按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
killer。 Not yet； at least。 They are reluctant to believe so much carnage could be the work of one
individual。 This killer — if； in fact； it is one person — would then be responsible for 39 linked
homicides and disappearances within the last three months alone。 In comparison； Ridgway’s 48…
count murder spree was scattered over a 21…year period。 If these deaths can be linked to one man；
then this is the most violent rampage of serial murder in American history。
The police are leaning instead toward the theory that gang activity is involved。 This theory is
supported by the sheer number of victims； and by the fact that there seems to be no pattern in the
choice of victims。
From Jack the Ripper to Ted Bundy； the targets of serial killings are usually connected by
similarities in age； gender； race； or a combination of the three。 The victims of this crime wave range
in age from 15…year…old honor student Amanda Reed； to 67…year…old retired postman Omar Jenks。
The linked deaths include a nearly even 18 women and 21 men。 The victims are racially diverse：
Caucasians； African Americans； Hispanics and Asians。
The selection appears random。 The motive seems to be killing for no other reason than to kill。
So why even consider the idea of a serial killer？
There are enough similarities in the modus operandi to rule out unrelated crimes。 Every victim
discovered has been burned to the extent that dental records were necessary for identification。 The
use of some kind of accelerant； like gasoline or alcohol； seems to be indicated in the conflagrations；
however； no traces of any accelerant have yet been found。 All of the bodies have been carelessly
dumped with no attempt at concealment。
More gruesome yet； most of the remains show evidence of brutal violence — bones crushed and
snapped by some kind of tremendous pressure — which medical examiners believe occurred
before the time of death； though these conclusions are difficult to be sure of； considering the state of
the evidence。
Another similarity that points to the possibility of a serial： every crime is perfectly clean of evidence；
aside from the remains themselves。 Not a fingerprint； not a tire tread mark nor a foreign hair is left
behind。 There have been no sightings of any suspect in the disappearances。
Then there are the disappearances themselves — hardly low profile by any means。 None of the
victims are what could be viewed as easy targets。 None are runaways or the homeless； who vanish
so easily and are seldom reported missing。 Victims have vanished from their homes； from a fourth…
story apartment； from a health club； from a wedding reception。 Perhaps the most astounding： 30…
year…old amateur boxer Robert Walsh entered a movie theater with a date； a few minutes into the
movie； the woman realized that he was not in his seat。 His body was found only three hours later
when fire fighters were called to the scene of a burning trash Dumpster； twenty miles away。
Another pattern is present in the slayings： all of the victims disappeared at night。
And the most alarming pattern？ Acceleration。 Six of the homicides were committed in the first
month； 11 in the second。 Twenty…two have occurred in the last 10 days alone。 And the police are
no closer to finding the responsible party than they were after the first charred body was
discovered。
The evidence is conflicting； the pieces horrifying。 A vicious new gang or a wildly active serial killer？
Or something else the police haven’t yet conceived of？
Only one conclusion is indisputable： something hideous is stalking Seattle。
It took me three tries to read the last sentence； and I realized the problem was my shaking hands。
“Bella？”
Focused as I was； Edward’s voice； though quiet and not totally unexpected； made me gasp and whirl。
He was leaning in the doorway； his eyebrows pulled together。 Then he was suddenly at my side； taking my
hand。
“Did I startle you？ I’m sorry。 I did knock。 。 。 。”
“No； no；” I said quickly。 “Have you seen this？” I pointed to the paper。
A frown creased his forehead。
“I hadn’t seen today’s news yet。 But I knew it was getting worse。 We’re going to have to do something 。 。
。 quickly。”
I didn’t like that。 I hated any of them taking chances； and whatever or whoever was in Seattle was truly
beginning to frighten me。 But the idea of the Volturi coming was just as scary。
“What does Alice say？”
“That’s the problem。” His frown hardened。 “She can’t see anything 。 。 。 though we’ve made up our minds
half a dozen times to check it out。 She’s starting to lose confidence。 She feels like she’s missing too much
these days； that something’s wrong。 That maybe her vision is slipping away。”
My eyes were wide。 “Can that happen？”
“Who knows？ No one’s ever done a study 。 。 。 but I really doubt it。 These things tend to intensify over
time。 Look at Aro and Jane。”
“Then what’s wrong？”
“Self…fulfilling prophecy； I think。 We keep waiting for Alice to see something so we can go 。 。 。 and she
doesn’t see anything because we won’t really go until she does。 So she can’t see us there。 Maybe we’ll have
to do it blind。”
I shuddered。 “No。”
“Did you have a strong desire to attend class today？ We’re only a couple of days from finals； they won’t
be giving us anything new。”
“I think I can live without school for a day。 What are we doing？”
“I want to talk to Jasper。”
Jasper； again。 It was strange。 In the Cullen family； Jasper was always a little on the fringe； part of things
but never the center of them。 It was my unspoken assumption that he was only there for Alice。 I had the sense
that he would follow Alice anywhere； but that this lifestyle was not his first choice。 The fact that he was less
committed to it than the others was probably why he had more difficulty keeping it up。
At any rate； I’d never seen Edward feel dependent on Jasper。 I wondered again what he’d meant about
Jasper’s expertise。 I really didn’t know much about Jasper’s history； just that he had come from somewhere in
the south before Alice found him。 For some reason； Edward had always shied away from any questions about
his newest brother。 And I’d always been too intimidated by the tall； blond vampire who looked like a
brooding movie star to ask him outright。
When we got to the house； we found Carlisle； Esme； and Jasper watching the news intently； though the
sound was so low that it was unintelligible to me。 Alice was perched on the bottom step of the grand staircase；
her face in her hands and her expression discouraged。 As we walked in； Emmett ambled through the kitchen
door； seeming perfectly at ease。 Nothing ever bothered Emmett。
“Hey； Edward。 Ditching； Bella？” He grinned at me。
“We both are；” Edward reminded h