Practical Demonkeeping

assume that this one was cooperative enough to start when the Justice Department’s files start, thirty years ago, he’d be over sixty now.”
    “Do you think it goes farther back?”
    “I picked some dates and locations randomly, going back as far as 1925. I called the libraries in the towns and had them check the newspapers for stories of disappearances. It checked out. Your man could be in his nineties. Or it could be a son carrying on his father’s work.”
    “That’s impossible. There must be another explanation. Come on, Nailsworth , I need a bailout here. I can’t pursue an investigation of a geriatric serial killer.”
    “Well, it could be an elaborate research project that someone is doing on missing persons, but that doesn’t explain the World War One vets, and it doesn’t explain why the researcher would write the information on matchbook covers and business cards from places that have been out of business for years.”
    “I don’t understand.” Rivera felt as if he were stuck in the Spider’s web and was waiting to be eaten.
    “It appears that the notes themselves were written as far back as fifty years ago. I could send them to the lab to confirm it if you want.”
    “No. Don’t do that.” Rivera didn’t want it confirmed. He wanted it to go away. “ Nailsworth , isn’t possible that the computer is making some impossible connections? I mean, it’s programmed to find patterns—maybe it went overboard and made this one up?”
    “You know the odds, Sergeant. The computer can’t make anything up; it can only interpret what’s put into it. If I were you, I’d pull my suspect out of holding and find out where he got the suitcase.”
    “I cut him loose. The D.A. said I didn’t have enough to charge him.”
    “Find him,” Nailsworth said.
    Rivera resented the authoritarian tone in Nailsworth’s voice, but he let it go. “I’m going now.”
    “One more thing.”
    “Yes?”
    “One of your addresses was in Pine Cove. You want it?”
    “Of course.”
    Nailsworth read the name and address to Rivera, who wrote it down on a memo pad.
    “There was no date on this one, Sergeant. Your killer might still be in the area. If you get him, it would be the bailout you’re looking for.”
    “It’s too fantastic.”
    “And don’t forget to check on Roxanne for me, okay?” The Spider hung up.

30
JENNY
    Jenny had arrived at work a half hour late expecting to find Howard waiting behind the counter to reprimand her in his own erudite way. Strangely enough, she didn’t care. Even more strange was the fact that Howard had not shown up at the cafe all morning.
    Considering that she had drunk two bottles of wine, eaten a heavy Italian meal and everything in the refrigerator, and stayed up all night making love, she should have been tired, but she wasn’t. She felt wonderful, full of humor and energy, and not a little excited. When she thought of her night with Travis, she grinned and shivered. There should be guilt, she thought. She was, technically, a married woman. Technically, she was having an illicit affair. But she had never been very technically minded. Instead of guilt she felt happy and eager to do it all again.
    From the moment she got to work she began counting the hours until she got off after the lunch shift. She was at one hour and counting when the cook announced that there was a call for her in the office.
    She quickly refilled her customer’s coffee cups and headed to the back. If it was Robert, she would just act like nothing had happened. She wasn’t exactly in love with someone else as he suspected. It was…it didn’t matter what it was. She didn’t have to explain anything. If it was Travis—she hoped it was Travis.
    She picked up the phone. “Hello.”
    “Jenny?” It was a woman’s voice. “It’s Rachel. Look, I’m having a special ritual this afternoon at the caves. I need you to be there.”
    Jennifer did not want to go to a ritual.
    “I don’t know, Rachel, I have plans after work.”
    “Jennifer, this is the most important thing we’ve ever done, and I need you to be there. What time do you get off?”
    “I’m off at two, but I need to go home and change first.”
    “No, don’t do that. Come as you are—it’s really important.”
    “But I really…”
    “Please, Jenny. It will only take a few minutes.”
    Jennifer had never heard Rachel sound so adamant. Maybe it really was important.
    “Okay. I guess I can make it. Do you need me to