The Twelfth Card (Lincoln Rhyme 6)

So did the word "intriguing." He asked, "Why do you say it's the same MO?"

"Perp left a calling card at both scenes. Clocks."

"As in tick-tock?"

"Yup. The first one was next to the pool of blood on the pier. The other was next to Adams's head. It was like the doer wanted them to see it. And, I guess, hear it."

"Describe them. The clocks."

"Looked old-fashioned. That's all I know."

"Not a bomb?" Nowadays--in the time of the After--every item of evidence that ticked was routinely checked for explosives.

"Nope. Won't go bang. But the squad sent 'em up to Rodman's Neck to check for bio or chemical agents. Same brand of clock, looks like. Spooky, one of the respondings said. Has this face of a moon on it. Oh, and just in case we were slow, he left a note, under the clocks. Computer printout. No handwriting."

"And they said . . . ?"

Sellitto glanced down at his notes, not relying on memory. Rhyme appreciated this in the detective. He wasn't brilliant but he was a bulldog and did everything slowly and with perfection. He read, " 'The full Cold Moon is in the sky, shining on the corpse of earth, signifying the hour to die and end the journey begun at birth.' " He looked up at Rhyme. "It was signed 'The Watchmaker.' "

Rhyme raised an eyebrow. "We've got two vics and a lunar motif." Often, an astronomical reference meant that the killer was planning to strike multiple times. "He's got more on the agenda."

"Hey, why d'you think I'm here, Linc?"

Rhyme glanced at the beginning of his missive to the Times. He closed his word processing program. The essay about Before and After would have to wait.