The Cutting Edge (Lincoln Rhyme #14)(61)

“It’s obvious: Split T-A-L. Put the T before R-A-G-I-C and the A-L after. The answer’s ‘tragical.’”

“Congratulations!” Ackroyd said, beaming. “You’ve never done this before?”

“No.”

The Englishman offered, “Some people think it’s a waste of time.”

Rhyme tried not to smile.

“But I hardly agree. You know the Enigma machine?”

Cooper answered, “Yes, the code device that the mathematicians at Bletchley Park cracked. Alan Turing and crew.”

This sounded somewhat familiar but unless information helped with a present, or future, investigation Rhyme tended not to keep it in storage.

Apparently his blank expression showed. The tech said, “Nazi encryption device during World War Two. The Allies couldn’t crack German messages and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians died.”

Ackroyd said, “In January nineteen forty-two, the Daily Telegraph had a speed cryptic competition—you had to complete a very complicated puzzle in twelve minutes or under. They published the results, and the War Office took notice. It recruited some of the best competitors to come to Bletchley Park and they helped crack Enigma.” He added, “One thing I love about cryptic puzzles: They can lie and be completely honest at the same time. It’s all about misdirection. Up for one more?”

“Yes,” Rhyme said.

Ackroyd wrote:

Location in Romania rich in oil (4)



Cooper turned back to his equipment. “Think I’ll stick to Sudoku.”

Rhyme stared for a moment. “A four-letter word that’s a location.”

Romania was a nation of which he knew nothing. “There’re thousands of towns and regions and parks in Romania. And someplace rich in oil. Maybe not oil wells. Maybe ports for shipping oil. Maybe banks that specialize in oil industry lending.” He shook his head.

“Remember,” Ackroyd said, “in cryptic puzzles, you’re often looking right at the answer. The problem is that you’re not seeing it.”

But then he did. Rhyme laughed. “Yes, the answer is a location in Romania—but not the country. It’s in ‘Romania,’ the word. The answer’s ‘Oman’: r-O-M-A-N-i-a. The Middle Eastern country with oil reserves.”

“Well done, Lincoln.”

Pleased with himself, he had to admit.

Rhyme noticed motion on the front-door monitor and observed Sachs climbing stairs and pulling her keys from her bag. She’d returned from the jobsite where Unsub 47 had, possibly, met with a worker for reasons as yet undetermined.

The time for diversion was over.





Chapter 29



Rhyme regarded Amelia Sachs carefully as she entered.

Hair damp—she’d taken a shower; the skies were gray but there’d been no rain.

I want to clean up first…

Her eyes were distant. Her thumb worried a finger, then the digits swapped roles. He could see a bloody cuticle.

She nodded a greeting to Ackroyd, who smiled his modest smile in return.

Rhyme told her, “Another one. You hear?”

Sachs asked quickly, “Earthquake?”

“What? No, attack.”

“The Promisor?”

He nodded. And observed that she seemed oddly distracted. Even troubled. He wondered too why it had taken her so damn long to get here.

But he said nothing about it. “Vic’ll live. Made her swallow her ring.”

“Jesus. How is she?”

“I don’t know. Ron’s walking the grid and getting details. He’ll do an interview when she’s out of surgery. The shield I talked to at the One-Nine asked a few questions. Didn’t add anything—same story you heard: protecting diamonds. And the canvass in the neighborhood didn’t turn up anyone. They’re still at it.”

Rhyme glanced to Edward Ackroyd, who told her what he’d found—the Amsterdam dealer lead had not paid off but it was likely that the unsub was Russian and probably had come only recently to the city.

Sachs looked thoughtful. “So, with the kids in Gravesend, he was trying to obscure the accent. Russian. Is that helpful?”

“I’m following up,” Rhyme said, thinking of the text he’d sent.

Sachs grimaced. “I’ve never known a perp to be so damn persistent about taking out witnesses. Hell. Have we had any luck finding the boy?”

“Ron hasn’t. Like with Edward, nobody’s talking to him. Computer Crimes is pulling Patel’s phone records. Let’s hope Patel and VL talked regularly.” Rhyme’s eyes swayed to Sachs. “So, what happened at the jobsite?”

Sachs blinked. “Happened?”

“Yeah. What was Forty-Seven doing there?”

“Oh.” She told them he probably hadn’t used the site as a shortcut. Yes, there were lots of CCTV cameras on the government building side of the construction area but the limited entrances to the site suggested the shortcut theory was unlikely.

Then she explained about her conversation with the foreman of the geothermal operation. She said that, yes, the unsub had been in the construction site and had met with somebody, identity unknown, for reasons unknown. She could get no better description than what they already had. “The scene wasn’t good—gravel and lots of contamination. Found this.” She handed over two small bags of earth and stones to Mel Cooper. “It’s probably from where he was standing but I don’t know for sure.”