Bells Mill Road was a two-lane blacktop that spanned an area between Ridge and Germantown Avenues. At its western end, where it became Spring Lane, there were houses, but as it made its way into Fairmount Park it became wooded and dark. As Jessica and Bontrager drove, the night was cut only by the headlights of their car.

    On the way Josh Bontrager dialed David Albrecht's number twenty times, getting his voicemail each time. At the same time Jessica speed- dialed Byrne's cellphone with the same result.

    'Maybe Kevin left his phone somewhere,' Bontrager said.

    Jessica thought about this. 'No. He turns it off sometimes, but he always has it with him. He's just not answering.'

    Bontrager went silent for a few moments. 'Don't all phones have some kind of GPS in them?'

    Jessica didn't know about all phones. 'What are you saying, Josh?'

    'If we could slip through a warrant, maybe we could get a fix on Kevin's phone.'

    Jessica had thought of this. But it meant bringing someone into the loop. There was no doubt in her mind that an APB on Kevin had gone out. Police were looking for him and his vehicle. If she reached out to someone to help find him, she would be taking the chance that it would leak, and it would all end badly.

    She looked at her watch. It was 10:24. Time was running out. She had no choice. She knew who she had to bring into this. She called Michael Drummond.

    'Michael, it's Jessica Balzano.' 'Hey, Jessica. How are you?' 'I hope I didn't wake you.'

    'Not a chance. I'm stuck at a Halloween party,' he said. 'What's up?'

    'I need a warrant for a cellphone track.'

    Drummond was silent for a moment. 'What do you have?'

    Jessica told him the bare minimum.

    'Who's the target?'

    Jessica had no choice here, nor did she have a cover. 'Kevin Byrne.'

    Once again, Michael Drummond fell silent for a few moments. 'This is about your serial?'

    Jessica knew she was now on the record with this. If she lied, it would all come down around her.

    'Yes and no.'

    'Spoken like a true politician. But I'm going to need a little more if I'm going to get a warrant. You know it has to go through the chief.'

    All search warrants related to a homicide case had to be approved by the chief of homicide in the district attorney's office.

    Jessica had no choice. 'He might be in some trouble, Michael.' Jessica heard Drummond take a deep breath, exhale slowly. 'I'll need his phone number and his carrier.'

    Jessica gave him the information.

    'I don't know if I can get this through at this time of night.'

    'I understand.'

    'Let me see what I can do,' Drummond said. 'Where are you?' Jessica told him.

    'Are you alone?'

    'I'm with Detective Bontrager.' 'Hang tight. I'll call you back.'

    Jessica clicked off her phone. She stood in the middle of the road, in the impenetrable country darkness. The road stretched into the gloom in both directions. Dark, forbidding, unknown, silent.