Vicodin

The prescription opiate pain killer is ubiquitous in this novel as, indeed, it is in current society. Katherine Merrimon is addicted to it, as is her lover, Ken Holloway. Oxycontin is another prescription pain killer that they both use. His mother's medicine chest also includes the tranquilizer Xanax and the antidepressant Prozac.

Police station

The police station is one of the axis of this story. This is where Detective Hunt, his partner Yoakum, the police chief and all the other officers spend the majority of their time. It is not unusual to see Detective Hunt burning the midnight oil in his determined search for the killer of the missing children and, in particular, Alyssa Merrimon.

Motorcycle

The motorcycle on which David Wilson is riding when he collides with another vehicle on a bridge follows him over the side in its downward plunge to the riverbank where Johnny...