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A part of Amberwanted to argue, wanted to say that it wasn’t that late. She was used to simplypushing through with cases like this, but this didn’t feel the same as usual.It didn’t feel like they were getting anywhere. They were simply grindingthrough the papers Richard Myer had sent them; too many papers, as if he’ddeliberately tried to overwhelm them with the volume of information he couldsend.
Amber nodded then,glad for the excuse to step away from the grind for a little while. She wasmentally exhausted and needed time to clear her head.
“There’s no needfor a hotel though,” Francesca said. “I have a spare room at my place if youtwo want it.”
She was looking atSimon while she said it. It was obvious to Amber that she mostly wanted anexcuse to have him around. That the invitation extended to Amber as well wasonly an afterthought.
“We couldn’t dothat,” Amber said, hurriedly. The last thing she wanted was to be a third wheelwhile the detective flirted with Simon.
Francesca waved ahand dismissively. “Nonsense. I have plenty of room and it would be nice tohave some company.”
She was stilllooking at Simon.
“I appreciate theoffer,” Amber said. “But we wouldn’t want to be a bother. We’ll find a hotel.”
She tried to makethat sound firm, leaving no room for any discussion. She wanted to keep thispurely professional.
“Okay, I guess,”Francesca said. She sounded a little disappointed. “I’ll see you both in themorning.”
Amber and Simonheaded for the door. Even as they did so, however, a figure came running in,holding an envelope while looking harassed. Amber realized that he was a courier.
“I don’t know whoI’m supposed to deliver this to,” the courier said. He sounded a little out ofbreath. “It just says it’s for the Westford Police Department. Someone said Ishould give it to you.”
The detectivenodded, her expression grave. It was clear that she knew what this was. Shesnatched the envelope from the courier, ripping it open. There was a singlesheet of card in there, with an internet address on it.
“We have another!”she called out.
Instantly,everything stopped around Amber, as the police department waited forinstructions. Amber could feel her heart pounding in her chest. This was it. Somethingthat gave her a chance to actually make a difference. Another puzzle. Anotherclue.
“What’s themessage?” Amber asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “Just the internetaddress?”
Francesca nodded.Simon was already closing on the courier, obviously determined to get anyanswers he could out of the man.
“Who gave you thisto deliver?”
“I was just toldover the phone to make a pick-up and deliver it here,” the courier said,looking suddenly scared. “The guy left cash.”
“Cash at the spotwhere you made the pick-up?” Simon said. “That didn’t seem suspicious to you?”
The couriershrugged. “It was just a job, you know?”
Amber guessed thathe wasn’t too bothered what he carried, or for whom. They obviously weren’tgoing to get anywhere this way.
“What did he soundlike?” Francesca asked.
The couriershrugged again. “Just some guy. I don’t know.”
“Okay,” Francescasaid. “Go wait over there, I’ll want to talk more to you in a minute. Someonetake the card to forensics for analysis.”
Amber’s attentionwasn’t on any of that. Her focus was on the fact that the killer had takenanother victim, that he’d set another challenge. One that Amber could helpwith. This was the part of the investigation where her skills might be able tohelp to the greatest degree. It was a game of hangman, and she was more thanconfident that she could do this.
“We have to get onthat website. From what you described before, we might not have much time tofind the right answer.”
“Agreed,”Detective Angelique said, already moving toward her computer. “Let’s get towork.”
Amber and Simonjoined Francesca at her computer. Together, they typed in the web address and waitedfor the website to load. Amber found herself mentally preparing for the nextpart of this. She was here specifically to do this, and she had no intention ofletting the others down.
When the websitecame up, they were met with the familiar image of a set of blank spaces,waiting for their input.
