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Alvin Marshall Bonnier, age twenty-seven, also known as Mars Krupchek, was wanted in connection with four counts of homicide in Tigard, Oregon. The local authorities theorized the following chain of events based on witness interviews and forensic evidence: Bonnier, who lived alone with his mother at the time of the murders, abducted and raped his next-door neighbor, Helene Getty, age seventeen, and disposed of her body in a wooded streambed near their homes. She had been strangled and repeatedly stabbed in the chest, abdomen, and vaginal area. Mrs. Bonnier, an invalid suffering from crippling arthritis, subsequently discovered Getty's bloodstained panties and left Reebok tennis shoe, also splattered with blood, in her son's bedroom. She confronted her son, at which time Alvin stabbed his mother to death in the living room, then carried her body to the bathroom, where he dismembered it. Bonnier wrapped the limbs and torso in newspapers and plastic trash bags, then buried these remains in Mrs. Bonnier's rosebed. Neighbors stated that when the boy was young, Mrs. Bonnier made switches from the thorny rose branches with which she beat the boy. Bonnier kept his mother's head in the refrigerator, but transferred the head to the trunk of the family car several days later. With his mother's head along for company, he befriended sixteen-year-old Stephen Stilwell at a local shopping mall and enticed the boy to take a drive, probably offering cigarettes and beer. Instead, Bonnier drove Stilwell to a nearby abandoned drive-in movie theater, where he sodomized the boy, then stabbed him repeatedly. He placed Stilwell in the trunk with his mother's head, then drove to the same area where he had disposed of Helene Getty's body. Upon arrival at that location, he discovered that Stilwell was still alive, whereupon he cut the young man's throat, mutilated his genitals, and abandoned the body without attempting to conceal it. Witnesses at the shopping mall were able to provide a description of Bonnier and his automobile. Twelve days later, an eighteen-year-old high school senior named Anita Brooks hitched a ride with Bonnier after missing her bus. Instead of bringing her to school, Bonnier drove to a nearby lake, where he strangled her before branding the victim's breasts and vagina with her own cigarettes. Evidence gathered at the scene indicated that he had placed his mother's head on a nearby picnic table, probably so that she could watch the mutilation. Bonnier immediately returned home, parked his car in its usual spot, then, so far as the police know, departed the area. Authorities discovered Anita Brooks's body first. Alvin Marshall Bonnier was not identified as the suspect until two days later when neighbors investigated the foul smell coming from the Bonnier residence and summoned the police, who located his mother's body between the roses. Stilwell and Getty were found within the following week.

Talley listened to Mikkelson's recitation of the facts with a growing sense of urgency that Martin read in his expression.

'What in hell is happening?'

Talley raised his hand, telling her to wait.

'Mikki, they're positive that Bonnier and Krupchek are the same person?'

'That's affirm, Chief. The palm print he left in Kim's matched dead on, and the Bureau guys brought a copy of the warrants fax from Oregon. I saw the photo. It's Krupchek.'

'What's happening out there now?'

'The VICAP hit automatically notified the FBI. The detectives here have locked down the scene to wait for a team from the LA field office.'

Talley checked his watch.

'What's their ETA?'

'I dunno. You want me to check?'

'Yeah.'

Talley filled in Martin while he waited for Mikkelson. As Martin listened, her face grew closed and uncertain, but Mikkelson was back on the line before she could respond.

'Chief?'

'Go, Mikki.'

'The Feds should be here within a couple of hours. You want us to wait for them or come back to York?'

Talley told her to come back, then snapped the phone shut. He ran his hand across his head and stared toward the cul-de-sac.

'This is fucking great. I've got the mafia outside and fucking Freddy Krueger in the house.'

Martin watched him calmly.

'This changes things.'

'I know it changes things, Captain! I'm trying to save my wife and daughter, but I have to get those kids out of that house.'

'Because of Krupchek? They've been in there all day with him, Talley. Another few hours won't matter.'

'It matters. All of this matters.'

Talley left Martin at the command van and found Jones briefing his people at their vans. Jones saw Talley approaching, and separated from the others. Talley noted that Jones appeared apprehensive, resting a hand on the MP5 slung from his shoulder.

'What's up, Chief?'

'We have a problem. One of the three subjects in the house isn't who we thought. Krupchek. His true name is Alvin Marshall Bonnier. He's wanted for multiple homicides in Oregon.'

Jones smiled tightly, like Talley was making an unfunny joke.

'You're shittin' me.'