Full Tilt

70

New York City

Across the country, Kate was in her apartment when her phone rang. The number displayed was for the NYPD.

“Hello?”

“Hi, this is Officer Morello with the NYPD, calling for Kate Page.”

“I’m Kate.”

“Ms. Page, as you know, Newark PD has informed us that they’re unable to transport you to the hospital. I’ve been assigned to be your ride.”

“I never heard from Newark.”

“They said they’d called you.”

“No, I didn’t get a call.”

“Must’ve been a screwup. Sorry about that, ma’am, but can I pick you up in twenty-minutes?”

That was earlier than usual. Kate hesitated. Days ago, Newark police and the FBI’s Office for Victim Assistance had indicated to Kate that, for security reasons, the job of ferrying her to and from the hospital might be shared by various police agencies.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry for any inconvenience, but I got court duty in the morning and-”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Good. Just so you know I won’t be in uniform. My sarge said this is plainclothes duty.”

“I’ll be in front of my building in twenty minutes.”

Officer Morello thanked Kate and recited her address.

“That’s it.”

Kate alerted Nancy that she was leaving a bit early, then hurried getting herself ready. Fifteen minutes later she was downstairs standing in front of her building. Uniformed officers were no longer in sight. They’d only been posted to the street during the first days after Vanessa’s rescue. Kate didn’t mind because it reinforced Brennan’s call, that they’d found Zurrn somewhere far off. Was it Colorado? Kate watched the traffic until a shining black Chevy sedan stopped in front. The driver dropped the passenger window and leaned out.

“Excuse me, are you Kate Page?”

“Yes.”

“Officer Morello. I called.”

“Hi.” Kate stepped to the unmarked cruiser.

As Morello got out and opened the rear door Kate heard radio dispatches spilling out. Morello was in his forties, had a thick black mustache, thick dark hair and glasses. He wore a dark blue houndstooth sport coat, light blue shirt and dark pants.

“Watch your head,” he cautioned as she got in.

She glimpsed the butt of a gun peeking from his shoulder holster as he closed the door, then walked around to get behind the wheel.

The car was not as nice as the Newark and FBI cars that had come for her over the past week. The air was musty, the seats torn and patched with tape. A scarred Plexiglas shield divided the rear and front seats, but the sliding gap was open so they could talk.

“You could ride in the front with me if you like,” Morello said into the rearview mirror, “but our policy dictates that you ride back there for your safety.”

“Better stick to the policy.” Kate smiled. “Thanks for doing this.”

“No problem, ma’am.”

As they pulled away Kate asked the usual question.

“Have you heard of any breaks finding Zurrn?”

“Me? Naw, they don’t keep grunts like me in the loop.”

“Just thought I’d ask.”

“No problem, you just take it easy back there.”

As he wheeled into Manhattan traffic, Kate’s thoughts went to Brennan’s confidential tip. He’d left her on pins and needles ever since he’d told her they’d found Zurrn. She fell into her habit of checking her phone for news, searching the competition and regional wires.

Nothing.

She called Brennan and again it went straight to his voice mail.

Kate took a breath, smiling as she considered Vanessa. It had only been a week, but the psychiatrist said she was making remarkable progress and soon Kate could bring Grace to meet her. Thinking of their new future together as a family, Kate took in her surroundings and realized they were on 125th Street and had just passed Amsterdam Avenue.

“Excuse me.” Kate moved to the divider. “I think you’re going east-this is the wrong way. We should be getting on the West Side Highway, for the Lincoln Tunnel, that’s the way everybody goes.”

Morello didn’t respond.

“Officer, you’re going the wrong way.”

Morello ignored her.

Kate sat forward and thrust her face toward his shoulder. “Officer!”

Morello said nothing.

As Kate puzzled over her situation a terrible unease hit her like a cobra’s strike. Staring hard at Morello’s neck, Kate noticed for the first time how a stubbly ridge of shaved hair crept below what should have been his hairline.

He’s wearing a wig.

She questioned if his mustache was real, then the pieces-Morello’s call, switching drivers, coming early, going the wrong way-and in an awful instant, realization exploded.

Oh, God, Morello is Sorin Zurrn!

Kate’s pulse soared.

This is how it happened to the others! He just reaches into your world and takes you into his!

Kate had regarded his victims as young, inexperienced, vulnerable, easy prey, like Vanessa. Now, he proved that none of Kate’s street smarts or her gut instincts mattered.

Think! You have to think!

She still had her phone, her lifeline. She forced herself to be calm.

“Okay,” she said. “I’m sorry. Maybe you know a better way. Guess I’m tense today.”

Her hand trembled as secretly she reached for her phone. Fearing he’d hear the emergency dispatcher, Kate started to text an emergency message to Nancy to call 911. But her blood turned to ice.

Her phone was dead.

She met Zurrn’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

“You’re fluttering, Kate.”

Zurrn held up his phone.

“As a collector, I took care of everything. I hacked your phone long ago. I just fried it.”

The saliva in Kate’s mouth evaporated.

“You told everyone it was over for me, didn’t you?” he said. “I had astounding plans, but you destroyed them! You exhumed the name I buried and shamed me! Now I have nothing-except you!”

Kate tried her door handle.

It was gone, so was the other one. There was no escape.

She tried waving to people in other cars for help.

Zurrn activated the siren and emergency lights, to insure she looked like a disturbed person under arrest.

“We’ll start over, together!” he said. “You’re a magnificent specimen! The rarest, most glorious! No one will ever find you! And you can’t conceive of the wonders I will show you-of what I’m going to do to you!”

Kate undid her seat belt, repositioned her body and began kicking at the rear windshield.

“Beautiful,” Zurrn said as he reached for something. “Flutter away, Kate. You know-” Zurrn strained, now gripping something that looked like a large electric razor “-in time, you’ll come to love me.”

He quickly lifted himself, extended his reach and pressed the device against Kate’s neck. It crackled, instantly overwhelming her neuromuscular system, disorienting her until she collapsed.