Seems that way. But I think we should reach out to Branson again. Id like to have a look at the phone records of all three of the victims if theyve been pulled. The idea we were chasing with Welch seems to have something to it, dont you think?

You mean someone antagonizing the jumpers and pushing them to jump?

Yeah, especially with Edwin Newkirk. Everyone seems so surprised he would have done it.

Ill reach out to Branson while you drive.

Drive where?

To the Manhattan Bridge, to get a look at where Joseph Staunton died. And from there, the bridge the second victim jumped fromthe Ramble Bridge in Cold Spring.

It was a good enough plan for now, so Rachel got behind the wheel and started driving to Manhattan while Jack made the call to Branson. And with the afternoon winding down, she could not help but feel that they were racing against a clock. If there was indeed a killer behind these three deaths, hed been working at night. And Rachel saw no reason hed change up his plans on the fly. With nightfall just five hours away, that clock ticked louder and louder and Rachel had to fight quite hard not to feel the imagined sound was also an indicator of her own recently shortened life.

CHAPTER TEN

Walking along the pedestrian footpath on the side of the bridge and looking down below, its easy to imagine someone falling. The space between the rail and the river and ground below practically seems to call out for someone or something to come and fill that space. The rush of wind by a body, slipping past the ears and blowing hair aside…it has to be almost peaceful for a moment, right?

A thin smile crosses their face at the thought.

A few joggers and a bicyclist pass by but never even notice. Not the smile, not the way their hands are stuffed into their pockets, not the way their eyes look over the rail, wondering if the fall would be enough to kill someone. Theres no real science to it. The victims fall and, if the drop is bad enough, they die. So far, theyd all died. And at least one of the bridges had been closer to the ground than this one. This one would do fine.

A woman walking a small lapdog came walking briskly by. The dog was quite interested in the individual walking slowly down the walkway, occasionally peering over the side of the bridge. It came to a stop at their shoe and pawed playfully at it.

Jewel! the owner cried. Leave the poor person alone, would you?

They smiled, leaning down to pet Jewel between her shaggy little head. Oh, its okay. Shes adorable.

Shes a spoiled mess is what she is!