A Darkness More Than Night

and -”
    “Did he already run it through here?”
    “It’s a she. And, yeah, she ran it on the VICAP box and got blanked. That’s all. She got the word on how backed up you guys are on profiling and came to me instead. I sort of owe her one so I said I’d take a look.”
    “And now you want to cut in line, right?”
    McCaleb smiled and hoped she was smiling as well on the other end of the line.
    “Sort of. But I think it’s a quickie. It’s just one thing I want.”
    “Then out with it. What?”
    “I need an iconography baseline. I’m following a hunch on something.”
    “Okay. Doesn’t sound too involving. What’s the symbol?”
    “An owl.”
    “An owl? Just an owl?”
    “More specifically, a plastic owl. But an owl just the same. I want to know if it’s turned up before and what it means.”
    “Well, I remember the owl on the bag of potato chips. What’s that brand?”
    “Wise. I remember. It’s an East Coast brand.”
    “Well, there you go. The owl is smart. He is wise.”
    “Brass, I was hoping for something a little more -”
    “I know, I know. Tell you what, I’ll see what I can find. The thing to remember is, symbols change. What means one thing at one time might mean something completely different at another time. You just looking for contemporary uses and examples?”
    McCaleb thought for a moment about the message on the duct tape.
    “Can you throw in the medieval time period?”
    “Sounds like you got a weird one – but ain’t they all. Let me guess, a holy shit case?”
    “Could be. How’d you know that?”
    “Oh, all that medieval Inquisition and church stuff. Seen it before. I’ve got your number. I’ll try to get back today.”
    McCaleb thought about asking her to run an analysis of the message from the duct tape but decided not to pile it on. Besides, the message must have been included on the computer run Jaye Winston completed. He thanked her and was about to disconnect when she asked about his health and he told her he was fine.
    “You still living on that boat I heard about?”
    “Nope. I’m living on an island now. But I still have the boat. I’ve got a wife and new baby daughter, too.”
    “Wow! Is this the Terry ‘TV Dinner’ McCaleb I used to know?”
    “Same one, I guess.”
    “Well, it sounds like you got your stuff together.”
    “I think I finally do.”
    “Then be careful with it. What are you doing chasing a case again?”
    McCaleb hesitated in his reply.
    “I’m not sure.”
    “Don’t bullshit me. We both know why you’re doing it. Tell you what, let me see what I can find out and I’ll call you back.”
    “Thanks, Brass. I’ll be waiting.”

    ***

    McCaleb went into the master cabin and shook Buddy Lockridge awake. His friend startled and began swinging his arms wildly.
    “It’s me, it’s me!”
    Before he calmed down, Buddy clapped McCaleb on the side of the head with a book he had fallen asleep holding.
    “What are you doing?” Buddy exclaimed.
    “I’m trying to wake you, man.”
    “What for? What time is it?”
    “It’s almost six. I want to take the boat across.”
    “Now?”
    “Yeah, now. So get up and help me. I’ll get the lines.”
    “Man, now? We’re going to hit the layer. Why don’t you wait until it burns off?”
    “Because I don’t have the time.”
    Buddy reached up and turned on the reading lamp that was attached to the cabin wall just above the headboard. McCaleb noticed the book he was reading was called The Wire in the Blood.
    “Something sure put a wire in your blood, man,” he said as he rubbed his ear where the book had hit him.
    “Sorry about that. Why you in such a hurry to cross, anyway? It’s that case, isn’t it?”
    “I’ll be on top. Let’s get it going.”
    McCaleb headed out of the cabin. Buddy called after him as he expected he would.
    “You going to need a driver?”
    “No, Buddy. You know I’ve been driving a couple years now.”
    “Yeah, but you might need help with the case, man.”
    “I’ll be all right. Hurry up, Bud, I want to get over there.”
    McCaleb took the key off the hook next to the salon door and went out and climbed up into the bridge. The air was still chilled and tendrils of dawn light were working their way through the morning mist. He flicked on the Raytheon radar and started the engines. They turned over immediately – Buddy had taken the boat over to Marina del Rey the week before to have them overhauled.
    McCaleb left them idling while he