Blind Alley - Iris Johansen [78]
“Did you hear her?” Jane asked Trevor. “But we don't have another plan.”
“I have a few ideas, but we'd better make this one work. I've devoted too much time and effort to it.” He was silent a moment. “Sontag . . . I've heard the name but I don't know anything concrete about him. And, dammit, I've got to give names and places in the next articles and I can't mention Sontag without him willing to go along with us. Get back to me as soon as she hears.”
“I will.” She added deliberately, “I realize the importance of communication in situations like this.”
“Was that another jab?” Trevor asked. “I've been a little busy for the last forty-eight hours. I haven't had more than two hours' sleep since I left Atlanta.”
“What have you been doing besides hijacking Web sites?”
“Isn't that enough? No, I guess not. Oh, and while I was trying to break into those secure Internet sites, I had a thought about how Aldo could have found his victims. So simple. The Driver's License Bureau. Their files are well secured but a good computer hacker could get in and go through them and Aldo's an expert. He'd be able to get photos and addresses without a problem.”
“And Aldo didn't start stalking me until I took my driver's test.”
“I could be wrong, but you might have Quinn check out the possibility.”
“I'll tell him right away.”
“It may be closing the barn door after the horses have escaped but it's all I could come up with. Other than brainstorming on that subject, I've been scouting out places to set up Aldo. It has to be a place that he thinks he can access and yet one that we can booby-trap.”
“Did you find it?”
“Not yet. But I've still got time. You gave me my three weeks.”
“No, I didn't. I accepted your estimate. The sooner, the better.”
He laughed. “In other words, don't sleep, don't rest, until I get the job done.”
“I didn't say that. Just don't lollygag.”
“I'll try not to.” He paused. “What have you been doing since I've been gone?”
“Sketching, doing homework, playing with Toby, going out of my mind with boredom. The same things I did when you were here.”
“I notice you're being careful to make sure I know my presence makes absolutely no difference in your scheme of things.”
“Maybe it makes a little difference. It irritates me that you're free to do something.”
“I stand corrected.”
“And at least you're somewhere different and interesting. I've never been out of the U.S.”
“You're young. You have plenty of time to do your globe-trotting. And this town isn't all that fascinating.”
“You have the experience to judge and compare. It would probably seem interesting to me. Tell me about it.”
“I've barely scratched the surface and these tourist towns are pretty much the same until you dig deep.” He laughed. “Cripes, what a play on words. I promise it wasn't intentional.”
“I still want to hear about it.”
He was silent a moment. “Because Cira lived here?”
“Is it so strange that I'm curious about the place where she lived and died?”
“No stranger than anything else connected with this muddle.” He paused. “I'll make a deal. You tell me about those dreams, and I'll describe this town down to the last ruin. You can see it through my eyes.”
“I'll be able to see it myself in three weeks.”
“But I doubt if Quinn is going to allow you to traipse around the city.”
That was true but she'd be darned if she gave in to him after resisting the temptation for the past weeks. “I'll find a way.”
“Okay, I thought I'd try.” He sighed. “It was only a bluff. Give me a day or so and I'll fill you in on the joys of ancient Herculaneum. Maybe