Page 106 of King’s Ransom

This was almost certainly the same guy.

The glasses, the moustache, the stocky frame in the white coveralls . . .

I couldn’t be sure, but maybe his eyes were a little different.

Just as that thought came to me, with a chill I recalled the forbidden word Roman Oberov’s son had used.

Perevertyshe.

One who walks around in another’s skin.

I shook the thought away.

Don’t be ridiculous, Sam.

It was late when I got back to my motel in Sleepy Hollow.

I’d Ubered there while Georgy had driven home.

He needed to make more calls tomorrow to get us access to the Grandmaster’s body at the morgue. When he got back to his office, he was also going to email me the security footage from the garage, so I could examine it.

Alone in my motel room, I was still thinking hard.

Impersonations. Imposters . . .

Walking in another’s skin . . .

Modern Alchemical Solutions . . .

The darknet.

I called the Tech Detect.

It was after 11 p.m., but I had a feeling he’d be up.

He answered on the third ring.

‘Sam Speedman, hey.’

‘Got a question for you, Monty.’

‘Shoot.’

‘Ever heard of a company on the darknet called Modern Alchemical Solutions?’

There was a short silence on the other end of the line.

‘Yeah, maybe . . .’ Monty Woods said softly. ‘It’s not involved in all the Aristo King shit, is it?’

‘It might be. Why? What’s the problem?’

‘You hear stories on the darknet, dude,’ he said. ‘There are some crazy messed-up folks out there, offering crazy messed-up services. Modern Alchemical Solutions will fuck people up for you but in very pointed ways.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I’ve heard rumours. If your husband cheats on you, Modern Alchemical will cut off his dick and mail it to his mistress. If someone’s blackmailing you, Modern Alchemical will get kompromat on them and ruin their lives. There was a rich kid named Preston or something—’

‘Prescott.’