‘‘Jin started it,’’ Diane repeated. ‘‘Are you in the
third grade?’’ She pointed to the stairs. ‘‘Please leave.
This area is off-limits to you.’’
Crabtree narrowed his eyes to slits. ‘‘You’re a fool
ish woman,’’ he said. ‘‘A very foolish woman.’’ He stood there in front of them for several moments as if deciding whether or not to dig his heels in. Sud denly he turned and headed for the stairs. Diane and
Jin watched him leave.
‘‘Cheeky bastards,’’ said Jin.
‘‘Aren’t they,’’ said Diane. She took her cell from
her jacket pocket and called the crime lab and asked
for Lloyd Bryce.
‘‘I think there has been a misunderstanding,’’ said
Bryce when Diane had briefed him on the encounter.
‘‘Curtis is enthusiastic in everything he does. He was
probably just being an assertive applicant. Your guy
is just overly sensitive.’’
Diane sat down on one of the leather chairs in the
small sitting area near the entrance to the lab. She
put her feet up on the oak coffee table and rubbed
the middle of her forehead with the tips of her fingers.
Jin sat in a chair opposite her and leaned forward, his
elbows on his knees.
‘‘Enthusiasm aside, Mr. Crabtree’s behavior was in
appropriate,’’ said Diane. ‘‘I explained that we cannot
accommodate your DNA requirements. Our protocols
don’t allow it.’’
‘‘I believe we can come to some compromise on
this,’’ Bryce said.
‘‘What kind of compromise?’’ said Diane. ‘‘Certifi
cation standards require that we use only highly trained
technicians who function under our direct supervision
and authority.’’
‘‘I have another employee whom I can recommend,’’
he began.
‘‘Neva would be acceptable, if you wish to transfer
her to us. But she would need extensive training and,
as I said, she would function one hundred percent
under our authority.’’
Jin grinned. He would like to have Neva. They were
a team when he worked in the crime scene unit. Neva
was a former police officer given to Diane by the
Rosewood Police Department when Diane started the
crime scene unit. Now that Diane was no longer head
of the unit, Neva worked for Bryce.
‘‘I’d rather keep Neva working crime scenes,’’ said
Bryce. ‘‘I was thinking of Rikki Gillinick. She’s very
bright.’’
‘‘Rikki Gillinick?’’ repeated Diane.
Jin jumped out of the chair and came at Diane shak
ing his head. Diane waved him back.
