The judge rolled his eyes, to show that Yankee slick-ness counted for zip around these parts. Still, he glanced at the prosecutor and asked, “Well?”

The D.A. asked Geberth, “What sort of evidence? A new witness?”

Rhyme couldn’t control himself any longer. “No,” he said. “Physical evidence.”

“You’re this Lincoln Rhyme I’ve been hearing about?” the judge asked.

As if there were two crip criminalists plying their trade in the Tar Heel State.

“I am, yes.”

The prosecutor asked, “Where is this evidence?”

“In my custody at the Paquenoke County Sheriff’s Department,” Lucy Kerr said.

The judge asked Rhyme, “You’ll agree to be deposed, under oath?”

“Certainly.”

“This’s all right with you, Counselor?” the judge asked the prosecutor.

“It is, Your Honor, but if this is just tactical or if the evidence turns out to be meaningless, I’ll pursue interference charges against Mr. Rhyme.”

The judge thought for a moment then said, “For the record, this is not part of any proceeding. The court is merely lending itself to the parties for a deposition prior to arraignment. The examination will be conducted pursuant to North Carolina Rules of Criminal Procedure. Swear the deponent.”

Rhyme parked in front of the bench. As the Bible-clutching clerk approached uncertainly, Rhyme said, “No, I can’t raise my right hand.” Then recited, “I swear that the testimony I am about to give is the truth, upon my solemn oath.” He tried to catch Sachs’s eye but she was staring at the faded mosaic tile on the courtroom floor.

Geberth strolled to the front of the courtroom. “Mr. Rhyme, could you state your name, address and occupation.”

“Lincoln Rhyme, 345 Central Park West, New York City. I’m a criminalist.”

“That’s a forensic scientist, is that right?”

“Somewhat more than that but forensic science is the bulk of what I do.”

“And how do you know the defendant, Amelia Sachs?”

“She’s been my assistant and partner on a number of criminal investigations.”

“And how did you happen to come to Tanner’s Corner?”

“We were assisting Sheriff James Bell and the Paquenoke County Sheriff’s Department. Looking into the murder of Billy Stail and the abductions of Lydia Johansson and Mary Beth McConnell.”

Geberth asked, “Now, Mr. Rhyme, you say you have new evidence that bears on this case?”

“Yes, I do.”

“What is that evidence?”

“After we learned that Billy Stail had gone to Blackwater Landing to kill Mary Beth McConnell I began speculating why he’d done that. And I concluded that he’d been paid to kill her. He—”

“Why did you think he was paid?”

“It’s obvious why,” Rhyme grumbled. He had little patience for irrelevant questions and Geberth was deviating from his script.

“Share that with us, if you would.”