“Well, rounded. There’s a standard rectangular model too, solid graphite, square. But it’d be big. Twice as thick as today’s laptops. That’s how you could recognize it.”

“Good, Rodney. Thanks.”

“I’ll stay on the router. The Romanians’ll cave. I just need to negotiate.”

Up with the music, and the line went dead.

Sachs glanced around and found Nance Laurel looking at her, the expression on the ADA’s face both blank and inquisitive. How did she manage that? Sachs told the woman and Rhyme about the cybercrime cop’s response. Rhyme nodded, unimpressed, and returned to the phone. He said nothing. Sachs supposed he was on hold.

Laurel nodded approvingly, it seemed. “If you could document that and send it to me.”

“What?”

A pause. “What you just told me about the tracing and the type of computer.”

Sachs said, “I was just going to write it up on the board.” A nod toward the whiteboard.

“I’d actually like everything documented in as close to real time as possible.” The ADA’s nod was toward her own stacks of files. “If you wouldn’t mind.”

The prosecutor wielded the words “if you…” like a bludgeon.

Sachs did mind but wasn’t inclined to fight this battle. She pounded out the brief memo on her keyboard.

Laurel added, “Thank you. Just send it to me in an email and I’ll print it out myself. The secure server, of course.”

“Of course.” Sachs fired off the document, noting that the prosecutor’s micromanagement didn’t seem to extend to Lincoln Rhyme.

Her phone buzzed and she lifted a surprised eyebrow, noting caller ID.

At last. A solid lead. The caller was a secretary at Elite Limousines, one of dozens of livery operations Sachs had canvassed earlier, inquiring if Robert Moreno had used their services on May 1. In fact, he had. The woman said the man had hired a car and driver for an as-directed assignment, meaning that Moreno had given the driver the locations he wished to go to after being picked up. The company had no record of those stops but the woman gave Sachs the driver’s name and number.

She then called the driver, identified herself and asked if she could come interview him in connection with a case.

In a heavily accented voice, hard to understand, he said he supposed so and he gave her his address. She disconnected and rose, pulling on her jacket.

“Got Moreno’s driver for his visit here on May first,” she said to Rhyme. “I’m going to interview him.”

Laurel said quickly, “Any chance you could write up your notes on Agent Dellray’s news before you go?”

“First thing I’m back.”

She noted Laurel stiffen but it seemed that this was a battle the prosecutor wasn’t willing to fight.

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14