He walked to the glass walls overlooking the vineyard. Rows of grapevines ran straight across the valley. He remembered reading how vineyard managers use GPS technology to map out fields for perfect alignment. His thoughts followed the trellis rows to a vanishing point at the base of the low hills to the east. Little about this case had gone as he’d expected. There’s something here. What am I missing?

“Eddie?” Frames’s voice sounded on his cell. “No calls or texts in the past hour. But Thackrey called Russell Tao two hours ago. Said he was meeting someone.”

“Who? Where?”

“According to Tao, Thackrey didn’t say, and neither of these guys knows. Something else, though. These guys just told me Thackrey killed Elise because she knew he murdered a woman named Reggie Semple in San Francisco two years ago.”

“Yeah. We knew SFPD questioned him about the murder. The connection to Elise Durand explains why Thackrey acted surprised when Eden mentioned it to him this morning. Look, if Thackrey tries to contact his friends, call me.”

Mahler called Coyle. “Where are we on Partridge?”

“No word on his car, and I still can’t get through to Tom. I just got a call from the unit that went to Partridge’s apartment. He’s not there. You think Partridge spotted Tom and ran?”

“I don’t know. Why isn’t Tom calling us? I told him to let us know if Partridge moved.”

“You get Thackrey?”

“He’s not here. The house’s empty.”

“Eddie, Eden’s not answering her cell either. I tried three times. If Partridge is going anywhere, it might be to Eden. He knows she worked the evidence on his girlfriend. You want me to go over to her place?”

A new wave of pain pounded behind Mahler’s eyes. Was this slipping away? Both killers were gone. The evidence and leads were fading. Was it happening again?

“Eddie, you there?” Coyle asked.

“Yeah. Look, I have an idea. Go to the park. Partridge’ll be there.”

“Spring Lake? Why?”

“He’ll go back. Eden said his pattern is to kill in the same kind of place every time. If he’s pressured, he’ll go back to the park. Drive to the west parking lot, below the campground. If you see his car, take Fisherman’s Trail, down near the boat ramp.”

“What about Eden? Partridge’s a stone killer. He kills girls like Eden, and you said he’s got a thing for her.”

“No. Go to the park. Partridge’ll be there.”

“You want to take him, Eddie? He’s your guy. You’ve been after him for two years.”