The press conference was at the hospital. It was a compromise. The press had descended on Emanuel after they’d learned that Henry had been poisoned. The hospital had responded by bringing in extra security to keep them out. This way, the press would get their hospital shots.

The public information officer was at the mike giving flood updates, with Robbins, the mayor, the chief, and Archie standing behind him. Patrick Lifton’s parents sat holding hands in the front row.

Apparently the media had gotten the press release. There were a hundred chairs in there, and it was still standing room only.

Archie had been met with a barrage of questions when he’d entered the room.

“Have you seen Gretchen lately?”

“How are you feeling?”

“Should she get the death penalty this time?”

They were always the same.

The PIO continued. The number of sandbags that had been filled. The number of volunteers who’d participated. The press dutifully took notes.

Then it was the mayor’s turn. He gave the no-need-to-worry-everything-is-under-control speech. The seawall was holding. The city had a crack task force headed up by Archie Sheridan on the trail of the killer. They had some good suspects. (Now, that would be news, thought Archie.) It would all be resolved shortly.

He didn’t take questions.

Chief Eaton stepped up. He had to adjust the mike down a foot. The lights in the room dimmed, the chief clicked a remote in his hand, and a projected image appeared on a screen behind him, above Archie’s head.

“This is a blue-ringed octopus,” Eaton said matter-of-factly. “They are currently recognized as one of the world’s most venomous animals. They can be recognized by their characteristic blue and black rings and yellowish skin. They hunt small crabs, hermit crabs, and shrimp, and may bite attackers, including humans if provoked.” Archie knew the material—it was the exact wording from the Wikipedia page. “Our medical examiner has discovered a toxin from this animal in the bodies of four people recently believed to have drowned in the Willamette. Dennis Keller. Stephanie Towner. Zak Korber. And Megan Parr. It was also the toxin that was used to poison Detective Henry Sobol, who remains in critical condition upstairs.”

The hands were already up. Twenty, thirty. Everyone straining to be highest.

“We believe that someone is using the octopus as a weapon,” Eaton continued. “These are saltwater creatures which require a very specific habitat to survive. They cannot live in our waters.” A few of the hands went down. “The person we are looking for is someone with an interest in aquariums. He or she has at least one saltwater tank.”

Eaton took a breath and glanced back at Archie. Archie gave him a nod.