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... chapter thirty
Steve Farr led Henry Davett into the lab once again. The businessman thanked Farr, who left, and nodded to Rhyme.
"Henry," Rhyme said, "thank you for coming."
As before, the businessman paid no attention to Rhyme's condition. This time, though, Rhyme took no comfort from his attitude. His concern for Sachs was consuming him. He kept hearing Jim Bell's voice.
You usually have twenty-four hours to find the victim; after that they become dehumanized in ilie kidnapper's eyes and he doesn't think anything about killing them.
This rule, which had applied to Lydia and Mary Beth, now encompassed Amelia Sachs's fate too. The difference was, Rhyme believed, that Sachs might have far fewer than twenty-four hours.
"I thought you'd caught that boy. That's what I heard."
Ben said, "He got away from us."
"No!" Davett frowned.
"Sure did," Ben offered. "Old-fashioned jailbreak."
Rhyme: "I've got some more evidence but I don't know what to make of it. I was hoping you could help again."
The businessman sat down. "I'll do what I can."
A glance at his WWJD tie bar.
Rhyme nodded toward the chart, said, "Could you look that over? The list on the right."
"The mill--is that where he was? That old mill northeast of town?"
"Right."
"I knew about the place." Davett grimaced angrily. "I should've thought of it."
Criminalists can't let the verb "should have" creep into their vocabulary. Rhyme said, "It's impossible to think of everything in this business. But take a look at the chart. Does anything on it seem familiar to you?"
Davett read carefully.
FOUND
AT THE SECONDARY CRIME SCENE-MILL
Brown Paint on Pants
Sundew Plant
Clay
Peat Moss
Fruit Juice
Paper Fibers
Stinkball Bait
Sugar
Camphene
