The Kill Room (Lincoln Rhyme 10)

"No, you don't, Barry. You don't want to do anything at the moment."

"But, look, I just found out that Shreve--"

"Barry," Rothstein said in a low voice. "I'm advising you to be quiet. It's very important." He waited a moment then added, "We want to make sure you and your family get the best counsel you can have."

"My family?"

Hell. That's his game. Laurel said firmly, "The state has no case against your family, Barry. We have no interest in them at all."

Rothstein turned to her and his round, creased face offered a perplexed look. "We've hardly scratched the surface of the case, Nance." He looked at Shales. "You never know the direction a prosecution will take. My theory is to provide for every eventuality. And I'll make sure you and anyone else involved in this prosecution..." His voice grew indignant. "...this misguided prosecution is looked after. Now, Barry?"

The pilot's jaw quivered. He looked at Nance quickly then lowered his eyes and nodded.

Rothstein said, "This interview is now terminated."

CHAPTER 79

MORNING SUNLIGHT FILLED Rhyme's town house.

The windows faced east and bands of direct light, filtered through many leaves, fired into the parlor in flickering streams.

The team was gathered here, Cooper, Sellitto, Pulaski. Sachs too. And Nance Laurel, who'd just returned from detention with the disappointing news that Shales had been about to confess and give up Metzger when a lawyer that NIOS or someone in DC had hired arrived and scared him into silence.

But she said, "I can still make the case work. Nothing's going to stop me this time."

Rhyme happened to be glancing at his phone when it rang and he was pleased. He answered. "Corporal, how are you?"

Poitier's melodic voice replied, "Good, Captain. Good. I was happy to get your message this morning. We miss the chaos you brought with you. You must come back. Come back for holiday. And I appreciate your invitation too. I will most certainly come to New York but that will have to be as a holiday as well. I'm afraid I don't have any evidence for you. There was no luck at the morgue. I don't have anything to deliver to you in person."

"No glass shards from de la Rua's body?"

"I'm afraid not. I spoke to the doctor who conducted the autopsy and there were no splinters left in the bodies of either de la Rua or the guard when they were brought in. Apparently they had been removed by the medical technicians trying to save the men."

But

Rhyme recalled the crime scene pictures. The wounds had been numerous, the blood loss massive. Some shards must have remained. He now eased close to the whiteboards and examined the autopsy pictures of the victims, the crude incisions, the skull cap placed back after the saw work, the Y incision decorating the chest.

Something was wrong.

Rhyme turned to the room and shouted, to no one in particular, "The autopsy report. I want de la Rua's autopsy report, now!" He couldn't juggle the phone and work the computer at the same time.

Mel Cooper complied and in a moment the scanned document was on a flat-screen monitor next to Rhyme.

This victim exhibited approximately 35 lacerations in various sites of the chest, abdomen, arms, face and thighs, primarily anterior, presumably caused by shards of glass from a window that was shot out at the crime scene. These lacerations varied in size but the majority were approximately 3-4mm in width and 2 to 3 centimeters in length. Six of said lacerations were in this victim's carotid and jugular vessels and femoral artery, resulting in severe hemorrhaging.

Rhyme was aware of faint breathing on the other end of the line. Then: "Captain Rhyme, is everything all right?"

"I have to go."

"Is there anything more you need me to do?"

Rhyme's eyes were on Nance Laurel, who was scanning quizzically, looking from the autopsy report to the photos to Rhyme himself. He said to Poitier, "No, thank you, Corporal. I'll call you back." He disconnected and wheeled closer to the screen, studying it more closely. Then he turned his attention to the whiteboards.

"What is it, Rhyme?" Sachs asked.

He sighed. When he spun around he looked to Laurel. "I'm sorry. I was wrong."

"What do you mean, Linc?" Sellitto asked.