Darkest Fear by Harlan Coben

Author:Harlan Coben [Coben, Harlan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3, pdf
Tags: Suspense, Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Thrillers
ISBN: 9780307483584
Google: JNWi7ZgRi6EC
Amazon: B000SEGG7E
Barnesnoble: B000SEGG7E
Goodreads: 7172448
Publisher: Dell
Published: 2000-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

23

AgeComp. Or age-progression software, if you prefer.

Myron had learned a bit about it when searching for a missing woman named Lucy Mayor. The key was in the digital imaging. All Myron had to do—or in the case of their office, all Esperanza had to do—was take the class photograph and scan it into the computer. Then, using common software programs like Photoshop or Picture Publisher, you blow up the face of young Dennis Lex. AgeComp, a software program constantly being retooled and perfected by missing-children organizations, does the rest. Using advanced mathematical algorithms, AgeComp stretches, merges, and blends digital photographs of missing children and produces a color image of what they might look like today.

Naturally, a lot is left to chance. Scarring, facial fractures, facial hair, cosmetic surgery, hairstyle or, in the case of some of the older ones, male pattern baldness. Still, the class photo could be a serious lead.

When he was back in Manhattan, the cell phone rang.

“I spoke to the feds,” Win said.

“And?”

“Your impression is correct.”

“What impression?”

“They are indeed frightened.”

“Did you speak to PT?”

“I did. He put me onto the right person. They requested a face-to-face.”

“When?”

“Pretty pronto. We are, in fact, waiting in your office.”

“The feds are in my office right now?”

“Affirmative.”

“Be there in five.”

More like ten. When the elevator opened, Esperanza was sitting at Big Cyndi’s desk.

“How many?” he asked.

“Three,” Esperanza said. “One blond woman, one extra-strength dork, one nice suit.”

“Win’s with them?”

“Yep.”

He handed her the photograph and pointed to Dennis Lex’s face. “How long before we could get an age progression on this?”

“Jesus, when was this taken?”

“Thirty years ago.”

Esperanza frowned. “You know anything about age progression?”

“Some.”

“It’s mostly used to find missing kids,” she said. “And it’s usually used to age them five, maybe ten years.”

“But we can get something, right?”

“Something very rough, yeah maybe.” She flicked on the scanner and placed the photo facedown. “If they’re in the lab, we’ll probably have it by the end of the day. I’ll crop it and e-mail it over.”

“Do it later,” he said, gesturing toward the door. “Mustn’t keep the feds waiting. Our tax dollars and all that.”

“You want me in there?”

“You’re a part of everything that goes on here, Esperanza. Of course I want you in there.”

“I see,” she said. Then: “Is this the part where I blink back tears because you’re making me feel oh-so-special?”

Wiseass.

Myron opened his office door. Esperanza followed. Win sat behind Myron’s desk, probably so that none of the feds would. Win could be territorial—just one of the ways he was like a Doberman. Kimberly Green and Rick Peck rose with lack-of-sleep-luggage eyes and squared-off smiles. The third fed stayed in his seat, not moving, not even turning to see who’d entered. Myron saw his face and felt a jolt.

Whoa.

Win watched Myron, an amused smile curling the ends of his mouth. Eric Ford, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was the man in the suit. His presence meant one thing: This was serious big-time.

Kimberly Green pointed at Esperanza. “What’s she doing in here?”

“She’s my partner,” Myron said.

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