Dr. Ralph Crawford. Duke University. He has the qualifications we need.
She shook her head. Gary Kessler. Emory.
Hes better?
At least as good and I know him.
Another Quincy? Gil asked.
That TV show drives Gary crazy. Besides the fact that its inaccurate, people are always confusing pathologists with forensic anthropologists.
Well, what is the difference?
Pathologists have medical degrees and resi-dence training in pathology. Anthropologists dont have medical degrees, they have doctorates in an-thropology and some of them specialize in the human skeletal system and its changes during a lifetime. Like Gary Kessler. Hes worked with sev-eral Atlanta pathologists and is well respected. Be-sides, since you were researching Crawford, its very likely that they wont think wed go to anyone else.
Theyve probably been looking at your back-ground with a magnifying glass too.
And theyll find out Ive worked with ten to twelve anthropologists in L.A., New York, and New Orleans and that Ive been bombarded with requests since that 60 Minutes story. It will take time for them to check out everyones specialty and they would con-sider Gary a long shot since I havent worked with him in over two years.
Logan slowly nodded. Youre making sense. And, under the circumstances, it may be easier to con-vince someone you know to help.
Since those circumstances involved probable trouble with the law, she could see the problem. What about dental records?
That may be more difficult. Chadbournes den-tist was a woman named Dr. Dora Bentz. He paused. She was one of the people Fiske murdered after you came to Barrett House. You can bet every dental file Chadbourne ever had has been switched.
You said it was a witness who was murdered. She held up her hand as he started to speak. Never mind. Why should I expect truth from you?
Im not going to defend myself. It was a dif-ferent situation.
She noticed he didnt apologize or claim hed do anything else. Then were left with the DNA. What if we dont have enough for a test? Could we find a way to force Detwil to take a test to prove his identity?
No way, Logan said flatly. Hes now the presi-dent. We bear the burden of proof. Besides, his medical records could be switched like mine.
Couldnt we try? Hes got to have relatives.
Other than his mother, who died seven years ago, he had one older half brother.
Had?
John Cadro. He and his wife were killed the day after Dora Bentz.
Jesus. It doesnt have to be a close relative. They proved the Anastasia impostor wasnt genuine by comparing her DNA to Prince Philip of Englands. Isnt there anyone else?
Not that we can readily trace. They chose Detwil very carefully.
What about the mother? They could exhume
I dont mean to make a morbid pun, but we dont have time to dig deeper. Once we go public, we have to have full proof.
Why dont we have time?
Because well be dead within twelve hours after we show ourselves, Gil said bluntly. According to the news, John is already dead. That leaves only you and me, and they have the power of the presidency behind them. Im sure the scenario is already in place. Quick, logical, and thorough. Timwick was al-ways thorough.
Eve shivered. There has to be another leadhellip; someone else.
Yes, there is. Scott Maren.
Another relative? She grimaced. And is he dead too?
No. Hes Chadbournes personal physician, and hes been out of the country, which probably saved his life. He paused. But Im not sure well be able to use him. I believe hes probably involved in the actual murder.
How?
Opportunity. Two years ago, on the morning of November second, Ben Chadbourne checked into Bethesda for his annual checkup. The body appeared at Donnellis funeral home after midnight on No-vember third.
You think thats when the switch was made?
Logan nodded. It had to have been choreographed perfectly, with one Ben Chadbourne checking in and another checking out. Maren probably gave the real Chadbourne a lethal shot claiming it was vitamin B or something.
So hes their inside man at Bethesda, Eve said slowly. It was possible and diabolically clever, she thought. A physician was in a position of trust and yet dealt with the means for taking life every day. This has to be supposition. Maren would have had to go through all kinds of security checks before he became Chadbournes physician.
Im sure he did, Gil said. But hes highly re-spected and also a close friend of the Presidents. Maren, Chadbourne, and Lisa Chadbourne all went to college together. Either Chadbourne or his wife was probably instrumental in getting him his posi-tion at Bethesda.
