“The line didn’t drop because of bad weather.

Somebody cut it by hand at the junction box.”

Ruth took a yellow legal pad out of her briefcase.

“Every time she tried to dial out, he killed the line before the ring could reach a console.”

Claire looked back at the printed log, her eyes settling on the June timestamp.

Three separate times an eight-year-old girl had picked up the receiver in the dark, only to hear the dial tone fade into dead silence.

“Has anybody looked at the installation work order for that box?” Claire asked.