"How could he be on a list?" Matt blurted. "He didn't sign his name."
He glanced at Wohl, and saw Wohl's eyes chill, but then move to Larkin. It was a valid question, and Larkin immediately confirmed this:
"Good question. If they don't have a name, we give them one. For example, No Pension Check. Jew-Hater. Irish-Hater. Sometimes, it gets to be Jew-Hater, Chicago, Number Seventeen. Understand?"
"I think so," Matt said.
"We keep pretty good files. Cross-referenced. As good as we can make them. This guy doesn't appear anywhere."
"What makes you think he's dangerous?" Dave Pekach asked.
"For one thing, he's in Philadelphia, and the Vice President will be in Philadelphia in eight days, a week from Monday. We don't have much time."
"I meant, why do you think he's dangerous, and not just a guy who writes letters to get his kicks?" Pekach persisted.
"Primarily, because he sees himself as an instrument of the Lord. God is on his side; he's doing God's bidding, and that removes all questions of right and wrong from the equation. If God tells you to quote 'disintegrate' somebody, that's not murder."
"Interesting word," Sabara said thoughtfully, "'disintegrate.'"
Larkin glanced at him. Matt thought he saw approval in his eyes.
"I thought so too," he said.
"So is 'instrument,'" Wohl chimed in. "God using this fellow as his 'instrument.'"
"Yeah," Larkin said. "I sent this off, as a matter of routine, to a psychiatrist for a profile. I'll be interested to hear what he has to say. Incidentally, if you have a good shrink, I'd be interested in what he thinks too."
"Her," Wohl said. "Not a departmental shrink. But she was very helpful when we had a serial rapist, ultimately serial murderer, running around the northwest. When we finally ran him down, it was uncanny to compare what she had to say about him based on almost nothing, and what we learned about him once we had stopped him."
"Interesting," Larkin said.
"Payne's sister. Dr. Amelia Payne. She teaches at the University."
"What's even more interesting, Mr. Larkin…" Pekach said.
"Charley, please," Larkin interrupted.
"…is that Matt, Detective Payne, got this guy. With his next victim already tied up in the back of his van," Pekach concluded.
"Fascinating," Larkin said, looking at Matt.
He already knew that, Matt thought. He's not going to shut Pekach up, but he knew. He really must have some files.
"Okay, Matt," Wohl ordered. "As a first order of business, run this letter past Dr. Payne, will you, please?"
"Yes, sir."
"Mike, how are we fixed for cars?"
"Not good. Worse than not good."
"Matt's going to be doing a lot of running around," Wohl said. " He's going to need a car."
"Let him use mine," Pekach volunteered. "With or without Sergeant O'Dowd. I can get a ride if I need one."
"With your sergeant," Wohl said. "Matt, take the Xerox-before you go, make half a dozen copies-to Amy. Explain what we need, and why we need it yesterday. On the way, explain this to Sergeant O'Dowd, ask him for suggestions. The minute you can get through to him, call Chief Coughlin and ask him if he can meet us, make sure you tell him Mr. Larkin will be there, at Bookbinder's for lunch. I'll see if I can get Chief Lowenstein to come too."
"It's Sunday. There's no telling where Amy might be."