Thats right, Rachel said. And there are a few things we were hoping you could help us with. First of all, if there are recordings of the calls, wed like to hear them. Secondly, wed like to see if you can find out which of your operators spoke to them.

Well, the calls might be tricky. They are recorded but as Im sure you can understand, I need to get the sign-off from the regional manager up in Boston. Given that the FBI is involved, that should not be a problem.

Rachel had expected as much, so this wasnt as big of a blow as it sounded. And the operators?

That wont be an issue, she said. Do you have the records on you?

We do.

I just need the number the call came from and the time the call was placed. She finally made her way back behind her desk and sat down behind a laptop. As Rachel recited the number and gave the times the three different victims called, Shelby typed it all into her laptop. She worked quickly and efficiently; she was apparently not bothered that there were two FBI agents watching her work. As she stopped clicking around on her screen, though, her brow began to furrow and a strange look came over her face.

Everything okay? Rachel asked.

I dont know. Im not sure what the statistical chances of something like this happening might be…but it appears that all three of these men spoke to the exact same operator.

Rachel, who typically did not buy into coincidences, sat up a bit straighter. This felt like the biggest potential lead theyd had so far.

How many operators do you have on staff? Jack asked.

Well, theyre all either part-time or volunteers, mostly working in four- or six-hour shifts. But we have thirty-two that all rotate out. This woman is a volunteer who mostly works the later hours.

Can you call her and get her to come in soon?

Well, shes actually here right now. Shes filling in for another volunteer who called in sick.

Rachel felt the same stirring in her guts she usually felt when she was certain theyd found something significant. With thirty-two operators, the chances of those three men calling on three consecutive nights and getting the same operator seemed much more than coincidental. We need you to call her in here, please.

Shelby nodded, but seemed very uneasy with the idea. How about this? Theres a small conference room on the other side of the cubicles. Im going to buzz her and tell her to step in there to meet us. No sense in the other operators getting unwarranted gossip ammo.

Thats fine, Rachel said.