The burning wire

PROFILE

– Identified as Raymond Galt, 40, single, living in Manhattan, 227 Suffolk St. -Terrorist co

– Victim (deceased): Luis Martin, assistant manager in music store. -No friction ridge prints on any surface. -Shrapnel from molten metal, as a result of the arc flash. -0-gauge insulated aluminum strand cable. -Be

DEMAND NOTE

– Delivered to Andi Jessen at home. -No witnesses. -Handwritten. -Sent to Parker Kincaid for analysis. -Generic paper and ink. -Untraceable. -No friction ridge prints, other than A. Jessen, doorman, messenger. -No discernible trace discovered in paper.

– Victims (deceased): -Linda Kepler, Oklahoma City, tourist. -Morris Kepler, Oklahoma City, tourist. -Samuel Vetter, Scottsdale, businessman. -Ali Mamoud, New York City, waiter. -Gerhart Schiller, Frankfurt, Germany, advertising executive. -Remote control switch for turning on current. -Components not traceable. -Be

CRIME SCENE: GALT'S APARTMENT,

– Bic SoftFeel fine-point pens, blue ink, associated with ink used in demand letter. -Generic 81/2? 11" white computer paper, associated with demand letter. -Generic No. 10 size envelope, associated with envelope containing demand letter. -Bolt cutter, hacksaw with tool marks matching those at initial scene. -Computer printouts: -Articles about medical research on cancer linked to high-power electric lines. -Blog postings by Galt Re: same. -Albertson-Fenwick Model E-20 boots for electrical work, size 11, with treads the same as prints at initial scene. -Additional traces of alternative jet fuel. -Attack at military base? -No obvious leads as to where he might be hiding, or location of future attacks.

– Molotov cocktail: 750-ml wine bottle, no source. -BP gas used as accelerant. -Cotton cloth strips, probably white T-shirt, used as fuse, no source determined.

SECOND DEMAND NOTE

– Delivered to Bernard Wahl, Algonquin security chief. -Assaulted by Galt. -No physical contact; no trace. -No indication of whereabouts or site of next attack. -Paper and ink associated with those found in Galt's apartment. -Additional traces of alternative jet fuel embedded in paper. -Attack on military base?

– Victims (deceased): -Larry Fishbein, New York City, accountant. -Robert Bodine, New York City, attorney. -Franklin Tucker, Paramus, New Jersey, salesman. -One friction ridge of Raymond Galt. -Be

CRIME SCENE: ABANDONED SCHOOL, CHINATOWN

– Be

– Sent via email. -Untraceable; used a proxy in Europe.

But it turned out that Rhyme was wrong.

It was true that, as he'd felt all along, the evidence-as much else in this case-just didn't add up. But he was wrong in that the key to unraveling the mystery wasn't to be found on the charts surrounding him. Rather, it came blustering into the lab just now, accompanied by Thom, in the form of a tall, lanky sweating man, skin black, clothing bright green.

Catching his breath, Fred Dellray nodded fast to everybody in the room, then proceeded to ignore them as he strode up to Rhyme. "I need to throw something out, Lincoln. And you gotta tell me if it works or not."