She gave Lisa a moment to answer, though the woman remained quiet. In the silence, Rachel slipped the harness on. It went perfectly over her shoulders like a little vest. One end of the cord was already attached to the carabiner and lock on the back of the harness.

Im keeping a secret, too, Lisa. And it makes me want to…well, it makes me wonder what it might be like to jump. It makes me wonder what it might be like to feel that one last thing, that little bit of pain before the world slips away.

Bullshit, Lisa said, but the tears in her voice said more than the word.

Rachel picked up the coiled bit of rope; on the phone, Branson told her that it was about eighty feet. She ran her hand through the looped cord and grabbed the other end, the clasp shining dully. Id really like for you to just come down off of there, Rachel said. I really dont want to have to do this…

Are you nuts? Lisa asked.

No. A little scared, actually. She walked to the edge of the bridge, the shoulder-high metal wall now all that stood between them. She held one of three carabiners that had fallen out of the duffel bag in her left hand. She linked it through the clasp on the free end of the bungee cord and eyed the side of the bridge for somewhere the carabiner would catch.

If I come with you, Ill go to jail, wont I? Lisa asked. Rachel didnt think she was trying to venture into bargaining. If anything, she was hesitating just to see how far the crazy FBI agent was willing to go.

Probably. Depends on your reasoning behind all of thisyour mental state and things like that.

Along the moderate curving of the short wall, she saw a series of large bolts running along a seam. It was the sort of construction element that likely popped up at well-measured intervals all along the sides as they connected to the columns beneath. One of the bolts, the one nearest the top, ended in a rectangular opening, almost like a lock. Rachel had no idea what this was for but assumed it was to allow some sort of pulley to help loosen the bolt if the need should ever arise. It was almost too large for the carabiner, but Rachel figured it would do.

If not…well, this was going to end badly.

Please, Lisa, she said, extending her arm and hand in the same manner shed done for the man Lisa had talked into killing himself. Get down from there. She stepped closer, now pressed against the side of the wall.

No. Dont you come any closer! Ill do it!