Страница 5 из 105
Casey's eyes narrowed. Quick as a flash her small hand shot out and grabbed Je
Casey had always assumed the role of Je
Casey let go, still eyeing her uncertainly. "Let me know how the talk goes with his parents."
Je
"His mother died about four years ago," Lucas offered. "Car wreck."
Casey pushed her mouth into a thoughtful frown. "That alone's enough to impact a kid on top of what he went through last spring with his brother getting kidnapped and all. Look, I need to go. My fourth period's doing Macbeth and I need to set up the cauldron." She made her way to the faculty lounge door, then turned suddenly, her expression intense. "Don't let her get too involved in Brad Thatcher's problems, Lucas. She has a control problem, you know."
Lucas's lips twitched. "I know," he said soberly. "I won't, Casey."
When the door closed, Je
"Yes, you do," Lucas said affably. "So does she. Are you sure you're not related?"
"Positive. Casey's mother didn't eat her own young." Je
"Probably."
"He'll probably say he's not available, that he doesn't have time."
"Possibly."
Je
"You are maddening, Lucas."
"Maria
Je
Lucas's salt-and-pepper mustache quivered. "Listen to the
Force," he said in a deep voice, then raised a challenging brow. "So what will you do, young Jedi?"
Je
Lucas stood up and patted her head. "My box of Kleenex has your name on it."
It actually did. Dr. Je
Her smile faded as inevitably her mind wandered. If only she and Adam had been lucky enough… But they hadn't been. She sat still, trying to remember the days when Adam was healthy, instead remembering those last days of his life she wished she could forget. She stiffened her back and shook her head, as if the memories could be shaken loose that way. Hardly.
She made herself stand up. She only had a few more minutes left on her lunch break and she needed to call Brad Thatcher's father. Today. Before Brad slipped even further away.
Friday, September 30, 2:45 P.M.
Two of them, Steven thought as he watched Kent Thompson comb the grass inside the twenty-square-foot area they'd cordoned off with bright yellow tape.
A second young girl stolen. A second family crushed.
They'd caught a break in the case of Samantha Eggleston's disappearance, thanks to a four-year-old Lab named Pal, his eighty-year-old owner, and Sheriff Braden who'd secured the cnme scene and called the SBI posthaste Steven watched Kent search the ground once again on his hands and knees this time wearing a contraption over his head that made him look halt welder and half German spy, complete with mono cle In Kent's hands were tweezers and carefullv labeled plastic evidence bags Harry Grimes canvassed the outer perimeter next to the woods, just as carefully No one wanted any evidence lost. They might not get another chance to catch their prey
Steven studied the scene with a clinical eye. It was a clearing, identical to the one where they'd found Lorraine Rush, surrounded by the pine trees that had given this suburb ot Raleigh its name Pineville, North Carolina. Soon this pretty little town would be known for a hell of a lot more than its Christmas tree farms. Soon it would be known as the hunting ground for a new serial killer
Lorraine Rush found four days ago. Samantha Eggleston reported missing yesterday morning. Both pretty high school girls. Both missing from their beds in the middle of the night. No sign of forced entry or evidence of an intruder in either case.With the current facts in hand it seemed they were related Steven couldn't afford to think anything else until he proved otherwise
The clea
The old man had acted quickly, following the trail of blood from his house to the clearing. The man's old eyes were sharp-he'd noticed the scrap of white that fluttered beneath the graceful limbs of one of the pine trees. It was a pair of women's underwear, size four with delicate little flowers- the same size and pattern worn by Samantha Eggleston. The old man had immediately called the sheriff, who'd immediately called Steven.
Kent sat back on his heels and pushed the monocle up and out of his line of sight. He glanced up briefly "I found a hair," he a
Steven's pulse spiked and he gingerly approached the area of flattened grass Kent was still inspecting, avoiding the areas that were spattered with blood. Samantha Eggleston's hair was dark but very long and curly. That the single hair belonged to their perp was almost more than he would dare to hope. "Unbelievable I can't believe you found anything in all this mess. "
Kent gri
Steven shook his head "And humble. Don't forget about humble "
"And humble," Kent added, now talking to the ground
"Bullshit," Steven said mildly "Tell me that hair has a follicle and I'll buy that you're good. Otherwise you're just one more geek in a welder's mask."
Kent chuckled "I wish I were a welder I'd probably make a hell of a lot more money."
Steven crossed his arms over his chest "Stick with me, welder-boy Follicle or not?"
Kent's smile dimmed "No. Sorry "
"Dammit," Steven hissed. Without the follicle they'd have no DNA analysis.
"Hold your horses," Kent said patiently. "I still may be able to get you a DNA print."