Jin grinned. “There weren’t any other tracks. There was only one vehicle. You closed off the road and nobody uses it. He took it off-road to get around the barrier. I checked the trees. I knew he sideswiped at least one. I’ll have to put it in the machine to be sure, but that’s what it looks like.”
“It sounds like the same vehicle that sideswiped me on the highway. Verify the color and the make and model. That’s critical information,” said Diane.
“Will do, boss.”
“That’s good, Jin. Really good,” said Diane.
“Thanks, boss,” he said.
Diane left and told Izzy, Frank, and Liam the suspected model and color of the vehicle. Frank didn’t seem to hear. He was still focused on the screen.
“Izzy, see what kind of vehicles are registered to all the people who might remotely be involved. Don’t forget the guy who’s keeping Slick’s dogs. Mathews said the guy’s name is Hennessey.”
“Oh, yeah,” said Izzy, “I forgot about the guy keeping the dogs. That’s something I will definitely look into. Ol’ Slick may be involved after all-or maybe the guy, or one of the puppies, you know?”
“Start with Keith … What is their last name?” said Diane.
“Parham,” said Izzy. “Maud, Earl, and Keith Parham. Keith is on work release from a drug conviction. Most of the violence in his background is barroom stuff. I called and spoke with Earl. I told him someone keyed your car and did other acts of vandalism yesterday, and you were fit to be tied. I told him I didn’t believe for a minute that they did it, but you’re kind of cranky and think it’s them, and I needed to know who they saw yesterday all day. You know, just so I could put you on another scent.”
“Very good,” said Diane. Diane remembered she was standing by one of the museum vehicles with RiverTrail written on it. It probably looked like what it was-she was using a loaner. Good for Izzy. Make the story fit what they saw. “What did you find out?”
“Not good, but good at the same time. Maud and Earl were everywhere yesterday. It’s one of their shopping days in Renfrew and they met a lot of people in stores. He gave me some names. They met with the Watson sisters and the Barres at the church to try to make up. No dice, apparently. And they went to the other church, the one Conrad belongs to, and spoke with the minister. They went to the sheriff’s office to ask about what happened to you. They spoke with Travis, Bob with the tore-up insides, and Jason. Travis is acting sheriff, and the other two are still deputies. Travis and the deputies said they couldn’t comment. Apparently, Maud and Earl didn’t know about Leland Conrad’s arrest and the strange not-really-a-confession statement he made. I’m going to find out what all of them drive. And finally-this is the good part-I asked about their son. He’s been living with them. I’m going to find out what he drives too. I’ll find out what all of them drive.”
“You got a lot of information,” said Diane. “Someone they came in contact with is the killer. That narrows the field, even if it still looks like a big field.”
“I’m leaning toward the son,” Izzy said. “I didn’t want to spook them, so I didn’t ask much, but. . right now, my money’s on him.”
“Good work,” said David. Liam nodded.
Neva, Mike, and Korey came bustling in. Neva was grinning. She had a book in her hand. Mike and Korey were carrying two large tubs of rocks. They put them down on the round conference table with two loud thumps.
“Got you some gold, Doc,” said Mike.
“Look at this,” said Neva, holding the book in front of her. “Korey did a terrific job.”
“Neva did the drawings,” said Korey.
“I supplied the gold,” said Mike, grinning.
Neva handed Diane the yellowed, battered diary. Diane flipped through the pages. The page she was looking for was in the middle. She recognized it only because it had a sliver of gold under a piece of yellowed tape that looked like it was about to peel off. The page itself had the drawing of a cave and the mention of several landmarks showing how to find it. There was a sketch of the cavern where the pyrite would be spread on the floor. It looked real. Diane couldn’t have identified it as fake.
“He did what you suggested and took a blank page out of one of the other old diaries, and after I did the drawings, he re-bound the book. We used an old fountain pen and old ink, which he just happens to have around in several colors, by the way. This will pass,” said Neva.
“It will,” said Diane. “Thanks, Korey. You’ve done a good thing. Now I’m going to ask you to leave. I’ll explain everything when it’s resolved.”
Korey nodded. “Sure, Dr. F. Good luck.” Korey left by the museum entrance where he had entered.
“You have well-disciplined staff,” said Liam.
“You haven’t been with us long,” said Neva, grinning.
“This diary looks completely authentic,” said David. “Korey could be great in the forgery business.”
“It looks like we’re good to go,” said Liam.
Diane had a thought that hit her like dry ice in her stomach.
“You all right?” said David, reaching his hand out.
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this. He’s not going to contact me by phone, or some way we can talk. How stupid of me. It will be the same way as before. He’ll have Andie read instructions. I won’t have a chance to talk to him, to tell him I need to make sure Andie is alive.” Diane put her hands to her eyes and pressed. “Oh, shit, I’ve calculated this all wrong. Oh, damn. We need to have his name or we’re lost.” She looked at each of them as it dawned on them. Liam looked defeated. They all did.
“You’re right. If we don’t know who it is, we have no chance,” said Liam.
“Then we’ll find out,” said David.
Diane heard her e-mail ding. David had filtered her e-mail so that only the messages from the killer came to this computer. There it was. Maybe it was another stall.
Diane went to the computer and opened the e-mail. Another video. It was Andie, still bound to the chair. This time dressed in the bloodstained
“ ‘Time’s up. See, I’m taking good care of her. But I’m tired of playing with her little ol’ thing. If you want her back, do exactly what I say. If I see the police or anyone but you, Diane Fallon, I’ll kill the little bitch. You know I will.’ ”
The words were strange coming out of Andie’s mouth. She looked defeated, like the rest of them, as she gave Diane instructions to a location deep in the woods.
“Damn it,” said Diane. “Time’s up and we don’t know who has Andie.”
Chapter 56
Diane slumped into a chair and wanted to cry.
“My only choice now is to go to the location and hope Andie will be there and I can get her out,” she said.
“I’ll go too,” said Liam.
“I don’t want him to see anyone with me,” said Diane.
“He won’t see me,” said Liam.
“It will still be daylight,” said Diane.
“He won’t see me,” said Liam.
Jin had apparently seen all the body language through the glass as he was sorting through the junk from the woods. He came out of the workroom and they quickly filled him in on the newest video.
Jin took in a deep breath. “We can still do this,” he said. “We’ve been in worse spots.”
“Have we?” said Izzy.
“Sure. Remember when Neva was stuck between the rocks in the cave and gravity was slowly sucking her down and Mike was shot and a killer was after them and Diane? That was pretty bad,” said Jin.
“That was before my time here,” said Izzy. “But you’re right; that sounds pretty bad.”
“I’ll get you a satellite phone,” said David. “Get your gun and load it. Take extra ammo. I’ll help you load a
