Generation 18 (Spook Squad 2)

“Byrne speaking.”

Obviously he wasn’t alone in the office, or he would have used the vid-screen. Gabriel swore softly. “We need to find Miranda, quickly.”

“Why?”

“I just discovered all four murder victims had Emma Pierce listed as their mother, and they were adopted from the Greenwood State Care Center. Miranda’s one of seventeen children that came in on the same day.”

“She’s moved. Charles will know where she’s at.” Though there wasn’t the slightest change in his voice, he could feel his brother’s sudden alarm. Felt it because it was in him as well.

“Maybe not. The reason Miranda moved in the first place was the almighty argument she had with him.”

“Give him a call, then let me know. This meeting will be finished in ten.”

“Will do.” Gabriel hung up and quickly dialed his old man’s number.

“Stern residence.”

His father’s familiar, suntanned features came online. Though close to a hundred years old, he barely looked fifty. His skin, like his still-black hair, showed little sign of aging. It was only when you looked deep into his green eyes that you saw the truth. They were the eyes of a man who’d seen too much death, too much destruction, for one normal life span.

“Father, I need Miranda’s new address and phone number.”

The welcoming smile faded. “What’s wrong?”

“Stephan’s updated you on our current investigations, hasn’t he?”

Charles nodded. “Several days ago. There wasn’t anything we’d consider a Federation matter, though, so it wasn’t in-depth.”

“I’ve just discovered a link between our murder victims. They were all fosterlings at the Greenwood State Care Center. Miranda came into care the same day as the others.”

“And you think she’s in danger?”

“I sure as hell don’t want to take that risk.”

Charles rubbed his chin. “I haven’t heard from her in over a week.”

That didn’t surprise him. Miranda could hold a grudge with the best of them. She’d once gone two months without saying a word to him—just because he’d had the audacity to call her date an idiot, which she had been, as Miranda had admitted later.

“What about Mom?”

“She’s still in New York. Flights out of Kennedy have been delayed by storms. I’ll phone her and see. If not, Jessie will know.”

Jessie was his oldest sister, and she had been something of a surrogate mother to the much younger Miranda. “I want full protection on her.”

“That goes without saying. I’ll contact you when I have the address.”

The vid-screen went blank. Gabriel leaned back in his chair and scrubbed his chin. He didn’t like this. They might not know where Miranda was, but that didn’t mean the killer wouldn’t. She’d been ahead of them every step of the way so far.

The com-unit beeped. “Director Byrne on vid one.”

“Display.”

Byrne’s familiar features came online. “How’d you do?”

There was a slight buzz overriding Stephan’s voice. He had the scramblers up, just to ensure no one listened in. “He didn’t know, and Mom’s still overseas.”

“I thought she was due back yesterday.”

“Yeah, she was. He’s contacting Jessie.”