“How about his age?” Stacy asked.

Alice screwed up her face in thought. “Older than me, I’m pretty sure. He seemed mature.”

Seemed mature. Which illustrated one of the dangers of meeting people online, Stacy thought. Being unable to accurately gauge a person’s age or character. Having to depend on their version of the truth.

“Older? As old as your father?”

“Not old.” She shook her head. “We liked the same music and stuff. When I talked about my parents, he understood. Totally.”

“About your parents,” she repeated. “What did you tell him about them?”

Alice looked embarrassed, upset. “I complained about how they treated me like a baby. How they wouldn’t let me go to university, stuff like that.” Her eyes welled with tears. “Considering the circumstances now, I wish I could take it all back.”

Stacy pressed on. “Playing online, how does it work?”

“It’s a one-on-one. I’m battling the monsters of Wonderland.”

“The mouse, the Five and Seven of Spades and so forth.”

“Exactly. The narrative is the same, but I’m the future’s only hope.”

“It’s up to you to kill the evil White Rabbit and all his Wonderland henchmen, thus saving the world.”

She nodded. “The White Rabbit controls the game, absolutely. He creates the traps, the monsters, everything. Before beginning the game, I’m notified of every monster I’ll face. But not when or where the confrontation will take place.

“I’m also informed of their particular strengths, powers and weapons. It helps level the playing field. And eliminates the temptation to improvise as you go, creating just the power or weapon necessary to defeat the player.”

“Is play determined by the roll of dice, as in the live version?”

“Yes. Electronic dice. I receive the result of all moves against me from the White Rabbit. And the result of my moves against the others from him as well.”

“How do you know he’s telling the truth? He’s got the dice.”

“What would be the point of lying?”

In a regular game, with a sane game master, sure.

But with an obvious whack job like this guy?

“My friend Cassie, could she have been part of this game?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so.”

“Did you and she discuss White Rabbit or this game at Café Noir?”

“No.”

“You’re telling me the truth, right? It’s really important.”

“I didn’t, I swear. We talked about gaming in general, but not White Rabbit. It’s not really done, and certainly not with a stranger.”

Stacy believed her. “Who knew you were playing?”

“No one.”

That she found hard to believe. She told her so.

“It’s true! White Rabbit’s that way. Dad suspected, I suppose. He knows I game. It’s not unusual for an online gamer to have several scenarios going at once.”

“Do you know what monsters lay ahead?”

Alice typed in a code, accessing the game. She read them aloud. “The Mad Hatter and March Hare. The King of Hearts. The Cheshire Cat. And the White Rabbit.”

“When do you have to make your move?”

“Soon.”

“Can you put him off? Delay your move?”

“No more than twenty-four hours. If I fail to act, I’m automatically eliminated.”

And in this game, being eliminated was fatal.

“I think I know who he is, Alice.”

“Who? Not Dad.”

“No, not your dad. Dick Danson.”

“Dad’s old partner? But he’s-”

“Dead? Maybe not.” Stacy explained about her trip to California and what she had learned. “I don’t have any proof yet, but I will.”

“Soon?”

“I’m going to try. The first thing we need to do is get Detectives Malone and Sciame in here. Show them what you’ve just shown me.”

A look of panic crossed her features. “What if they don’t believe me? What if they think-”

“They won’t,” she said, gently squeezing her hand. “I’ll be right here.”

“Promise?”

Stacy did, then went to the door and called Spencer and Tony. Malone poked his head out the door of the bedroom on the other side of hers.

“I think you might want to take a look at this,” she said, motioning them over.

They crossed to the computer. Stacy swiveled the monitor toward them, watching Spencer’s face as he scanned the documents, seeing the moment he understood what he was looking at.

He faced Alice. “You have some explaining to do, Ms. Noble.”

Stacy stepped in, filling them in on what Alice had told her: how she had become involved in the game, where she had met the White Rabbit, how the game was played online. And that, if they were right, Kay was still alive. “It wasn’t until her mother disappeared that she realized she was involved,” she finished. “Then she did the right thing and came forward.”

Spencer sent her a look that clearly communicated that he’d be the judge of that. “You have no idea who the White Rabbit is?”

“None.” She looked at Stacy as if for confirmation. She saw that the girl’s lips trembled.

“We’ll have to confiscate your computer,” he said. “We can trace-”

Stacy cut him off. “Can I see you in the hall? Now?”

He nodded, though he looked irritated. He followed her to the hall and faced her, hands on hips. “What?”

“You can’t take her computer.”

He arched his eyebrows in question. “That so? Why?”

“Alice has to respond to the White Rabbit in twenty-four hours or her character is eliminated. And in this game, being eliminated really is the end of the line.”

“Shit.” He looked away, then back. “You have a suggestion, Killian?”

“Copy all her files. I bet she’s got a built-in CD burner, so it shouldn’t take too long. Plug them in downtown.”

“Just leave the door between her and that bastard open?”

“Closing it might be more dangerous for her. It’d also tip him that we’re onto him. In the meantime, get a court subpoena to force her e-mail provider to release the name and address on the White Rabbit’s e-mail account.”

He gazed at her a moment, eyes narrowed, then nodded tersely.

Several moments later, Tony was on his cell, setting their plan in motion. Alice sat slumped on the edge of the bed, arms curled around her middle. Stacy sat beside her, listening to Tony.

“What’s going on in here, Stacy?”

Before she could respond, Alice caught sight of him. “Dad!” she cried.

She ran to her father and threw herself into his arms. “I didn’t mean for this to happen! I didn’t know, I promise I didn’t!”

“Baby, what-”

“Mr. Noble,” Spencer interrupted, “I need to take you down to headquarters for further questioning.”

“No!” That came from Alice. She spun toward Spencer. “He didn’t do anything! Don’t you see-”

“It’s okay, Pumpkin.” Leo separated himself from her. “They’re just going to ask me some questions. I’ll be back in an hour.”

CHAPTER 50

Friday, March 18, 2005

8:10 p.m.

Stacy stayed with Alice, and while the minutes ticked past, she did her best to reassure the girl. Reminded her that her father had done nothing wrong and that as an innocent man, he had nothing to fear.

After a while, it seemed the girl wasn’t even listening. It was as if she had drifted off to a place where she couldn’t be touched. If she had noticed that more than an hour had passed since the detectives had left with her father, she didn’t mention it.

Stacy fell silent as well. She made sure they ate the meal Mrs. Maitlin had left, then straightened the kitchen. All the while, she went over the facts as she knew them, conscious of the ticking clock.

The e-mail from the White Rabbit had come in at 3:00 p.m. Which meant they had until the same time tomorrow to catch him.

Why was Malone wasting time questioning Leo? Danson was behind this. Her gut told her he was.

Now she needed proof.