Adjust.
Again.
Again.
And still again.
Christ. Logan leaned forward, his gaze on the ghostly merged image. Its almost spooky.
Nothing spooky about it. Its just a tool.
May I talk now?
You appear to be doing it. She made another adjustment.
Why did you choose the photograph with Chadbourne smiling?
The teeth. Teeth are rarely perfect and each set has its own irregularities. If the teeth are a match, we hit the jackpot. Thats why I had to have the skull be-fore Gary started pulling the teeth.
And do these teeth match?
Oh, yes, she said with satisfaction. Definite match. Perfect match. Cant you see?
They look good to me, but Im no expert. And Im being distracted by that ghostly effect.
It all matches. She pointed. See how the bite line on the skull is even with the lip line on the photo-graph. She tapped the nasal opening. And this is the same size and shape as the nose. The eyeballs are cen-tered in the orbits of the skull. There are several other checkpoints and they all match.
So what happens now?
I print out several copies of this picture on the screen and go to the next photograph.
But you told me this was a definite match.
For an ordinary person. Not for the President of the United States. Every feature has to be verified. I need a better side shot of the ear canal and the muscle attachment at the side of the
I get your point. Logan held up his hand to stop the flow of words. Can I help?
You can go talk to Gary and pacify him until I finish. Hell be pouncing on me any minute.
I hear. I obey. He rose to his feet. Pacifying seems to be all Im good for these days. Its annoying not to be able to take action myself.
I prefer you in passive mode, she said dryly. Every time you take action, I sink deeper into this quicksand.
No comment. He strode across the lab toward Kessler.
She looked back at the screen. She had known the superimposition would validate the work shed done on the skull, but it still sent a ripple of excitement through her. One more block in the wall of evidence she had to build. Were getting there, Ben, she whispered.
She hit the print button on the Sony video printer.
3:35 A.M.
It was raining.
She hadnt realized that when she was working in the lab. Now she leaned against the open doorway of the front entrance, looking out over the manicured lawns of the campus. The cool, humid air felt good in her lungs as she took a deep breath.
She should be tired, but she was still pumped from working on the match.
You shouldnt be out here. Joe was leaning against the brick wall a few yards from the door. Go back inside.
I need some air.
Did you finish?
I finished the superimposition. Garys barely started on extracting the DNA. She looked at his clothes. Youre wet.
Not much. The overhead ledge protects me. It kind of feels good. He grimaced. I guess Im a little hot under the collar.
I noticed. But you shouldnt blame Logan. It was my decision to do the job. I knew there was a risk. The fee was just too good.
Ill bet he didnt let you know how risky before he drew you in.
It was still my decision. Why was she de-fending Logan? Joe was right to condemn Logans methods and she had been as angry as Joe when she found out how she had been used. She changed the subject. Its late. You shouldnt be here. Diane will be worried.
I called her.
If you told her you were with me, then that wouldnt stop her from worrying. She had to have seen CNN.
I didnt tell her.
You lied to her?
No, I just told her I was working late.
