The Vanished Man (Lincoln Rhyme 5)

She thought about dropping the Chevy off now but, on reflection, decided to wait. She could drive a beat-up car for a few more days; she'd done that plenty in her teen years. At the moment she wanted to get back home, to Lincoln Rhyme, to share the news with him about the alchemy that had transformed her badge from silver to gold--and to get back to work unraveling the thorny mysteries that awaited them: two murdered diplomats, alien vegetation, curious imprints in muddy ground and a couple of missing shoes.

Both of them right.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks to Jane Davis, who practices her own brand of unparalleled magic in overseeing my website, to my sister and fellow author Julie Reece Deaver, to my dear friend and thriller writer extraordinaire John Gilstrap, and to Robby Burroughs, who accompanied me to the performance of the Big Apple Circus at which the idea for this story was born.

I also found the following sources extremely helpful in the writing of this novel: The Creative Magician's Handbook, Marvin Kaye; The Illustrated History of Magic, Milbourne and Maurine Christopher; The Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram, Ross Bertram; Magicians and Illusionists, Adam Woog; The Annotated Magic of Slydini, Slydini and Gene Matsuura; The Tarbell Course in Magic, Harlan Tarbell; Houdini on Magic, Walter B. Gibson and Morris N. Young, eds.; and Magic in Theory, Peter Lamont and Richard Wiseman.

XO

Jeffery Deaver

Available in hardcover from Simon & Schuster

Turn the page for a preview of XO. . . .

Subject: Re: You're the Best!!!

From: [email protected] To: [email protected] 2 January 10:32 a.m.

Hey there,

Edwin--

Thanks for your email! I'm so glad you liked my latest album! Your support means the world to me. Be sure you go to my website and sign up to get my newsletter and learn about new releases and upcoming concerts, and don't forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

And keep an eye out for the mail. I sent you that autographed photo you requested!

XO,

Kayleigh

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Subject: Unbelievable!!!!!

From: [email protected] To: [email protected] 3 September 5:10 a.m.

Hi, Kayleigh:

I am totally blown away. I'm rendered speechless. And, you know me pretty good by now--for me to be speechless, that's something!! Anyway, here's the story: I downloaded your new album last night and listened to "Your Shadow." Whoahhh! It's without doubt the best song I have ever heard. I mean of anything ever written. I even like it better than "It's Going to Be Different This Time." I've told you nobody's ever expressed how I feel about loneliness and life and well everything better than you. And that song does that totally. But more important I can see what you're saying, your plea for help. It's all clear now. Don't worry. You're not alone, Kayleigh!!

I'll be your shadow. Forever.

XO, Edwin

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Subject: Fwd: Unbelievable!!!!!

From: [email protected] To: [email protected] 3 September 10:34 a.m.

Mr. Sharp:

Ms. Alicia Sessions, personal assistant to our clients Kayleigh Towne and her father, Bishop Towne, forwarded us your email of this morning. You have sent more than 50 emails and letters since we contacted you two months ago, urging you not to have any contact with Ms. Towne or any of her friends and family. We are extremely troubled that you have found her private email address (which has been changed, I should tell you), and are looking into possible violations of state and federal laws regarding how you obtained such address.

Once again, we must tell you that we feel your behavior is completely inappropriate and possibly actionable. We urge you in the strongest terms possible to heed this warning. As we've said repeatedly, Ms. Towne's security staff and local law enforcement officials have been notified of your repeated, intrusive attemp