cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ittle　ruler　as　a　scale。'
　'Then　I　would　really　worry　about　who　we　were　dealing　with；'　I　mented。
　'That's　all　we　need。　A　killer　who's　like　us。'　He　defined　the　edges；　and　readjusted　the　positions　of　the　photographs　one　more　time。　'Let's　see　what　happens　if　I　superimpose　them。'
　He　did；　and　the　overlay　was　amazing；　bone　ends　and　even　the　ragged　flesh　around　the　severed　neck；　identical。
　'That　does　it　for　me；'　I　announced。
　'No　question　about　it　in　my　mind；'　he　agreed。　'Let's　print　this　out。'
　He　clicked　the　mouse　and　the　laser　printer　hummed　on。　Removing　the　photographs　from　the　scanner；　he　replaced　them　with　the　one　of　the　feet　and　hands；　moving　it　around　until　it　was　perfectly　centered。　As　he　began　to　enlarge　images；　the　sight　became　even　more　grotesque；　blood　staining　the　sheet　bright　red；　as　if　it　had　just　been　spilled。　The　killer　had　neatly　lined　up　feet　like　a　pair　of　shoes；　hands　side　by　side　like　gloves。
　'He　should　have　turned　them　palm　down；'　Vander　said。　'I　wonder　why　he　didn't？'
　Using　spatial　filtering　to　retain　important　details；　he　began　eliminating　interference；　such　as　the　blood　and　the　texture　of　the　blue　table　cover。
　'Can　you　get　any　ridge　detail？'　I　asked　leaning　so　close；　I　could　smell　his　spicy　aftershave。
　'I　think　I　can；'　he　said。
　His　voice　was　suddenly　cheerful；　for　there　was　nothing　he　liked　better　than　reading　the　hieroglyphics　of　fingers　and　feet。　Beneath　his　gentle；　distracted　demeanor　was　a　man　who　had　sent　thousands　of　people　to　the　penitentiary；　and　dozens　to　the　electric　chair。　He　enlarged　the　photograph　and　assigned　arbitrary　colors　to　various　intensities　of　gray；　so　we　could　see　them　better。　Thumbs　were　small　and　pale　like　old　parchment。　There　were　ridges。
　'The　other　fingers　aren't　going　to　work；'　he　said；　staring；　as　if　in　a　trance。　'They're　too　curled　for　me　to　see。　But　thumbs　look　pretty　darn　good。　Let's　capture　this。'　Clicking　into　a　menu；　he　saved　the　image　on　the　puter's　hard　disk。　'I'm　going　to　want　to　work　on　this　for　a　while。'
　That　was　his　cue　for　me　to　leave；　and　I　pushed　back　my　chair。
　'If　I　get　something；　I'll　run　it　through　AFIS　right　away；'　he　said　of　the　Automated　Fingerprint　Identification　System；　capable　of　paring　unknown　latent　prints　against　a　databank　of　millions。
　'That　would　be　great；'　I　said。　'And　I'll　start　with　HALT。'
　He　gave　me　a　curious　look；　because　the　Homicide　Assessment　and　Lead　Tracking　System　was　a　Virginia　database　maintained　by　the　state　police　in　conjunction　with　the　FBI。　It　was　the　place　to　start　if　we　suspected　the　case　was　local。
　'Even　though　we　have　reason　to　suspect　the　other　cases　are　not　from　here；'　I　explained　to　him；　'I　think　we　should　search　everything　we　can。　Including　Virginia　databases。'
　Vander　was　still　making　adjustments；　staring　at　the　screen。
　'As　long　as　I　don't　have　to　fill　out　the　forms；'　he　replied。
