“That’s scary.”

“Yes.”

“Then we should say something. We could ask Martino to contact Howard Carter—the guy flies in tomorrow morning.”

“That doesn’t help us. Simon’s ad says this evening. Whatever’s happening at St. Elizabeths is happening tonight.”

Emma is starting to shiver, and she’s not sure if it’s just because of the cold. Bell is warm beside her; his gaze is back on the newspaper, his bottom lip indented between his teeth. He smells of sweat and the vinyl of the gym mats and, underneath that, of soap. Emma pulls her awareness away. They have to figure this out and they’re running out of time.

“What the hell do we do now?” Bell asks.

First steps, Emma thinks. They can only start with first steps. What would Cooper do in this situation? “Okay, let’s contact Linda Brown about the ad. I don’t trust Simon not to include something in there we’re not seeing, and she could give us advice.”

“It’s Sunday—but I’ve got Gerry Westfall’s number, I can call to find her.”

“That would be great.” She backs toward the door. “I’m going to hit the shower before I freeze to death. And you should go change, too. Back here in twenty?”

“Got it.” Bell reaches for the phone.

Emma dashes to the elevators, her mind racing fast. She and Bell tried to reason out Raymond’s thinking last night, to little effect. Does Raymond just not realize the bigger threat? Yes, catching the Butcher is critical, but he’s a pale shadow of what Simon Gutmunsson could become if he somehow got loose during the Butcher’s arrest.…

After a hot shower, she pulls on a jacket over her clean T-shirt and jeans. Then she packs up her room; by digging further into the details of Raymond’s asylum operation, she and Bell could end up being kicked off the base, “standard business day” or not. She sets her suitcase near the door and goes back to the office.

“Okay,” Bell says as she enters. “Linda Brown is at home, but Westfall’s calling her there. Take this.”

Bell is back in his dark suit, his hair damp. He offers her a hot mug and a pastry, and Emma accepts them both.

“I think we should contact Kristin at Chesterfield,” he says. “We owe it to her to warn her about this.”

“Yep.” Emma speaks around a mouthful, swallows. “But Raymond has already set things in motion.”

Bell throws a hand up. “Then we should call Howard Carter in Berryville!”

“And say what?” Emma swipes crumbs off her front. “It’s all going to sound like alarmism over the phone. I’m sure Raymond’s plan looks solid on the surface. It’s only because we know Raymond, know the case, know Simon, that we can see the flaws.”

Bell’s expression is glum. “Maybe the Butcher won’t show.”

“He’ll show.”

“But he has to know this is a trap. The letter stakeout, now the personal ad and the asylum… Why the hell would he bite?”

“Don’t underestimate his drives. For him, the blood is everything. Simon’s offer to donate would be a huge incentive. And if Simon is being transferred…” Emma sets down her mug and pastry. “The Butcher outsmarted the FBI in Annandale. He might think he can do it again. He’ll be wary, but he’ll have his own plan.”