one Conrad belongs to, and spoke with the minister. They went to the sheriff’s office to ask about what happened to you. They spoke with Travis, Bob with the tore-up insides, and Jason. Travis is acting sheriff, and the other two are still deputies. Travis and the deputies said they couldn’t comment. Apparently, Maud and Earl didn’t know about Leland Conrad’s arrest and the strange not-really-a-confession statement he made. I’m going to find out what all of them drive. And finally—this is the good part—I asked about their son. He’s been living with them. I’m going to find out what he drives too. I’ll find out what all of them drive.”
“You got a lot of information,” said Diane. “Someone they came in contact with is the killer. That narrows the field, even if it still looks like a big field.”
“I’m leaning toward the son,” Izzy said. “I didn’t want to spook them, so I didn’t ask much, but . . . right now, my money’s on him.”
“Good work,” said David. Liam nodded.
Neva, Mike, and Korey came bustling in. Neva was grinning. She had a book in her hand. Mike and Korey were carrying two large tubs of rocks. They put them down on the round conference table with two loud thumps.
“Got you some gold, Doc,” said Mike.
“Look at this,” said Neva, holding the book in front of her. “Korey did a terrific job.”
“Neva did the drawings,” said Korey.
“I supplied the gold,” said Mike, grinning.
Neva handed Diane the yellowed, battered diary. Diane flipped through the pages. The page she was looking for was in the middle. She recognized it only because it had a sliver of gold under a piece of yellowed tape that looked like it was about to peel off. The page itself had the drawing of a cave and the mention of several landmarks showing how to find it. There was a sketch of the cavern where the pyrite would be spread on the floor. It looked real. Diane couldn’t have identified it as fake.
“He did what you suggested and took a blank page out of one of the other old diaries, and after I did the drawings, he re-bound the book. We used an old fountain pen and old ink, which he just happens to have around in several colors, by the way. This will pass,” said Neva.
“It will,” said Diane. “Thanks, Korey. You’ve done a good thing. Now I’m going to ask you to leave. I’ll explain everything when it’s resolved.”
Korey nodded. “Sure, Dr. F. Good luck.” Korey left by the museum entrance where he had entered.
“You have well-disciplined staff,” said Liam.
“You haven’t been with us long,” said Neva, grinning.
“This diary looks completely authentic,” said David. “Korey could be great in the forgery business.”
“It looks like we’re good to go,” said Liam.
Diane had a thought that hit her like dry ice in her stomach.
“You all right?” said David, reaching his hand out.
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this. He’s not going to contact me by phone, or some way we can talk. How stupid of me. It will be the same way as before. He’ll have Andie read instructions. I won’t have a chance to talk to him, to tell him I need to make sure Andie is alive.” Diane put her hands to her eyes and pressed. “Oh, shit, I’ve calculated this all wrong. Oh, damn. We need to have his name or we’re lost.” She looked at each of them as it dawned on them. Liam looked defeated. They all did.
“You’re right. If we don’t know who it is, we have no chance,” said Liam.
“Then we’ll find out,” said David.
Diane heard her e- mail ding. David had filtered her e-mail so that only the messages from the killer came to this computer. There it was. Maybe it was another stall.
Diane went to the computer and opened the e- mail. Another video. It was Andie, still bound to the chair. This time dressed in the bloodstained Vitruvian Man T-shirt. She read a statement.
“ ‘Time’s up. See, I’m taking good care of her. But I’m tired of playing with her little ol’ thing. If you want her back, do exactly what I say. If I see the police or anyone but you, Diane Fallon, I’ll kill the little bitch. You know I will.’ ”
The words were strange coming out of Andie’s mouth. She looked defeated, like the rest of them, as she gave Diane instructions to a location deep in the woods.
“Damn it,” said