　In　the　hallway　were　more　boxes　and　white　cartons　marked　EVIDENCE　lining　either　side　and　stacked　to　the　ceiling。　Scientists　walked　past；　preoccupied　and　in　a　hurry；　paperwork　and　samples　in　hand　that　might　send　someone　to　court　for　murder。　We　greeted　each　other　without　slowing　down　as　I　headed　to　the　fibers　and　trace　evidence　lab；　which　was　big　and　quiet。　More　scientists　in　white　coats　were　bent　over　microscopes　and　working　at　their　desks；　black　counters　haphazardly　arranged　with　mysterious　bundles　wrapped　in　brown　paper。
　Aaron　Koss　was　standing　in　front　of　an　ultraviolet　lamp　that　was　glowing　purple…red　as　he　examined　a　slide　through　a　magnifying　lens　to　see　what　the　reflective　long　wavelengths　might　tell　him。
　'Good　morning；'　I　said。
　'Same　to　you。'　Koss　grinned。
　Dark　and　attractive；　he　seemed　too　young　to　be　an　expert　in　microscopic　fibers；　residues；　paints　and　explosives。　This　morning；　he　was　in　faded　jeans　and　running　shoes。
　'No　court　for　you；'　I　said；　for　one　could　usually　tell　by　the　way　people　were　dressed。
　'Nope。　Lucky　me；'　he　said。　'Bet　you're　curious　about　your　fibers。'
　'I　was　in　the　neighborhood；'　I　said。　'Thought　I'd　drop　by。'
　I　was　notorious　for　making　evidence　rounds；　and　in　the　main；　the　scientists　endured　my　intensity　patiently；　and　in　the　end　were　grateful。　I　knew　I　pressured　them　when　caseloads　were　already　overwhelming。　But　when　people　were　being　murdered　and　dismembered；　evidence　needed　to　be　examined　now。
　'Well；　you've　granted　me　a　reprieve　from　working　on　our　pipe…bomber；'　he　said　with　another　smile。
　'No　luck　with　that；'　I　assumed。
　'They　had　another　one　last　night。　I…195　North　near　Laburnum；　right　under　the　nose　of　Special　Operations。　You　know；　where　Third　Precinct　used　to　be；　if　you　can　believe　that？'
　'Let's　hope　the　person　sticks　with　just　blowing　up　traffic　signs；'　I　said。
　'Let's　hope。'　He　stepped　back　from　the　UV　lamp　and　got　very　serious。　'Here's　what　I've　got　so　far　from　what　you've　turned　in　to　me。　Fibers　from　fabric　remnants　embedded　in　bone。　Hair。　And　trace　that　was　adhering　to　blood。'
　'Her　hair？'　I　asked；　perplexed；　for　I　had　not　receipted　the　long；　grayish　hairs　to　Koss。　That　was　not　his　specialty。
　'What　I　saw　under　the　scope　don't　look　human　to　me；'　he　replied。　'Maybe　two　different　types　of　animal。　I've　sent　them　on　to　Roanoke。'
　The　state　had　only　one　hair　expert；　and　he　worked　out　of　the　western　district　forensic　labs。
　'What　about　the　trace？'　I　asked。
　'My　guess　is　it's　going　to　be　debris　from　the　landfill。　But　I　want　to　look　under　the　electron　microscope。　What　I've　got　under　UV　now　is　fibers；'　he　went　on。　'I　should　say　they're　fragments；　really；　that　I　gave　an　ultrasonic　bath　in　distilled　water　to　remove　blood。　You　want　to　take　a　look？'
　He　gave　me　room　to　peer　through　the　lens；　and　I　smelled　Obsession　cologne。　I　could　not　help　but　smile；　for　I　remembered　being　his　age　and　still　having　the　energy　to　preen。　There　were　three　mounted　fragments　fluorescing　like　neon　lights。　The　fabric　was　white　or　off…white；　one　of　them　spangled　with　what　looked　like　iridescent　flecks　of　gold。
　'What　in　the　world　is　it？'　I　glanced　up　at　him。
　'Under　the　stereoscope；　it　looks　synthetic；'　he　replied。　'The　diameters　regular；　consistent　like　they　would　be　if　they；　were　extruded　through　spinnerettes；　versus　being　natural　and　irregular。　Like　cotton；　let's　say。'
