Jeffery Deaver - The Vanished Man

"See, only the lock unit on the hotel room door can read a key. The machine at the front desk that burns the room codes onto a blank key can't read one that's already been burned and tell you what room it is."

"Why not? That's crazy."

"Nobody ever needs to know that."

"Except us, of course, which is why we have to go from door to door and try them all."

"Shit," Rhyme snapped.

"Summarizes our feelings too," one of the detectives said.

Sellitto asked, "Okay. You need more people?"

"Nup. We can only do one door at a time. No other way to do it. And if there's a new guest in the room -"

"- this card'll be invalid. Which won't improve our moods any."

"Say, gentlemen?" Bell said into the phone.

"Hey there, Roland."

"We recognized the accent."

"You said the Lanham Arms. Where is that?"

"East Seventy-five. Near Lex."

"Something familiar 'bout the name. Can't quite place it." Bell was frowning, shaking his head.

"That's next on our list."

"After the Beckman."

"With its six hundred and eighty-two rooms. Better get to it." They left the Twins to their arduous task.

Cooper's computer beeped and he read an incoming email. "FBI lab in Washington… Finally got a report on the metal shavings in the Conjurer's gym bag. They say the markings suggest they're consistent with a clock mechanism."

"Well, it's not a clock," Rhyme said.

"Obviously."

"How do you know?" Bell asked.

"It's a detonator," Sachs said solemnly.

"That's what I'd say," Rhyme confirmed.

"A gas bomb?" Cooper asked, nodding toward the handkerchief "souvenir" Weir had left last night, which had been soaked in gasoline.

"Likely."

"He's got a supply of gas and he's obsessed with fire. He's going to burn the next victim."

Just like what happened to him.

Fire quote murdered him – his old persona – and by murdering someone else he feels better; it reduces the anxiety that the anger builds up in him…

Rhyme noticed the hour was approaching 12:00. Almost afternoon… The next victim was going to die soon. But when, 12:01 or 4:00? A shudder of frustration and anger started at the base of his skull and vanished into his stony body.

They had so little time.

Maybe no time at all.

But he could come to no conclusions based on the evidence they had. And the day dragged on, slow as an IV drip.

A fax arrived. Cooper read it. "From the document examiner in Queens. They opened up the newspaper that was in the Mazda. No notations anywhere and nothing was circled. Those're the headlines."

He taped it to the board.

ELECTRICAL BREAKDOWN

CLOSES POLICE STATION

FOR ALMOST 4 HOURS

NEW YORK IN RUNNING

FOR GOP CONVENTION

PARENTS PROTEST

POOR SECURITY AT

GIRLS' SCHOOL

MILITIA MURDER PLOT

TRIAL OPENS MONDAY

WEEKEND GALA AT MET

TO BENEFIT CHARITIES

SPRING ENTERTAINMENT

FOR KIDS YOUNG AND OLD

GOVERNOR, MAYOR MEET

ON NEW WEST SIDE PLAN

"One of those's significant," Rhyme said. But which one? Was the killer targeting the girls' school? The gala? Had he tested out a gimmick that disrupted the electricity at the police station? He felt all the more frustrated because they had some new evidence but its meaning remained elusive.

Sellitto's phone rang. As he took the call, everyone stared at him, anticipating another death.

The time was now 1:03.

Well into the afternoon, well into the killing time.

But apparently the news wasn't bad. The detective lifted an eyebrow in pleasant surprise and said into the receiver, "That's right… Really? Well, that's not far away. Could you come over here?" He then gave Rhyme's address and hung up.

"Who?"

"Edward Kadesky. The manager of the circus in Ohio, the one where Weir was burned. He's in town. He got the message from his service in Chicago and he's coming over to talk to us."

THE CONJURER

Music School Crime Scene

• Perp's description: Brown hair, fake beard, no distinguishing, medium build, medium height, age: fifties. Ring and little fingers of left hand fused together. Changed costume quickly to resemble old, bald janitor.

• No apparent motive.

• Victim: Svetlana Rasnikov.

• Full-time music student.

• Checking family, friends, students, coworkers for possible leads.

• No boyfriends, no known enemies. Performed at children's birthday parties.

• Circuit board with speaker attached.

• Sent to FBI lab, NYC.

• Digital recorder, probably containing perp's voice. All data destroyed.

• Voice recorder is a "gimmick." Homemade.

• Used antique iron handcuffs to restrain victim.

• Handcuffs are Darby irons. Scotland Yard. Checking with Houdini Museum in New Orleans for leads.

• Sold to Erick Weir last month. Sent to Denver P.O. box. No other leads.

• Destroyed victim's watch at exactly 8:00 A. M.

• Cotton string holding chairs. Generic. Too many sources to trace.

• Squib for gunshot effect. Destroyed.

• Too many sources to trace.

• Fuse. Generic.

• Too many sources to trace.

• Responding officers reported flash in air. No trace material recovered.

• Was from flash cotton or flash paper.

• Too many sources to trace.

• Perp's shoes: size 10 Ecco.

• Silk fibers, dyed gray, processed to a matte finish.

• From quick-change janitor's outfit.

• Unsub is possibly wearing brown wig.

• Red pignut hickory and Parmelia conspersa lichen, both found primarily in Central Park.

• Dirt impregnated with unusual mineral oil. Sent to FBI for analysis.

• Tack-Pure oil for saddles and leather.

• Black silk, 72 x 48". Used as camouflage. Not traceable.

• Illusionists use this frequently.

• Wears caps to cover up prints.

• Magician's finger cups.

• Traces of latex, castor oil, makeup.

• Theatrical makeup.

• Traces of alginate.

• Used in molding latex "appliances."

• Murder weapon: white silk-knit rope with black silk core.

• Rope is a magic trick. Color-changing. Not traceable.

• Unusual knot.

• Sent to FBI and Maritime Museum – no information.

• Knots are from Houdini routines, virtually impossible to untie.

• Used disappearing ink on sign-in register.

EastVillage Crime Scene

• Victim Two: Tony Calvert.

• Makeup artist, theater company.

• No known enemies.

• No apparent connection with first victim.

• No apparent motive.

Cause of death:

• Blunt-object trauma to head followed by postmortem dismemberment with crosscut saw.

• Perp escaped portraying woman in her 70s. Checking vicinity for discarded costume and other evidence.

• Nothing recovered.

• Watch smashed at 12:00 exactly.

• Pattern? Next victim presumably at 4:00 P. M.

• Perp hid behind mirror. Not traceable. Fingerprints sent to FBI.

• No matches.

• Used cat toy ("feke") to lure victim into alley. Toy is untraceable.

• Additional mineral oil found, same as at first scene. Awaiting FBI report.

• Tack-Pure oil for saddles and leather.

• Additional latex and makeup from finger cups.

• Additional alginate. 1 Ecco shoes left behind.

• Dog hairs found in shoes, from three different breeds of dog. Manure too.

• Manure from horses, not dogs.

Hudson River and Related Crime Scenes

• Victim: Cheryl Marston.

• Attorney.

• Divorced but husband not a suspect.

• No motive.

• Perp gave name as "John." Had scars on neck and chest. Deformed hand confirmed.