Silent Scream

“Required reading for high schoolers,” Abbott said. “My daughter has to read it. Any scraps with a student’s name?”

“Not yet. We’re still sifting through rubble. We took soil samples around the path the arsonists took away from the condo. It’s strange. We found two sets of foot smudges coming out of the condo. The arson dog picked up the accelerant close to the fence where they escaped, but found evidence of only one pair of shoes.”

“One of them took off his shoes?” Olivia asked.

“Don’t know. That’s why we took the soil samples. We’re back to shoes again.”

Abbott’s mouth turned up. “Keep me updated. Noah?”

“No news on Camp Longfellow,” Noah said. “I contacted the state troopers to check the campsite, but it’s not staffed right now. I left voice mails all over. I’ll keep trying.”

“What about the background checks on the condo construction workers and Tomlinson’s employees?” Kane asked.

“No one common to both,” Noah said. “I tracked the girl Tomlinson was having the affair with. He had the deed for one of his properties transferred to her name, a house out in Woodview. The bank started foreclosure on the property last month.”

“When did Tomlinson transfer the deed?” Olivia asked.

Noah’s brows went up. “Last December.”

“The shoe queen rules,” Micki crowed. “Snow boots do not lie.”

Abbott’s grin was quick, but genuine. “You go, Mick. Noah, keep working on the camp. We need to know who that girl might have met at camp this summer.”

“Ke

“Check Lincoln’s alibi first,” Abbott said, looking at Crawford who stood like a statue. “I want to either co

Back at her desk, Olivia checked her cell phone, then frowned. “Val texted. She’s got another commitment. We have to get another interpreter. Dammit.”

Kane sighed. “I’ll call in the request on the way to Blue Moon.”

“This will set us back hours,” Olivia grumbled, straightening up her desk. Her fedora still covered her goddess statue’s face. After a moment’s hesitation, she picked up her hat and placed it on her head. “Well?”

“Looks good.” He adjusted it on her head with a critical eye. “Very Ingrid Bergman.”

“She vanted to be alone, right?”

Kane sighed. “No, that was Garbo. Bergman still had Paris with Bogart. Someday you’re going to stop watching cartoons and start watching grown-up movies.”

“Not any time soon, old man.” The phone on her desk rang. “Sutherland.”

“It’s Ian. I have something down here you need to see.”

Tuesday, September 21, 5:25 p.m.

David’s mind was still spi

He paused at the first landing, a sudden thought making his knees go momentarily weak. His mother. What if Lincoln had come here first? He exploded up the stairs but was stopped again by the voice of Mrs. Edwards, who stuck her head out from 2A.

“Thank you, David. They delivered the refrigerator this morning. We appreciate it.”

“Are the girls all right?” Lincoln had talked to one of the girls in 2A and David hadn’t checked to be sure everyone was all right. What the hell was wrong with me?

“Lacey and Tiffany? Why wouldn’t they be all right?”

“I’ll explain later.” He charged up the stairs, unlocking his door and shoving it open in one motion. Then he stopped once more, stu

Gle

Gle

Hell. Gle

“I can do it.” David managed the clasp and stepped away. “You look nice, Ma.”

“Thank you. Gle

David grimaced. “I’m sorry. What did you two hear?”

Gle

“Of course I was. I should have called you both. I’m sorry, okay? Who called you?”

“The local sheriff’s office. Told me not to worry, that you had it all under control. That you’d taken the gun away from the guy. And I said, ‘What guy? What gun? What the hell?’” He looked at David’s mother. “Excuse me, Phoebe.”

She nodded. “No problem. I said the same thing. So what the hell, David?”

David sank into his easy chair and pulled his hands over his face. “It’s like this…” He told them the story, watching his mother’s face. She was scared, but handling it. Gle

“Where is this Lincoln Jefferson now?” Gle

“In the psych ward at the jail. He’ll be charged with B and E on your property and assault on me. The Feds will have their go at him for the arsons twelve years ago. Olivia and her partner were going to validate his alibi tonight for the latest fires.”

“And he never gave up Moss?”

“No. I don’t think he knows where Moss is.”

“Let me get this straight,” Gle

David pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think through the headache that had started to pound. “He’s been under psychiatric care for more than ten years, Gle

Gle

“I guess it’s possible. Maybe even probable.”

His mother sat on the arm of his easy chair and patted David’s shoulder. “You’re okay, and that’s the important thing. I’m glad you can take care of yourself.”

“No, the important thing is that someone else might have helped this vile piece of murdering shit,” Gle

“No.” David shook his head in denial. “Okay, yes, I felt pity, but not like you think.”

“Then explain it to me,” Gle

“Gle

“Phoebe,” Gle

Gle

“What kind of pity did you feel?” Gle

“How many bodies have you seen? How long have they haunted you?”

“Too many and too long,” Gle

“Exactly. He killed her and he didn’t even have his full sanity to get him through it. Should he be held accountable? Hell, yes. But he is not the man he was. Twelve years ago he was an undiagnosed schizophrenic, vulnerable, looking for something. Now, he’s pathetic. I didn’t want to feel anything for him, but I did. Maybe that makes me weak, I don’t know, but I did feel.” He was inches from Gle