Jessicaturned him to face her fully. 'There are two dozen people working these cases. Everyresource available is on this. We're going to shut him down. Take the day. I'llcall you every hour on the hour. If something breaks I'll—'

    'Weheard from the lab,' Byrne said, interrupting her. 'From Irina. We have a fixon the murder weapon.'

    'Well,that's good, right? That's a good thing.'

    'Thekiller is using strings from an instrument.'

    'Aninstrument?'

    Byrnelooked down the street, back. 'The wire is a string from a cello, Jess. He'sstrangling them with a string from a cello. That explains the animal hair onthe wire. It's horsehair from the bow.'

    Theimplications of this were deep, and Jessica knew now why her partner had beenup all night. There could no longer be any excuse for not bringingChrista-Marie Schönburg in for questioning. There were too many connections.

    Jessicaknew she had to tread lightly. 'How do you want to handle this?'

    Byrnesaid nothing. A city street-sweeper trolled slowly by. They took a step back,closer to the building. When it had passed Byrne turned to her.

    'WhenI walked into that house, twenty years ago, I felt something, you know? It wasmy first case as a lead investigator, and I had it all in my hand. I saw thebody, the weapon, the blood. I saw the suspect, I knew the motive. I saw it allin one second. One big picture, no parts.' He looked at Jessica. He was on theedge. 'I said to myself this is what you were meant to do.'

    Jessicawanted to jump in. It wasn't the right moment.

    'Idon't see it like that anymore,' Byrne said. 'Now it's all in pieces, and I'mscared that I made a mistake. I'm scared I can't do it anymore.'

    'You'rewrong, Kevin. I have no doubt that you can do this. I don't know anybody whodoes this better. But you know what scares me?'

    'What?'

    'Whatscares me is that this killer might go underground. That he might finish thisup and disappear forever.'

    'He'snot done.'

    Byrnesaid this with such finality that it stopped Jessica cold. 'What do you mean?How do you know?'

    Byrneheld up the large envelope. It was soaked. He didn't seem to care. 'This camein at four o'clock this morning.'

    'Whatis it?'

    Byrnepulled the document out of the envelope. But he didn't look at it, didn't handit to Jessica. He just let it get wet. 'A body was found yesterday in a towncalled Garrett Corners.' 'How does this concern us?'

    'Itlooks like it's connected,' Byrne said. 'We have to go there. We're expected.'

Chapter 64

    TheDreamweaver was waiting for Lucy with his door open.

    Hegave her a start. Again, he looked different. Even younger than the day before.He stood a little straighter, and his clothes looked new.

    'Lucy,'he said, gesturing for her to step inside.

    She almostgasped. The place was all but empty. The only thing left inside was the stand.The Dreamweaver booth.

    'Areyou moving somewhere?' Lucy asked.

    'Yes.Quite soon.'

    Shewanted to ask what this was all about. She had a million questions, but shedecided to wait. What was most important was to go back under, to slip back tothat horrible day in 2001 and see the man's face, the man who took hersomewhere and at the same time took her memory, her life. The man who wasstaying in Room 1208. The man who knew her mother.

    'Todaywe are going to sit inside,' he said. 'Is that all right?'

    Lucypointed to the booth. 'Inside there?'

    'Yes.Today we go all the way back.'

    Lucytook a deep breath. 'Okay.'

    Mr.Costa opened the door. Lucy took off her coat and stepped inside. It was like aconfessional. Inside was a small bench. She sat down. When Mr. Costa closed thedoor, it was pitch black. She heard him sit down on the other side.

    Hebegan to speak, and—

    —suddenlyshe was back there. The darkness around her did not change. But she sensed thatshe was under. It was different from the first two times because this time sheknew. It was like when you were dreaming and you knew you were dreaming,and therefore you could not be hurt. For the first time in nine years, she feltstrong.

    AreYou Alone?

    No.

    Whois there with you?

    Anothergirl. A girl my age. Her name is Peggy.

    Tellme about her.

    Shehas on a spangly dress. And make-up. She's too little for make-up.

    Areyou wearing make-up?

    Idon't know. I can't see myself. But I am wearing high heels. They are big formy feet.

    Whatis the other girl doing?

    She'scrying.

    Areyou crying?

    No. Idon't cry.

    Whatelse do you see?

    I seecandles. Candles and moonlight.

    Whydo you see moonlight?

    BecauseI am running now. I'm running through the trees. The smell of apples iseverywhere.

    Isit an orchard?

    Yes.It's an orchard.

    Isthe other girl with you?

    No, butI see her. I see her up by the lake.

    Whatis she doing?

    She'snot moving.

    Whyis she not moving?

    Idon't know.

    Canyou see the man's face?

    Ican't. But I know who he is. Is he the man in Room 1208? Yes. It's him.

    Youare certain?

    Yes.

    Didyou place the note in his room? The note you wrote here last time?

    Yes.

    Good.Now I'm going to ring a bell for you. Is that okay?

    Yes.

    Canyou hear the bell?

    Ican hear it.

    It'sa special bell, Lucy.

    Aspecial bell.

    Thereis no other sound like it.

    Noother.

    Whenyou hear this bell at the hotel, there is something you have to do. Somethingyou have to do for me.

    Okay.

    Youwill tell no one about this.

    Noone.

    Rememberthe bell, Lucy.

Chapter 65

    Thedrive across southeastern Pennsylvania was energizing. The rain had stopped andit was a bright and sunny day. A lot of people think that the best place to viewfall colors in the United States is New England, and they have a point. But therolling hills of Pennsylvania, painted in scarlet and gold and lemon yellow,might well give New Hampshire a run for its money.

    For along time neither Jessica nor Byrne said much. Both were lost in the events ofthe past four days and the possibility of a break in the case, a break locatedfar out of their jurisdiction.

    Beforeleaving Philadelphia, Jessica had gotten Byrne to stop at his apartment, showerand shave, change clothes. He looked like two-thirds of his old self again.

    Theystopped for coffee on the way. When Jessica got back in the car she rememberedsomething she had been meaning to ask her partner. It was about as far removedfrom the case as she could imagine.

    'Youdidn't happen to find a piece of green yarn in your van, did you?'

    'No,'Byrne said. 'Are you talking about the yarn that was around the box with yourmom's things in it?'

    Jessicanodded. The thought of having lost the yarn made her sick. 'I lookedeverywhere, asked everyone. It's gone.'

    'Maybeit'll turn up.'

    Jessicadidn't hold out much hope for this. It was only ten cents' worth of yarn, butit had belonged to her mother. And that made it priceless.