'Let'sget on the road,' she said. 'We'll figure it out on the way.'

Chapter 84

    BellsMill Road was a two-lane blacktop that spanned an area between Ridge andGermantown Avenues. At its western end, where it became Spring Lane, there werehouses, but as it made its way into Fairmount Park it became wooded and dark.As Jessica and Bontrager drove, the night was cut only by the headlights oftheir car.

    Onthe way Josh Bontrager dialed David Albrecht's number twenty times, getting hisvoicemail each time. At the same time Jessica speed- dialed Byrne's cellphonewith the same result.

    'MaybeKevin left his phone somewhere,' Bontrager said.

    Jessicathought about this. 'No. He turns it off sometimes, but he always has it withhim. He's just not answering.'

    Bontragerwent silent for a few moments. 'Don't all phones have some kind of GPS inthem?'

    Jessicadidn't know about all phones. 'What are you saying, Josh?'

    'Ifwe could slip through a warrant, maybe we could get a fix on Kevin's phone.'

    Jessicahad thought of this. But it meant bringing someone into the loop. There was nodoubt in her mind that an APB on Kevin had gone out. Police were looking forhim and his vehicle. If she reached out to someone to help find him, she wouldbe taking the chance that it would leak, and it would all end badly.

    Shelooked at her watch. It was 10:24. Time was running out. She had no choice. Sheknew who she had to bring into this. She called Michael Drummond.

    'Thisis Michael.'

    'Michael,it's Jessica Balzano.' 'Hey, Jessica. How are you?' 'I hope I didn't wake you.'

    'Nota chance. I'm stuck at a Halloween party,' he said. 'What's up?'

    'Ineed a warrant for a cellphone track.'

    Drummondwas silent for a moment. 'What do you have?'

    Jessicatold him the bare minimum.

    'Who'sthe target?'

    Jessicahad no choice here, nor did she have a cover. 'Kevin Byrne.'

    Onceagain, Michael Drummond fell silent for a few moments. 'This is about yourserial?'

    Jessicaknew she was now on the record with this. If she lied, it would all come downaround her.

    'Yesand no.'

    'Spokenlike a true politician. But I'm going to need a little more if I'm going to geta warrant. You know it has to go through the chief.'

    Allsearch warrants related to a homicide case had to be approved by the chief ofhomicide in the district attorney's office.

    Jessicahad no choice. 'He might be in some trouble, Michael.' Jessica heard Drummondtake a deep breath, exhale slowly. 'I'll need his phone number and hiscarrier.'

    Jessicagave him the information.

    'Idon't know if I can get this through at this time of night.'

    'Iunderstand.'

    'Letme see what I can do,' Drummond said. 'Where are you?' Jessica told him.

    'Areyou alone?'

    'I'mwith Detective Bontrager.' 'Hang tight. I'll call you back.'

    Jessicaclicked off her phone. She stood in the middle of the road, in the impenetrablecountry darkness. The road stretched into the gloom in both directions. Dark,forbidding, unknown, silent.

Chapter 85

    Darkness.

    Theywere moving. There was tape over her eyes and her mouth. Her hands were stillbound together behind her back with the plastic band.

    Lucytried to listen to sounds around her. She heard the sound of the road beneathher. They were on a paved road, smooth, maybe an expressway, although she didnot have the sense that they were traveling at high speed. Every so often sheheard the sound of something passing. It was a distinct rhythm. Light poles?

    Underneathit all was the sound of the heater fan. There was no music coming from theradio, no conversation. Then she heard humming. She didn't know the song.

    Lucyrolled to her right, then her left. The movements were small but she could feelthe plastic on her wrists shift a little bit each time. If she had strengthanywhere in her body it was in her arms and hands. You didn't lift as manymattresses as she had without getting stronger.

    Left.

    Right.

    Sheflexed her wrists, relaxed.

    Littleby little she felt the plastic start to give.

Chapter 86

    Drummondcalled back ten minutes later.

    'Michael,'Jessica said. 'What do you have for me?'

    Therewere a few seconds of silence. At first Jessica thought the call had beendropped. She looked at the screen. They were still connected. She put the phoneback to her ear. It was now quiet in the background on Drummond's end. He hadeither left or stepped away from his Halloween party.

    'Idon't know how to say this, Jess.'

    Thiswas not good, whatever it was. 'Just say it, Michael.'

    Anotherpause. Jessica heard the rustling of paper. 'I just heard from the HudsonCounty prosecutor's office. They issued a search warrant yesterday to theMailboxes USA location in Jersey City.'

    Drummondwas talking about the location to which the tattoos had been mailed from WorldInk.

    'Dowe have something?' Jessica asked.

    'Wedo. But it's not good news.'

    'Whatdid they say?'

    'Theygot the records of where the material was forwarded to from Box 1606. The tattoosfrom World Ink. The package went to an address in South Philly.'

    Jessicawaited. And waited. 'Michael.'

    'Itwas Kevin Byrne's address. The tattoos went to his home address.'

    Jessicafelt the ground shift beneath her. She wanted to speak, but her breath had notyet caught up to her words. 'It's not possible.'

    'It'sthe only piece of mail the location ever forwarded from this box, under thisregistration. It was sent about a month ago.'

    Anotherlong pause. Drummond continued. 'Half the department is looking for him,Jessica. If I take this warrant request to the chief they're going to use it tolocate Kevin and bring him in.'

    'Okay,Michael. I understand,' Jessica said. 'But I have a favor to ask.'

    'Whatis it?'

    'Ineed a head start. There's an explanation for all of this. I just need to getto Kevin first.'

    Silencefor a moment. 'I can't break the law, Jess. You know and I know that there isnow a record of us having this conversation.'

    'I'mnot asking you to break the law. I just need some time. Besides, who's to saywhat we talked about? Maybe we talked about the Phillies.'

    'Howabout that Chase Utley, eh?'

    Jessicatook a moment, her mind spinning. 'All I'm asking for is a little window. Kevinis innocent. Let me bring him in.'

    Thenext few seconds were excruciating. Finally: 'If the office brings me into thisI'm going to have to drop the hammer. You know that, right?'

    'Iknow.'

    'Butmaybe it doesn't have to be immediately. Maybe I can't get a cellphone signal.Maybe my phone was off.'

    Jessicafelt a cool wave of relief. 'Thanks, Michael.'

    'Goodluck, detective.'

    Jessicaclicked off. She filled in Josh Bontrager on the parts of the conversation thathe had not heard. She began to pace. The rain began to fall a little harder.She barely noticed.

    'Okay,'Jessica said. 'The killer was working toward this night for a reason.'

    'DanseMacabre,' Bontrager said. 'Midnight on Halloween.'

    'Right.The killer is doing this for Christa-Marie. Why?'

    Bontragerthought for a moment. 'If he is true to form he's going to kill one more personto fill in the last note.'