Five Days in Summer

“Professional, certainly. Probably white collar. He has the facility to hide his victims and control when and where he presents them. That takes not only ingenuity, but means.”
    “He isn’t poor.”
    “No, though possibly not wealthy. He’s searching for something. I’d consider that he could be building his own puzzle. A head, a torso, an arm, another arm.”
    “That leaves two legs.” Geary wanted to vomit. Maybe retirement had softened him; he’d seen some pretty gruesome crime scenes in his day and had learned to keep a good distance. But children? He’d never get used to that.
    “Yes. The first leg now, and the second one in seven more years. Then I presume he’ll be finished.”
    “With his masterwork. In his mind, what makes him special?”
    “There’s the question. He’s trying to tell us something, and so far no one has listened. No one has even heard.”
    “And it had to be me who heard this psycho, when I’m supposed to be enjoying retirement.”
    “He may wish to be caught, John. If so, he would make sure he was heard, but he’s subtle and whoever heard him would have trained ears. So yes, in a way, it did have to be you. What I don’t see is why your VICAP didn’t identify the pattern before.”
    “I have the same question.” The FBI’s ViolentCriminal Apprehension Program was the first place local law enforcement went when they had an unsolved violent crime. Every crime of this nature was supposed to end up in the database, which was crosschecked as regularly as changing socks. Maybe VICAP had developed dirty feet. Why these crimes hadn’t been linked in cross-check was bugging Geary and he planned to take it up with Tom, but not until he’d handed over everything he could find. No one liked to be criticized at their job, he knew that firsthand.
    Bell took a bite of his salad and gave it a little more thought.
    “What do you think, John? Does this man live alone?”
    “I’d guess he does. All that planning. Unless he manages to hide it. But I don’t think so. I think he’s a loner.”
    “I’d tend to agree. Psychopaths who are also compulsive make awful roommates.”
    “And worse friends.”
    Bell ate his last bite of salad and the waitress appeared with his coffee.
    “You?” she asked Geary.
    “I thought you’d never ask.”
    She snorted and walked away.
    “I’m glad you came to me with this case, John.”
    “I’m glad you kept those college babes waiting.”
    “Babes, Dr. Geary?”
    Geary winked, then leaned forward. “Seriously, Roger. We only have three more days to nail this guy.”
    “Don’t get your hopes too high. He’s managed to elude your former colleagues for a long time.”
    Former colleagues. Geary still hated the sound of it.
    “He got away by not being noticed,” Geary said.“Well, he’s on the radar screen now. How many psychos have we put away since I started hiring you?”
    Bell had been an occasional consultant to the FBI when he was hired to evaluate Geary. Once they’d met, he’d consulted on every one of Geary’s cases. Bell’s smile split his weathered face. “We’ve rarely missed, haven’t we?”
    “Ninety-nine out of a hundred is a damn good average.”
    “Be careful, John. You’re not one of them anymore. They might not like you working on a case that isn’t yours.”
    Geary shook his head. “I’m not officially working on it, Roger. Officially, I’m retired.”
    Bell laughed. “So I see.”
    “I’ll finish working it up and hand it over to the Mashpee PD.”
    “And then you’ll walk away?” Bell squinted his good eye and pressed back a smile.
    “Yup.” Geary nodded. “I’ve got a long-standing date with a golf course.”
    “Care for a little wager, my friend?”
    “Not this time, Rog. I can’t afford you.”
    “One dollar.”
    “So it’s the principle of the thing.” Geary sharp-eyed Bell. “You’re on.”
    They shook on it across the table.
    “I’ll call you when I hear from Tom,” Geary said, “later today.”
    Bell treated him to one more nasty-toothed smile. “Then you’ll be free for golf tomorrow afternoon?”
    “You bet.”
    Geary walked out first and could hear Bell laughing all the way to the exit.

Chapter 10
    Unconsciousness blurred with sleep and waking up was a slow transformation from one darkness to another. Emily could have been floating in the sky. The sea rocked harder now than it had at first and lying still for so long without vision skewed her balance.
    She had