“It's a long shot.” Silver got to his feet. “But I'll get George working right away. In the meantime, we'll get busy on those warehouses. I'll meet you at the car in ten minutes.”

It's time to go home, Kerry,” Silver said quietly. “It's almost three A.M. and we both need some sleep. We'll start out again in a few hours.”

Kerry shook her head. “We should keep on going. We've only covered seventeen warehouses in all these hours. There are so many to—” She broke off and gazed at him in despair. “Too many. We're not going to be able to find her, are we?”

“We may have to get lucky,” Silver said gently. “Maybe Ledbruk's team will locate her.”

“And maybe they won't.” She stared blindly out the window of the car. “I thought we might have a chance. But even if he'd been at any of those warehouses we went through, I might not have been able to sense him.”

“No guarantees.”

“Then what good is this damn talent?” she asked fiercely. “You'd think that there would be some benefit, something worthwhile connected with it.”

“For God's sake, stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Silver said. “Don't you think your years of zeroing in on arsonists were worthwhile? You wouldn't have been nearly as successful if you hadn't used your talent. You have to take the bad with the good.”

The bluntness of his words jarred her, and for an instant anger flared. “I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I just don't—” She stopped and ruefully shook her head. “Maybe I was feeling a little sorry for myself. That's not allowed?”

He shook his head. “It's self-destructive. You know that. That's why you fight so hard. That's why you've made yourself into one tough lady.” He started the car. “Now do we go back to the house and get some rest? We may need it later.”

He thought she was tough, but she didn't feel tough right now. She was scared and discouraged, and he wasn't helping.

Or maybe he was. Maybe he knew that his harshness would be a prod that would spur her onward. He knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't respond nearly as well to pity.

Pity? The mere thought caused her hackles to rise. She drew a deep breath and straightened in the seat. “Not yet. Two more warehouses. Then we go back to the house and hope that George has been able to find out something to narrow down the search.”

“Okay. That sounds like a plan.” He smiled faintly as he backed out of the parking space. “Check the list and tell me where we go next.”

Any luck?” George asked as he met them at the front door.

“That's what we were going to ask you,” Silver said. “We came up with nada.”

“Too bad.” His glance shifted to Kerry. “You didn't ‘sense' the bastard?”

She had almost forgotten the slip she had made last evening. “I'm not in a mood to have you make fun of me, George.”

“Perish the thought. I wouldn't think of mocking you. I'm merely intrigued.” He smiled. “And I can see you're a tad despondent. Maybe I can raise your spirits.”

“Progress?” Silver asked.

“Not a breakthrough or I would have called you. But definitely progress.”

Hope flared. “They've found the warehouse?” Kerry asked.

He shook his head. “No, but the results have come in on the missing-child database. Only three Carmelas are on the missing-person list. One was reported in 1997 and would be twenty now. The other one is seventeen and was reported missing in Dallas. The last was Carmela Ruiz from Louisville, Kentucky. That's not all that far from here.”

“How old?”

“Fifteen. Her mother reported her missing over a month ago.” He held up his hand as Kerry opened her mouth to speak. “Ledbruk's already sent someone to interview her mother and try to find out if she's been contacted and get the names of Carmela's friends. We should be getting a report back anytime.”

“Thank God.”

He nodded. “I'll second that.” He turned back and moved toward the library. “Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to my command post and see if I can find out anything more from the agents in the field. I hope you realize it's not easy to balance running a perfect household and acting as a listening post as an extracurricular duty.”

“We're duly impressed,” Silver said. “Anything from Ledbruk's men?”

“No. Except a good deal of frustration and obscenities. The larger warehouses are like rabbit warrens.” His voice trailed off as he went into the library. “Not at all easy to search . . .”

“But we have progress.” Silver turned to Kerry. “Carmela has a last name and a mother. We just have to hope her mother knew her friends and that Carmela wasn't a loner.”

And her mother might not be aware of who her daughter's friends were, Kerry thought. If they'd been close, then Carmela would probably never have run away.

She wouldn't be pessimistic. They'd found out a treasure trove of information about Carmela, and there was still time to find out more.

She hoped.

“Take a nap,” Silver said. “I'll stay here and call you if we hear anything.”

She wasn't going to be able to sleep, but she'd try to rest. She started up the stairs. “And I'll call you if I hear anything from Trask.” But she didn't think he'd call again. Trask had given her all the help he was going to give her. It was up to them to sort through the bits and pieces and come up with answers.

And cross her fingers and hope that everything would go right for Carmela.

He was following her.

Carmela's heart jumped as she saw the tall man in the suede jacket standing by the Starbucks shop across the street.

It was the third time she'd seen him today. It was now late afternoon and she'd first noticed him this morning at a bus stop and again at the hot dog stand in the park.

A thief? Some sexual weirdo who preyed on girls like her?

It didn't matter. Just walk fast and try to lose him.

She turned down the next street and broke into a run. Two blocks later she turned left and then right again.

She waited.

No sign of him. She must have lost him, she thought with relief. Just to be sure, she'd go another three blocks down this street before she turned back and started for the warehouse. It was only six blocks away.

Funny how things changed. Last night she'd been scared to death of the darkness and creaking of the warehouse. She'd been thinking of trying to find someplace else to stay. But now she couldn't wait to get inside her little room on the third floor, where she'd be safe.

Baltimore,” Silver said when he threw open Kerry's door. “Carmela Ruiz was in Baltimore two weeks ago.”

Kerry jumped to her feet. “How do you know? Her mother?”

He shook his head. “Carmela has a sister, Rosa, and she was there when Ledbruk's man, Bushly, was questioning her mother. Evidently he was pretty convincing about the seriousness of Carmela's situation. He said Rosa didn't say anything while he was talking to her mother, but she ran after him and caught him at his car. She was pretty scared. She told him Carmela had called her twice and told her she was in Baltimore and having trouble getting work.”

“Did she tell her where she was staying?”

He shook his head. “Just that it was Baltimore.”

“How many of those warehouses on our list were in Baltimore?”

“Forty-seven. Come on. Let's go. Ledbruk's men are already on their way to start a search, and he's called in some of the local police to help, but time's running out. We have four hours if Trask wasn't lying to you.”

She was already on her way to the door with Sam at her heels. “Where's Ledbruk starting?”

“South. We'll begin in the north side of town.” He was running down the stairs. “Unless you have a better idea.”

She shook her head. “I don't have a clue.” She made a face as she glanced at Sam, who was skidding down the staircase at top speed. “Hell, maybe we should follow Trask's advice and take Sam to sniff out the son of a bitch.”