“Yeah, he’s definitely met his match with that one. I’m going outside for a smoke. Why don’t you join me?”

“Thanks, no. I’m trying to quit.”

“Suit yourself.”

He headed out the front door. The screen whined, then slammed. Nick and Agent O’Dell didn’t even notice. Nick spoke in a hushed tone, confining his anger with clenched teeth. Agent O’Dell looked unscathed by any of it, her voice calm and even.

“Excuse me for interrupting.” As she approached Christine felt Nick’s glare like a slap in the face. She avoided his eyes. “You must be Special Agent O’Dell. I’m Christine Hamilton.” She offered her hand, and O’Dell took it without hesitation.

“Ms. Hamilton.”

The grip was strong and steady.

“In his fury I’m sure Nicky failed to tell you that I’m his sister.”

O’Dell glanced up at Nick, and Christine thought she saw a hint of a smile on the otherwise stoic face.

“I wondered if there was a personal connection.”

“He’s obviously pissed at me, so it’s hard for him to see that I’m really here to help.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“So, you won’t mind answering some questions?”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Hamilton…”

“Christine.”

“Of course, Christine. Despite my opinions, this isn’t my investigation. I’m here strictly to profile this case.”

Christine knew without looking at him that Nick was smiling now. It only made her angry. “So what does that mean? Another press blackout like in the Alverez case? Nicky, that’s only going to make matters worse.”

“Actually, Christine, I think Sheriff Morrelli has changed his mind,” O’Dell said, watching Nick, whose smile transformed into a grimace.

He pushed his hair from his forehead. O’Dell folded her arms over her chest and waited. Christine looked from one to the other. The tension filled the corner, and she found herself taking a step backward.

Finally, Nick cleared his throat as though his discomfort was lodged somewhere between his larynx and tongue. “There’ll be a press conference in the courthouse lobby tomorrow morning at eight-thirty.”

“Can I print that in tonight’s article?” She looked from Nick to O’Dell and back to Nick.

“Sure,” he grudgingly answered.

“Anything else I can use in tonight’s article?”

“No.”

“Sheriff Morrelli, didn’t you say you already have copies of the boy’s photo?” Again, O’Dell said this very matter-of-factly, no underlying edge. “It may jog some memories if Christine included one with her piece.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets, and Christine wondered whether it was so he wouldn’t strangle both her and O’Dell.

“Stop by the courthouse and pick one up. I’ll instruct Lucy to leave it at the front desk. The front desk, Christine. I don’t want you in my office snooping around.”

“Relax, Nicky. I keep telling you I’m not the enemy.” She started to leave, but turned back at the door. “You’re still coming over for dinner tonight, aren’t you?”

“I may be too busy.”

“Agent O’Dell, would you like to join us? Nothing fancy. I’m fixing spaghetti. There’ll be plenty of Chianti.”

“Thanks, that sounds nice.”

Christine almost burst out laughing at the surprise on Nick’s face.

“I’ll see the two of you about seven. Nicky knows the address.”

The sheriff’s department bristled with nervous energy. Nick could feel it as soon as he and O’Dell walked in the door. Here he was, worried about a frenzy taking over the community, and he had one in his own department.

Phones rang incessantly. Machines beeped. Keyboards clicked. Faxes hummed. Radios squawked. Voices yelled out to each other from room to room. Bodies dashed and scurried, amazingly not bumping into one another.

Again, there were police officers he didn’t recognize and equipment he couldn’t identify. He was depending on people he barely knew to handle things he hardly understood. It made him as uncomfortable as hell.

Lucy looked relieved to see him. She smiled and waved from across the room. There was a quick glance of contempt in O’Dell’s direction. O’Dell didn’t seem to notice.

“Nick, we’ve checked every inch of this city,” Lloyd Benjamin’s voice rasped with exhaustion. He removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. The deep worry lines in his forehead were pronounced, like permanent indents. The oldest member of Nick’s team, Lloyd was also the most reliable next to Hal. “Richfield’s men are still checking the river where we found the Alverez kid. I’ve got Staton’s men on the north side of town. They’re going to check that gravel pit and Northton Lake.”

“Good. That’s good, Lloyd.” Nick patted him on the back. There was something else. Lloyd rubbed his jaw, glanced at O’Dell.

“Some of us were talking,” Lloyd continued in a low voice, almost a whisper. “Stan Lubrick thought he remembered Jeffreys having a partner…you know…sort of a…well, a lover, at the time he was arrested. I do kind of remember us bringing a guy in for questioning, but I don’t think he ever testified. A Mark Rydell,” he said, scanning a notepad with illegible scratches. “We were wondering if we should try and check the guy out. See if he’s anywhere around.”

They both looked at O’Dell, who was distracted by the chaos. Nick wasn’t even sure she had heard Lloyd. Her hands were shoved deep into her jacket pockets. Her eyes darted back and forth, watching the commotion. Then suddenly, she seemed flustered when she realized they were waiting for her to answer.

“I didn’t realize Jeffreys was gay. How do know this guy was his lover?” Again, her tone was matter-of-fact. No hint of condescension, though Nick knew she was capable of turning stubborn speculation into ridiculous trivia.

Lloyd loosened his tie and collar. The subject obviously made him uncomfortable.

“Well, they were living together at the time.”

“Wouldn’t that make them roommates?”

O’Dell was as tough and unflinching as she was beautiful. Nick found himself relieved that this time he wasn’t on the other side of her questions. Lloyd looked to him for help. Nick only shrugged.

“Is it possible to check if Rydell kept in touch with Jeffreys after he was sentenced?” O’Dell asked Lloyd, instead of dismissing his hunch.

“They may have some information at the penitentiary.”

“You might check out what other visitors Jeffreys had or who else he may have kept in touch with. See if there were any prisoners or even guards he befriended. On death row they don’t have much contact with other prisoners, but there may have been someone.”

Nick liked the way her mind processed information quickly, refusing to disregard even the slightest details. A lead that Nick had believed far-fetched materialized into something substantial. Even Lloyd, who proudly came from a generation of keeping women in their place, seemed satisfied. He had added more scratches to his notes while O’Dell had been talking. Now he nodded at both of them and wandered off to find a phone.

Nick was impressed once again. O’Dell caught him watching her, and he simply smiled.

“Hey, Nick. That woman called again,” Eddie Gillick called out from behind his desk, a phone cradled under his chin.

“Agent O’Dell, here’s a fax from Quantico for you.” Adam Preston handed her a roll of paper.

“What woman?” Nick asked Eddie.

“Sophie Krichek. Remember, she was the one who said she saw an old blue pickup in the area when the Alverez kid was snatched.”

“Let me guess. She saw the pickup again. This time with another little boy who happens to look like Matthew Tanner.”

“Wait a minute,” O’Dell interrupted, looking up from the trail of fax paper that stretched to the floor. “What makes you think she’s not serious?”

“She calls all the time,” Nick explained.

“Nick, here’s your messages.” Lucy handed over a stack of pink “while you were out” slips and waited in front of him. She was dressed in the usual tight sweater and tight skirt. It would be so much easier to stop her if she didn’t have such a voluptuous figure.