Along Came a Spider

Alex Cross, a Black psychologist and police detective, is playing the piano on his front porch early in the morning on December 21, 1992. The phone rings, and his grandmother, Regina Hope, a retired school principal nicknamed Nana Mama by 10-year-old Alex, refuses to answer it for him. Alex answers the phone, speaking to his partner and childhood friend, John Sampson, who informs Alex that there has been a murder in Langley Terrace, a neighborhood in Washington Southeast. This is the second murder in the relatively poorer neighborhood in recent days, the first being the murder of the Turner family. Alex goes to his room to get dressed, taking a second to consider a picture of his wife, Maria. Maria was killed three years ago in a suspected drive-by shooting. Alex kisses Nana Mama before he leaves.

Alex arrives at the crime scene to find the usual chaos—neighbors gathered, police and forensic vehicles parked haphazardly, and a mortuary van. He meets up with his partner, John, and they head for the Sanders house. Alex looks around, noting details like cheap furniture, the smells of cleaning products, and a lack of obvious disturbance. He and John go upstairs to where the bodies of a mother, Jean “Poo” Sanders, her 14-year-old daughter, Suzette, and her three-year-old son, Mustaf, lie. The mother and daughter’s bodies are mutilated to resemble children, causing Alex to conclude they were the targets of the killer, while the boy seems to have been tossed aside, murdered simply because he was there.

Maggie Rose Dunne attends an assembly at her private school, Washington Day School, in Georgetown. She is the daughter of a famous actress, Katherine Rose. Living in the shadow of her mother’s fame causes Maggie to have a rebellious streak, shown in her choice of clothing that day—a worn sweatshirt, grungy jeans, and old pink athletic shoes. Maggie’s best friend is Michael “Shrimpie” Goldberg, the son of the secretary of the treasury, Jerrold Goldberg. Michael is nicknamed Shrimpie because he was a blue baby—an infant born with low oxygen levels often related to a congenital heart defect—and is still small for his age, continuing to have a heart murmur. As the children leave the assembly, they are stopped at the door by a teacher, Mr. Guestier, who verifies each child’s transportation home after school. Michael informs Mr. Guestier that he and Maggie will be going home with Secret Service agents, Charlie Chakely and Mike Devine. Secretary Goldberg has had threats made against him by the Colombian cartel, so his family receives protection, and Maggie is included because she’s riding with Michael.

American history teacher Ms. Vivian Kim presents a one-man play about Watergate to her third-grade class at Washington Day School. She is interrupted when math teacher Mr. Gary Soneji knocks on the door. Mr. Soneji is a popular teacher because he is a computer expert and video game player. He calls for Maggie and Michael, claiming someone called the office to let them know a threat has been made and they need to leave with their Secret Service detail for a few hours. Mr. Soneji promises they will return before lunch. Maggie and Michael complain about the situation but willingly follow Mr. Soneji to a waiting van. Once in the van, Mr. Soneji puts on a mask and sprays the children with chloroform.

Alex is still at the Sanders house’s crime scene when his boss, Chief of Detectives Pittman, calls. He gives Pittman a rundown of the crime scene, being graphic because he is angry that crimes against poor Black people in Washington Southeast don’t always get the attention they deserve. Pittman demands that Alex and John join the kidnapping investigation at Washington Day School.

Alex is angry when he arrives at Washington Day School due to Pittman’s decision to prioritize the kidnapping of two privileged white children over the murders of a poor Black family. He believes Pittman has held a grudge against him ever since Alex was featured in a Washington Post article titled “The Last Southern Gentleman.” Alex confronts Pittman, and Pittman insists it was Mayor Carl Monroe’s decision to assign Alex and John to the kidnapping case, not his.

Jezzie Flanagan, a white woman acting as the Secret Service supervisor, arrives at Washington Day School on a BMW motorcycle, returning from vacation. She publicly confronts her two agents, Charlie Chakely and Mike Devine. When they have no answers for her, she sends them home. Jezzie approaches Secretary Goldberg and reassures him that the kidnapped children will be found.

Alex talks to Roger Graham, a celebrated agent from the FBI who recently wrote a book about one of his cases that was later adapted into a movie. He questions how a kidnapper joined the staff of Washington Day School, and Roger assures him they are investigating this. Roger walks away, and Jezzie joins Alex, commenting on his reputation.

Alex and John lie on the floor of a playroom with a group of children waiting to be picked up. They wish to speak to American history teacher Ms. Vivian Kim but find themselves reassuring the children that nothing bad will happen to them despite the morning’s events. Mayor Monroe comes into the room and asks Alex to drive him to his office. During the ride, Alex complains about the lack of attention on the Turner and Sanders cases. Monroe assures Alex that things are changing for the Black community and that Alex should be patient. Monroe believes this kidnapping case will be a career-maker. Alex suspects Monroe, a Black mayor, is more concerned about furthering his own career than Alex’s.

