attempts at kidnapping in Columbus, Georgia, and Stockbridge at about that time. But those men were apprehended almost immediately. No reports of attempts in Macon. Yet the boy was found in a grave outside Macon."
"So?"
"I studied the situation and decided to focus in on Macon. If I was looking for victims, I wouldn't commit a crime in my own backyard. I'd pick up the victim in another town and dispose of the body in a grave some distance away."
"And you found a suspect in those records?"
"No, we located a few sex perverts who were in Macon at the time. It took a little while to track down and eliminate them. And, no, I don't mean that literally. Though I'm sure they deserved it. Two were in jail at the time. The other offender had an alibi. I thought we'd run into a stone wall. I don't like to be wrong."
"You said you found him," she prompted.
"Impatient? I'm getting to that. Since I didn't want to admit being wrong, I went down another road. If he wasn't a known sex offender and didn't have a record with child molestation, what was the answer? Macon is a big college town. What if one of the students was the killer? It was a long shot but I gave the order to scan police records for any students picked up loitering near schools or day-care facilities. Donald Palker came up in the computer. He had a bottle of whiskey in the car and claimed he'd passed out after a frat party in front of Jolly Time Day Care. The Macon police get a lot of students who can't hold their liquor. Palker was a sophomore, clean-cut, got good grades, and was polite and apologetic. They let him go."
"And Marty died," she whispered. "He wasn't arrested again?"
"Yes, but not in Georgia. Last year he was put on trial in Connecticut for suspicion of murdering a ten-year-old boy. The evidence was compromised and he was released."
"He's still loose?"
"Yes, he's living with his parents in upper New York State. As I said, I didn't have time to get proof. I have a man watching Palker now. If you can have Quinn get Valdosta to search through their forensic records for DNA other than the boy's, we can get a match." He paused. "Or if you don't want to bother, Palker can disappear. It would save the courts a good deal of money and maybe save a life. It's up to you."
She shuddered. "And land in an unmarked grave? We'll get the DNA."
"I thought that would be your response. You have a horror of unmarked graves."
"Is that why you told your Miguel to bury Aquila in one?"
"No, that was purely for my convenience. Not all of my actions revolve around you." He chuckled. "But certainly a good portion of them do at the moment."
"I've no desire to be the focus of your attention."
"Nevertheless, you are." He paused and when he spoke again all trace of humor was gone from his tone. "I didn't keep to the letter of the test you gave me, but you have to admit I did very well. I showed you I was capable of giving you what you want."
"No, you didn't. Marty's murder was recent history compared to Bonnie. She was killed a long time ago. Joe and I have been searching for years with no result. We've explored every avenue. And you think you could just step into the picture and actually find her?"
"It's not what I think. It's what you think," he said softly. "Or what you hope, Eve. Right now, you're remembering all the information I gathered in just eight days. You're wondering whether if you pass up the opportunity you'll ever be able to forget that you might have found your Bonnie."
"My God, you're sadistic."
"No, I'm desperate. This is no game to me. I have to have you. You do this for me and I promise I'll find your little girl."
"And if I don't?"
"I've stacked the situation with good and bad cards. It's up to you how I play them."
"I'm responsible? Don't lay your blame on me."
"I'd never do that. I take total responsibility for everything I do. I'm going to hang up now so that you can consider the gift I've offered you."
"A gift has no strings."
"True. Good-bye,
"So?"
"I studied the situation and decided to focus in on Macon. If I was looking for victims, I wouldn't commit a crime in my own backyard. I'd pick up the victim in another town and dispose of the body in a grave some distance away."
"And you found a suspect in those records?"
"No, we located a few sex perverts who were in Macon at the time. It took a little while to track down and eliminate them. And, no, I don't mean that literally. Though I'm sure they deserved it. Two were in jail at the time. The other offender had an alibi. I thought we'd run into a stone wall. I don't like to be wrong."
"You said you found him," she prompted.
"Impatient? I'm getting to that. Since I didn't want to admit being wrong, I went down another road. If he wasn't a known sex offender and didn't have a record with child molestation, what was the answer? Macon is a big college town. What if one of the students was the killer? It was a long shot but I gave the order to scan police records for any students picked up loitering near schools or day-care facilities. Donald Palker came up in the computer. He had a bottle of whiskey in the car and claimed he'd passed out after a frat party in front of Jolly Time Day Care. The Macon police get a lot of students who can't hold their liquor. Palker was a sophomore, clean-cut, got good grades, and was polite and apologetic. They let him go."
"And Marty died," she whispered. "He wasn't arrested again?"
"Yes, but not in Georgia. Last year he was put on trial in Connecticut for suspicion of murdering a ten-year-old boy. The evidence was compromised and he was released."
"He's still loose?"
"Yes, he's living with his parents in upper New York State. As I said, I didn't have time to get proof. I have a man watching Palker now. If you can have Quinn get Valdosta to search through their forensic records for DNA other than the boy's, we can get a match." He paused. "Or if you don't want to bother, Palker can disappear. It would save the courts a good deal of money and maybe save a life. It's up to you."
She shuddered. "And land in an unmarked grave? We'll get the DNA."
"I thought that would be your response. You have a horror of unmarked graves."
"Is that why you told your Miguel to bury Aquila in one?"
"No, that was purely for my convenience. Not all of my actions revolve around you." He chuckled. "But certainly a good portion of them do at the moment."
"I've no desire to be the focus of your attention."
"Nevertheless, you are." He paused and when he spoke again all trace of humor was gone from his tone. "I didn't keep to the letter of the test you gave me, but you have to admit I did very well. I showed you I was capable of giving you what you want."
"No, you didn't. Marty's murder was recent history compared to Bonnie. She was killed a long time ago. Joe and I have been searching for years with no result. We've explored every avenue. And you think you could just step into the picture and actually find her?"
"It's not what I think. It's what you think," he said softly. "Or what you hope, Eve. Right now, you're remembering all the information I gathered in just eight days. You're wondering whether if you pass up the opportunity you'll ever be able to forget that you might have found your Bonnie."
"My God, you're sadistic."
"No, I'm desperate. This is no game to me. I have to have you. You do this for me and I promise I'll find your little girl."
"And if I don't?"
"I've stacked the situation with good and bad cards. It's up to you how I play them."
"I'm responsible? Don't lay your blame on me."
"I'd never do that. I take total responsibility for everything I do. I'm going to hang up now so that you can consider the gift I've offered you."
"A gift has no strings."
"True. Good-bye,
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