The Steel Kiss (Lincoln Rhyme 12)

"You're not trying very hard. All right, the answer?"

"Sure."

"The fishing party included a grandfather, his son and grandson. Two fathers, two sons, but only three people."

Rhyme barked an involuntary laugh. Clever. He liked it.

"As soon as you got the idea of four people in your head, it's almost impossible to dislodge it, right? Remember: The answers to riddles are always simple--given the right mind-set."

The doorbell hummed. Rhyme looked at the video monitor. Archer's brother, Randy. Rhyme was mildly disappointed she'd be leaving. Thom went to answer the door.

She said, "One more."

"All right."

"What one thing do you find at the beginning of eternity and at the end of time and space?"

"Matter."

"No."

"Black hole."

"No."

"Wormhole."

"You're guessing. Do you even know what a wormhole is?" she asked.

He did. But he hadn't really thought that was the answer.

Simple...

"Give up?"

"No. I'm going to keep working at it."

Thom appeared a moment later with Archer's brother. They spoke for a few minutes, polite but pointless conversation. Then brief goodbyes and brother and sister headed out of the arched doorway of the parlor. Halfway through Archer stopped. She wheeled around. "Just curious about one thing, Lincoln."

"What's that?"

"Baxter. Did he have a big house or apartment?"

What was this about? He thought back to the case. "A house worth three million. Nowadays, how much big does that buy you? Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering why he needed a storage unit in Long Island City--where the gun was found. You'd think he could store things in his house. Or at least in a storage place closer to home. Well, just a thought. Good night now."

"Night," he said.

"And don't forget our riddle: eternity and time and space."

She wheeled from sight.

Computers saved my life.

In several ways. In high school, I could excel at something not sports (tall is good for basketball but skinny bean isn't). Computer club. Math club. Gaming. Role-playing online--I could be whoever I wanted to. Appear however I wanted to appear, thank you, avatars and Photoshop.

And now: Computers make my career possible. True, I don't really look a lot different from many people on the street. But just some different can be enough. People say they like different but they don't really--unless it's to look at and laugh at and boost themselves up. So, running a business online, in the safety of my Chelsea womb, is perfect for me. I don't have to see people, talk to them in person, endure the gawking, even if it's with a smile on their faces.