Mr. Gary Soneji drives up to a farm and pulls his van into the barn. There is a large hole in the floor of the barn, in which there is a wooden compartment. Gary carries Michael to the wooden compartment first, then lays Maggie beside him. He injects each child with a carefully calculated dose of secobarbital sodium. He checks their breathing and verifies the oxygen system for the compartment is working properly. Gary closes the compartment and covers it with dirt before retreating to the old farmhouse.

Gary watches the news, enjoying his newfound fame, with the only downside being FBI Agent Roger Graham continuously taking the limelight. He thinks about the Lindberghs (first mentioned in the Prologue) and the man who was accused of kidnapping their baby, Bruno Hauptmann. He thinks about the exchange of the ransom, and how it is a problem no modern kidnapper has solved. Gary smiles when he thinks of the money he withdrew from his savings and stashed in the garage for future use, understanding that it never hurts to have a plan ready to go. He goes to the bathroom and removes his bald cap and face prosthetics, laughing at his masquerade as Mr. Gary Soneji. After cleaning up, Gary returns to the barn to check on the children, gets into his car, an old Saab, and drives away.

FBI Agent Roger Graham arrives home late due to the investigation into the kidnappings. He tells himself, not for the first time, that he should retire and write another book, as well as spend time with his children before they move out of the house. As he pulls up to his driveway, he notices another car parked nearby. Roger gets out of his car, and a man steps out of the other car, calling out to him. This person claims to be a reporter from the New York Times. Roger tells this man that he has no comment, but the reporter is insistent. He agrees to answer one question, and when the reporter approaches, he reveals he is Gary and cuts Roger’s throat. Gary leaves an index card in Roger’s shirt pocket and walks away, bragging to himself about the 200 or so people he’s killed.

Alex wakes to find both his children, four-year-old Janelle and six-year-old Damon, in his bed. As a father, he finds himself feeling connected to the kidnapped children. John arrives at the house early so he and Alex can go to Gary’s apartment in Georgetown before the other law enforcement officials. They find forensics already there, going over the stacks of books in the apartment with fingerprint powder. They tell Alex and John that many of the books involve true crime. They also reveal they’ve found no fingerprints, suggesting Gary wiped down his apartment the last time he was there. There is a list of famous kidnappings on the wall, including ransoms paid out. John calls Alex into the bathroom, where they find posters of celebrities and famous killers hung around the mirror. Above the mirror is a handwritten note that says, “I want to be somebody!” (65). This gives Alex the idea that Gary is seeking fame.

Maggie wakes to darkness after a nightmare. She opens and closes her eyes, and feels as though she’s been buried. She has trouble moving her limbs and wonders if she is tied down. Maggie screams, but nothing happens. She discovers she can roll, and rolls around until she hits another body. She remembers Mr. Gary Soneji taking her and Michael out of school. Maggie calls for Michael to no avail.

As Alex enters the Dunne home in the suburb of Potomac, Pittman pulls him into the bathroom. Pittman is angry because Alex and John went to Gary’s apartment that morning. He feels Alex is trying to run the investigation even though he is in charge. Alex warns Pittman to back off and walks out.

Jezzie Flanagan, the Secret Service supervisor, is giving a briefing in the sitting room. She tells everyone that Gary contacted them, first by phone to assure them the children are alive. The second contact was Gary’s note left at the murder of FBI Agent Roger Graham. The index card left on Roger’s body makes threats against everyone working on the case, and is signed the Son of Lindbergh.

Alex is assigned to do a psychological assessment of Maggie’s parents, actress Katherine Rose and head of the Red Cross Thomas Dunne. He meets with them and finds them to be loving parents. Thomas is a bit overbearing, often speaking for Katherine Rose. Alex finds Katherine Rose authentic and down-to-earth despite her fame. He also learns that Maggie is close to both parents and well behaved. When discussing Maggie’s friends, Alex learns Michael was her closest friend since her recent move to Washington, DC. Michael is described as intelligent and prone to taking naps after long mornings of play.

Maggie calls out to Michael again, convinced she is in a grave. She is thirsty and needs to use the bathroom. She drifts in and out of sleep, confusing reality with dreams. Suddenly, someone calls out to Maggie, demanding she talk to them; light blinds her. Maggie cries out, begging to know who is there. She calls out to Mr. Gary Soneji, asking for help. A silhouette blocks the light and a woman’s voice screams at her, telling her that she’s going to die.

Alex visits the Goldbergs on Christmas Eve. Michael’s mother, Laurie, tells Alex that she was told she couldn’t have children, but then she became pregnant with Michael. The Goldbergs allow Alex to see Michael’s bedroom, and he is impressed with its abundance of electronics. There are posters on the wall, and a photograph of Michael and Maggie on the desk. Alex believes Michael trusted Mr. Gary Soneji because of their shared interests in computers.

