The stories and pictures are on a single topic: the DC bombings. In some spots, there are circles in red marker. A circle around the worddeadin a headline. Another around a picture of a blackened baby stroller. Another around a close-up of a bloody shoe.
Rizzo steps back from the ladder and looks at me. “John, what the hell is this? Some kind of sick scrapbook?”
“Not quite. I’ve seen displays like this before. It’s his trophy wall.”
CHAPTER 52
Cross
ALEX CROSS’S RINGING PHONE wakes him from a bad dream. He grabs it from the hotel nightstand and slides to answer. His eyes are so blurry from sleep that he doesn’t even see the caller ID.
“Hello, this is Alex Cross.”
“Hello, love.”
“Bree, it warms me just to hear your voice.” He settles back against the pillow in the dark room and checks the time on his phone. It’s just after midnight. “How are things in DC?”
Bree sighs. “I just got home. Things are crazy at Bluestone. We’re coordinating with the FBI, Homeland Security, and everybody else about the bombings. But at least Nana Mama left a plate for me. How’s it going down there?”
Alex lets out a long breath. “I wish I could say we’ve had a breakthrough. I feel like we’re just plodding on.”
“I heard you showed yourself on TV. Did you plan that?”
“No. I just happened into an ambush,” says Alex. “I was stupid. I should have used the rear entrance. But once the media found me, I figured I might as well make use of the platform.”
“What’s the plan for tomorrow? Are you going to go search in the reserve again?”
“I think Melissa is trying to rally the troops for another pass, but I doubt we’ll get the cadets again. I’m heading to campus to talk to the head of the psychology department. Cold call. I want to find out why he’s not concerned about Lucas and Tyne disappearing. There’s got to be more there.”
“Agreed,” says Bree. “Those two go missing, then Damon? I don’t believe in coincidences like that.”
“Is Bluestone getting anything on Damon’s tip line?”
“Nothing useful so far,” says Bree. “Just some reported sightings of Damon at various shops or bars around campus. All before he disappeared. Plus a few cranks leaving nasty hate messages or asking why valuable police resources are being wasted on looking for a grad student who’s probably out somewhere drunk or high. Oh, and we’ve also had a few psychics who say he’s near water or trees.”
“That’s a big help,” says Alex, rubbing his eyes. “What about ransom demands?”
“A few,” says Bree. “All flaky.”
“Like what?”
“One demanding a million dollars in Bitcoin sent to an encrypted account on Tor. Another wants two million in cash in a lunch box. That kind of thing. But no proof that there’s any connection to Damon.”
“People watch too many movies.”
“Everyone thinks they know how to game the system. Most of the ransom calls are coming from burner phones, guys thinking they’ll stay anonymous,” says Bree. “But they won’t. Sooner orlater, we’ll track down every one of these bastards and charge them with extortion.”
“Small satisfaction,” says Alex. “That won’t bring Damon home.”
“I’m working on another angle,” says Bree. “It’s tied to the DC bombings.”
“The bombings? How?”
“It’s not out yet, but they’ve identified a suspect. Ex–Special Forces, anti-government, experience with explosives, spent time in the psychiatric ward of a VA hospital.”
“What does that have to do with Damon?”
“Bluestone is using a proprietary software program to help track the bomber’s associations and movements over the years. It uses AI and algorithmic programs to find word patterns and key words in communications systems, from open email to internal intranet systems.”
