The Skin Collector (Lincoln Rhyme 11)

'Not enough to kill an adult,' Cooper said. 'But it would keep the victim out of commission for weeks and might cause brain damage.'

On the positive side, though, from the investigators' perspective, the poison was still sold commercially as a pesticide. Rhyme mentioned this to Sachs and Cooper.

'I'll see if we can find any commercial suppliers,' the tech said. 'They have to keep records of poison sales.'

Cooper was looking at his computer, though, and frowning. 'Dozens of sources. Brick-and-mortar stores. And all he'd need is a fake ID to buy some. Pay cash. No trace.'

In the world of forensic science too many options were as bad as too few.

Sachs got a phone call and listened for a moment, then thanked the person on the other end of the line and disconnected. 'No reported thefts of drugs or other medical equipment or supplies in the area, the last thirty days, except a few stoners or crack-heads knocking over pharmacies; they all got busted. No propofol missing.'

Thom appeared in the doorway.

'Ah, my, what a stern expression.'

'Close to midnight, Lincoln You're going to bed.'

'Yes, dear, yes, dear.' Then Rhyme said to Cooper, 'Be careful, Mel. No reason for him to know you're working this case but still, be careful. Sachs, text Lon and Pulaski and tell them the same thing.' A glance at the mass spectrum of the strychnine. 'We're targets now. He's declared war.'

She sent messages to the two officers, then stepped to a clean whiteboard and wrote down the evidence, as well as the information she and Lon Sellitto had learned about the victim.

* * *

614 W. 54th Street

Victim: Samantha Levine, 32 - Worked for International Fiber Optic Networks

- Probably no connection to Unsub

>

- No sexual assault, but touching of skin

Unsub 11-5 - See details from prior scene

- Might have returned to the scene

No sightings

- No friction ridges

- No footprints

COD: Poisoning with Brugmansia, introduced via tattooing - Angel's trumpet, devil's breath

- Atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine

Tattoo - 'forty' surrounded by scarring scallops

- Why cardinal number?

Sedated with propofol - How obtained? Access to medical supplies? (No local thefts)

Location - Abducted from restroom of Provence2 restaurant, basement

- Kill site was underneath restroom, in 19th-century slaughterhouse culling area underground

- Similar infrastructure to earlier scene: