Twenty minutes later, he was sitting in the parking lot of a large gas station with a food court where he was able to refuel both the car and himself. After a large coffee and a couple of bagels made him feel like he was reestablishing contact with his daily life, he took out his phone—which he’d switched off for his meeting with Claret—and checked his messages.

There were four. The voice on the first, originating from an unknown number, was Klemper’s—rougher and more slurred than the day before. “Following up on Rivermall … Riverside. Our conversation. Check your mailbox. Remember what you said. Don’t fuck with me. People who fuck with me … is not a good idea. Don’t fuck with me. A deal is a deal is a deal. Remember that. Don’t fucking forget that. Check your mailbox.”

Gurney wondered if the man was really as drunk as he sounded. More important, he wondered if the item in the mailbox was in fact the missing security video he’d asked for. He couldn’t help remembering that someone had once put a snake in his mailbox. It was also a natural spot for a bomb. But that seemed a step too far.

The message also reminded him that he needed to fill in Hardwick and Esti on the Riverside meeting and “deal” Klemper was referring to.

He went on to the second message, which was from Hardwick. “Hey, Sherlock. Just got off the phone with Ankara. Seems the little man who shot out our lights is quite a piece of work. Call me back.”

The third message was also from Hardwick, more agitated. “Where the fuck you hiding, Sherlock? I’m outside Cooperstown, heading for Bincher’s place. Still no word from him. Getting a bad feeling about this. And we need to talk about our crazy shooter. And I mean crazy. Call me, for Christ’s sake.”

The fourth and final message was from a grimmer, angrier Hardwick. “Gurney, wherever you are, answer your fucking phone. I’m at Lex Bincher’s house. Or what used to be his house. It burned down last night. Along with his neighbors’ houses. Three fucking houses in a row. Down to the fucking ground. Big, fast, super-hot fires … started in Lex’s house … apparently some kind of incendiary devices … more than one. Call me! Now!”

Gurney decided to call Madeleine first. He got bounced into voice mail, and left a message: “Do me a favor and don’t open our mailbox today. I’m pretty sure there’s no problem, but I got kind of an agitated call from Klemper, and I’d rather open it myself. Just a precaution. I’ll explain later. I’m at the Sloatsburg rest stop. Love you. See you in a couple of hours.”