　'And　the　fluorescing　flecks？'　I　was　still　looking。
　'That's　the　interesting　part；'　he　said。　'Though　I've　got　to　do　further　tests；　at　a　glance　it　looks　like　paint。'
　I　paused　for　a　moment　to　imagine　this。　'What　kind？'　I　asked。
　'It's　not　flat　and　fine　like　automotive。　This　is　gritty；　more　granular。　Seems　to　be　a　pale；　eggshell　color。　I'm　thinking　it's　structural。'
　'Are　these　the　only　fragments　and　fibers　you've　looked　at？
　'I'm　just　getting　started。'　He　moved　to　another　countertop　and　pulled　out　a　stool。　'I've　looked　at　all　of　them　under　UV；　and　I'd　say　that　about　fifty　percent　of　them　have　this　paint…type　substance　soaked　into　the　material。　And　although　I　can't　definitively　say　what　the　fabric　is；　I　do　know　that　all　of　the　samples　you　submitted　are　the　same　type；　and　probably　from　the　same　source。'
　He　placed　a　slide　in　the　stage　of　a　polarizing　microscope；　which；　like　Ray…Ban　sunglasses；　reduced　glare；　splitting　light　in　different　waves　with　different　refractive　index　values　to　give　us　yet　another　clue　as　to　the　identity　of　the　material。
　'Now；'　he　said；　adjusting　the　focus　as　he　stared　into　the　lens　without　blinking。　'This　is　the　biggest　fragment　recovered；　about　the　size　of　a　dime。　There　are　two　sides　to　it。'
　He　moved　out　of　the　way　and　I　looked　at　fibers　reminiscent　of　blond　hairs　with　speckles　of　pink　and　green　along　the　shaft。
　'Very　consistent　with　polyester；'　Koss　explained。　'Speckles　are　delusterants　used　in　manufacturing　so　the　material　isn't　shiny。　I　also　think　there's　some　rayon　mixed　in；　and　based　on　all　this　would　have　decided　what　you've　got　here　is　a　very　mon　fabric　that　could　be　used　in　almost　anything。　Anything　from　blouses　to　bedspreads。　But　there's　one　big　problem。'
　He　opened　a　bottle　of　liquid　solvent　used　for　temporary　mountings；　and　with　tweezers；　removed　the　cover　slide　and　carefully　turned　the　fragment　over。　Dripping　xylene；　he　covered　the　slide　again　and　motioned　for　me　to　bend　close。
　'What　do　you　see？'　he　asked；　and　he　was　proud　of　himself。
　'Something　grayish　and　solid。　Not　the　same　material　as　the　other　side。'　I　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　'This　fabric　has　a　backing　on　it？'
　'Some　kind　of　thermoplastic。　Probably　polyethylene　terephthalate。'
　'Which　is　used　in　what？'　I　wanted　to　know。
　'Primarily　soft　drink　bottles；　film。　Blister　packs　used　in　packing。'
　I　stared　at　him；　baffled；　for　I　did　not　see　how　those　products　could　have　anything　to　do　with　this　case。
　'What　else？'　I　asked。
　He　thought。　'Strapping　materials。　And　some　of　it；　like　bottles；　can　be　recycled　and　used　for　carpet　fibers；　fiberfill；　plastic　lumber。　Just　about　anything。'
　'But　not　fabric　for　clothing。'
　He　shook　his　head；　and　said　with　certainty；　'No　way。　The　fabric　in　question　is　a　rather　mon；　crude　polyester　blend　lined　with　a　plastic…type　material。　Definitely　not　like　any　clothing　I've　ever　heard　of。　Plus；　it　appears　to　be　saturated　with　paint。'
　'Thank　you；　Aaron；'　I　said。　'This　changes　everything。'
　When　I　got　back　to　my　office；　I　was　surpri