Her hands found the trench coat and she yanked it toward her, fishing through the pockets until she found her phone.Her fingers were shaking so badly she could barely unlock the screen.She managed to dial 911 and pressed the phone to her ear but the entire time, she could not take her eyes away from that awful shimmering shine around his mouth.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Miles sat in the makeshift conference room at Rothschild's building, staring at the list of eleven jewelers Gregory Marshall had provided.Each name represented a potential connection, a thread that might lead them to the killer.He had already started running background checks on the first three, looking for anything that stood out.Criminal records, financial problems, connections to Kane's network.So far, nothing.
Vic was on her laptop across the table, cross-referencing the jewelers against known associates of previous disciples.It was tedious work; this was shaping up to be the kind of investigation that required hours of digging through databases and public records—all of which was absolutely necessary.They had one victim and no leads beyond the symbolism of platinum itself.
"This is going to take all night," Vic said, rubbing her eyes."Eleven jewelers, each with their own employees, their own client lists.We're talking about potentially hundreds of people with access to Rothschild's collection."
"We'll narrow it down, then," Miles said."Look for anyone with a grudge, anyone who lost money or status.Kane's disciples are always motivated by some perceived injustice.We’ve also got Agent Kim running a—"
His phone buzzed, and because he'd just mentioned Kim, something made him think (or, rather,hope)it might be her.Detective Linhart.But the number was a local one, and one he had seen at least once before.
"It's Detective Linhart," he told Vic as he picked up the phone.Even before he answered, he couldn't help but feel a slight pang of worry.
“This is Agent Sterling,” he answered.
“Sterling, it’s Linhart.”Her voice sounded tense.“We’ve got another body.It was found at a downtown hotel.It’s clearly the same MO…platinum in the airways."
"When?"
"Discovered thirty minutes ago.The Douglas Hotel, room 447."
"We're on our way."
Miles ended the call and looked at Vic, who was already closing her laptop and gathering her things.She was shaking her head as she said, "Two in two days.Quick and efficient, just like the other disciples.”
They raced out of the conference room and then through the lobby, not speaking a word.When they got to their rental car, and Miles drove, weaving through Manhattan traffic with focused urgency—which was harder than he’s expected.He truly wasn’t expecting the New York traffic to be the utter headache that it was turning out to be.The late afternoon rush was building, cars packed bumper to bumper on every street.Miles used the horn more than he normally would, cutting through gaps that barely existed.
They reached the Douglas Hotel at 5:35.It was a middle-of-the-road sort of place; it was a far cry from a cheap, chain motel but it wasn’t as glamorous as some of the ones they’d seen during their investigations into the Elementalist’s disciples.Detective Linhart met them in the lobby, her expression grim.
“What do we know?”Miles asked.
"The victim's name is Michael Williams," she said as they quickly made their way over to the elevator."Fifty-one, corporate executive for Meridian Financial Group.He rented the room under a false name about a month ago.The woman who found him says they'd been having an affair."
"A month?"Vic asked."That's a long-term rental for a hotel room."
"Cash payment for the whole stay.He was being careful.From what I gather, they only used it to meet up.It’s not like he was living here.This way, according to the woman he was sleeping with, everything was already taken care of, and they could just come and go as they pleased."
They took the elevator to the fourth floor.The doors opened, and they walked down a hallway identical to a thousand other hotel hallways.Crime scene techs were already working the scene when they reached room 447.
Michael Williams lay on the bed, positioned on his back with his hands folded across his stomach.He wore a hotel bathrobe and nothing else.His mouth was parted slightly, revealing that same metallic gleam Miles had seen on Rothschild.Miles thought it was far too similar to the first victim, making him now assume that the bodies were being intentionally staged in this way.
"Jesus," Vic said quietly.
“Yeah, it’s not much easier to see the second time,” Miles said.
Miles approached the bed, studying Williams's face.The platinum coating was thorough and professional, just as it had been with Rothschild.It extended from his lips down into his throat, visible even from several feet away.The metal had a mirror-like quality that caught the overhead lights.It was both oddly surreal and disgusting.
"Looks to be the exact same method as Rothschild," Miles said."Electroplating, sedation, complete coating of the airways."
"Time of death?"Vic asked, looking back to Linhart.
"The medical examiner estimates between two and four this afternoon," Linhart said.“According to the woman he was meeting with, a Hannah Glenn, she discovered him around 4:15.Maybe as late as 4:20.”
Miles walked slowly around the bed, taking in every detail.Williams looked peaceful despite the horror of his death.His hair was neatly combed, his hands positioned with care.The killer had staged this scene just as carefully as Rothschild's.
"Where's Ms.Glenn now?"Miles asked.