John pulls Alex from the Goldberg house, telling him that there’s been a break in the case. They join a convoy of police vehicles headed out of Washington, DC. They don’t know where they’re going until they arrive in Salisbury, Maryland. Alex and John follow a group of FBI and Secret Service agents to the edge of a river behind a factory building. FBI Agent McGoey tells them that the local police found a body suspected to be connected to the kidnapping case. They haven’t told anyone about the body because they don’t want the press to know about it until it’s been identified. Upon seeing the body, Alex identifies him as Michael.

Secret Service supervisor Jezzie goes home early Christmas morning, the kidnapping case still on her mind. She currently lives with her mother in a small condo in Arlington. She is recently divorced and hasn’t had time to look for a place of her own. Jezzie’s ex-husband, Dennis Kelleher, is a mediocre reporter who never understood her commitment to her work. Jezzie showers while drinking a bottle of her father’s favorite beer, thoughts of her parents only adding to her stress. Her father was a cop who allegedly died of a heart attack in Union Station. Jezzie decides to clear her head, so she dresses and speeds on the highway.

On Christmas morning, searches are conducted throughout Washington, DC, for Maggie. At the Dunne house, Alex and John wait with other law enforcement officials for a potential ransom call. Alex and John worry that the FBI is withholding information from the other departments due to a lack of trust. FBI Agent Gerry Scorse announces to the group that they received a telegram from Gary requesting $10 million. The message was sent from Miami Beach, Florida. The business where the telegram originated has already been checked, but there are no leads. The hostage-rescue team assembles to go to Florida.

As the hostage-rescue team arrives in Florida, the results of Michael’s autopsy are released. Michael’s death seems accidental, likely caused by inhibition of breathing through the administration of secobarbital sodium. However, the autopsy also shows that Michael was physically and sexually abused after death.

Alex returns to his hotel and decides to swim. When he arrives at the pool, he discovers Jezzie is already there swimming laps. When the pair are done swimming, they decide to have dinner together in the hotel restaurant. Over dinner, Jezzie shares pieces of her past while Alex reveals that his private practice failed because people struggled to trust a Black psychologist. Jezzie compares his experience to her being a woman in a male-dominated space. After dinner, Alex returns to his room alone and thinks about Jezzie.

Gary sits at a tollbooth, concerned that the toll collector might recognize him and send an alarm. However, the woman is uninterested in the people going through her lane. Gary imagines what she would do if he told her who he was. He imagines the people around him as empty shells, “a whole country full of those smiley balloon faces” (106). He arrives at the farmhouse, laughing at how he has fooled everyone.

The FBI receives contact from Gary: The telegram gives directions for a drop-off at Disney World in Orlando. The note also insists that Alex make the drop. Alex and a team of FBI agents board a plane to Orlando. Although Alex refuses to wear a wire, he is assured that there will be surveillance everywhere, including in the air. He wonders why Gary chose Disney World for the drop, and concludes it’s because the park is crowded with children. He doesn’t understand how Gary expects to escape the park.

Alex and the hostage-rescue team arrive at Disney World and park their cars as instructed. They are escorted inside the park, and Alex progresses to Magic Mountain alone with the ransom. As he walks among Disney characters and families, he is joined by a man wearing a brimmed hat. The man calls Alex by name, telling him to turn around and head back the way he came. Alex demands to see Maggie before he hands over the ransom. The man agrees but tells him that Maggie will die if the exchange doesn’t go as planned. Alex doesn’t believe this man is Gary Soneji, and worries he might be an imposter looking to benefit from the kidnapping case.

As Alex and the man approach the entrance to Magic Kingdom, the FBI surrounds them. The man tells the FBI that Maggie will die if they don’t let him and Alex go. The FBI also recognizes this man isn’t Gary and assumes he is a partner. They want to arrest him, but Jezzie and Alex convince them not to. The man takes Alex to a car, and they drive to a small airfield.

Alex and the man board a Cessna, and the man handcuffs Alex to the armrest of his seat. They fly south, the man clearly relaxed in the cockpit. Alex tries to engage the man in conversation, but the man only gives cryptic answers. He wonders if the man is directly involved with the kidnapping case. They land on a small, deserted island and sit under the cover of trees. They wait for hours, but the man refuses to engage in conversation. When night comes, the man makes the plane take off again. Alex tries to free himself from the armrest, realizing it is thin plastic and will break easily. After half an hour, they land at a small airfield that appears deserted. The pilot gets up, takes the ransom, and leaves the plane. Alex breaks free of the armrest and chases after him, tackling him on the tarmac. As they wrestle, an unseen person hits Alex on the back of his neck, causing him to black out. When he wakes, the FBI has arrived, but the strangers and ransom are gone. There is no sign of Maggie.

Two local cops in Crisfield, Maryland, receive a call from two hunters about a strange hole in the floor of a barn. The cops arrive and take a look inside the barn. They shine light into the hole and discover a pink athletic shoe in the middle of a wooden casket. They immediately connect the shoe to Maggie and call the FBI.