jessica leaned forward,turned up the stereo. 'This is beautiful. Is this who I think it is?'

    Byrnereached behind her seat, picked up the CD case, handed it to her.

    'Thisis what we're listening to?'

    Byrnenodded. 'Yeah. Christa-Marie's nurse gave me that. She said Christa-Mariewanted me to hear it.'

    Jessicalooked at the CD player, saw it was track two. She looked at the case. Tracktwo was Nocturne in G Major by Chopin.

    'It'sincredible,' she said.

    Whenthe track was over she played it a second time.

    Asthey pulled out of the parking lot, Jessica read the liner notes.

    'Thiswas recorded here in Philly, you know,' she said. 'At the Prentiss Institute.'