The Postcard Killers

    “Not yet, but it’s probably the missing girl, Sandra Schulman. Her throat was cut. More of Sylvia’s artwork, I’m sure.”

    They sat in silence for a while.

    “What about the murder of the guardian?” Jacob asked. “And the parents?”

    Lyndon Crebbs shook his head.

    “Still open cases. My guess is that they’ll stay that way… Do you want to know what I found out about Lucy?”

    Jacob looked over toward Johnson’s garage. It was Lucy Johnson’s childhood home.

    “Not right now.”

    Lyndon Crebbs glanced at Jacob.

    “How did it go with the girl from Stockholm? The one named after the princess?”

    “She’s going to finish her doctorate,” Jacob said. “As far as I can tell, it’s going pretty well.”

    “Isn’t that what I’ve always said? The smart ones are always best. Where did she end up, anyway?”

    Jacob felt his face crack into a grin.

    “There she is, down there,” he said, pointing with his healthy arm toward Narrows Avenue.

    The only thing Dessie had bought since she moved in was a seven-speed women’s bicycle with a shopping basket on the front. And now she was pedaling along Seventy-seventh Street with the basket full of leeks and other rabbit food.

    Leaving the bike and the groceries in the driveway, she came over to the steps.

    “Mr. Crebbs? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

    Dessie and Jacob’s friend shook hands.

    “Nothing but crap, I hope.”

    Dessie smiled at Jacob.

    “From a romantic guy like this? What’d you expect?”

Acknowledgments

    Liza’s thanks:

    Tove Alsterdal, Thomas Bodstrцm, Kent Widing, Eva Marklund, Peter Rцnnerfalk, and Neil Smith for their professional advice and great patience. And the Museum of Modern Art in Stockholm, its staff and website, for information and theories about famous works of art.

    Jim’s thanks:

    Liza, for jumping into this book with stunning enthusiasm, skill, and no ego. And Linda Michaels, for getting us together, and just for being Linda.

About the Authors

    JAMES PATTERSON has had more New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977, James Patterson’s books have sold more than 180 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women’s Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. James Patterson also writes books for young readers, including the awardwinning Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Witch Wizard series. In total, these books have spent more than 200 weeks on national bestseller lists, and all three series are in Hollywood development.

    His lifelong passion for books and reading led James Patterson to launch a new website, ReadKiddoRead.com, to give adults an easy way to locate the very best books for kids. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.

    LIZA MARKLUND is an international bestselling author and the creator of the Annika Bengtzon series, which has sold 9 million copies in 30 languages. She lives in Sweden and Spain.

Books by James Patterson

FEATURING ALEX CROSS

I, Alex Cross

Alex Cross’s Trial (with Richard DiLallo)

Cross Country

Double Cross

Cross

Mary, Mary

London Bridges

The Big Bad Wolf

Four Blind Mice

Violets Are Blue

Roses Are Red

Pop Goes the Weasel

Cat Mouse

Jack Jill

Kiss the Girls

Along Came a Spider

THE WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB

The 9th Judgment (with Maxine Paetro)

The 8th Confession (with Maxine Paetro)

7th Heaven (with Maxine Paetro)

The 6th Target (with Maxine Paetro)

The 5th Horseman (with Maxine Paetro)

4th of July (with Maxine Paetro)

3rd Degree (with Andrew Gross)

2nd Chance (with Andrew Gross)

1st to Die

FEATURING MICHAEL BENNETT

Worst Case (with Michael Ledwidge)

Run for Your Life (with Michael Ledwidge)

Step on a Crack (with Michael Ledwidge)

FOR READERS OF ALL AGES

Daniel X: Demons and Druids (with Adam Sadler)

Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 3 (with NaRae Lee)

FANG: A Maximum Ride Novel

Maximum Ride: The Manga, Vol. 2 (with NaRae Lee)