XO

Rhyme, though, was visibly impressed at the sophistication of the operation, despite his apparent misgiving earlier. Some people, Dance knew, are easier to read than others and although his body language was obviously severely limited, Rhyme was, to her, an open book.

Charlie Shean now briefed the criminalist on where they needed his expertise. “We’ve searched and we’ve done the analysis. But most of the results’re just raw data. We don’t know what to make of it. If you could offer some thoughts it’d be much appreciated.”

Rhyme was taking all this in as his eyes swept the ceiling. Then abruptly: “Sachs, let’s get a chart going.”

Rhyme used graphics in running his cases-having someone write down the evidence that had been gathered-in front of which he would then wheel back and forth, frowning and muttering to himself, as deductions and conclusions came or didn’t come. Shean explained what they’d found and she wrote.

• Sunday. Robert Prescott homicide, convention center stage/orchestra pit/scaffolding

– strip lamp

– no matching friction ridge prints

– no matching tool marks (unit removed by wing nuts)

– fifty-foot power cord

– no matching fingerprints

– smoke detectors in pit, disabled

– no matching fingerprints

– smudges determined to be produced by latex gloves, brand unknown, not associated with gloves in Edwin Sharp’s possession

– cardboard cartons moved from projected path of victim

– no matching fingerprints

– smudges determined to be produced by latex gloves, brand unknown, not associated with gloves in Edwin Sharp’s possession

– unique trace from stage/orchestra pit/scaffolding

– triglyceride fat (lard)

– 2700K color temperature (yellowish)

– melting point: 40-55 degrees F

– specific gravity: 0.91 at 40.0 C

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

• Monday. Frederick Blanton homicide, gas station, near San Joaquin River

– two 9 mm shell casings

– weapon possibly Det. Gabriel Fuentes’s, no casings for comparison

– no friction ridge prints

– extractor marks match those found at Sheri Towne scene

– one 9 mm slug recovered

– lands and grooves match slugs from Sheri Towne scene

– accelerant

– Shell gasoline, 89 octane

– gasoline container destroyed

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

• Monday. Frederick Blanton’s residence, Fresno

– no relevant friction ridge prints, footprints, vehicle tread marks

• Monday. Public phone in classroom building at Fresno College

– No relevant friction ridge prints

– unique trace collected

– calcium powder. Medical/dietary supplement?

– chemicals: limonite, goethite and calcite

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

• Tuesday. Sheri Towne crime scene

– cigarette ash

– twenty-three 9 mm shell casings

– weapon possibly Det. Gabriel Fuentes’s, no casings for comparison

– no friction ridge prints

– extractor marks match those at gas station scene

– seven 9 mm slugs

– lands and grooves match those at Frederick Blanton scene

– no friction ridge prints

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

• Tuesday. Emerson High School stadium, PA system facility

– no friction ridge prints

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

– unique trace recovered

– calcium powder. Medical/dietary supplement?

• Tuesday. Park across from Mountain View Motel

– Marlboro cigarette. DNA analysis requested

– fishing line trip wire, generic brand

– no friction ridge prints

– no footprints/vehicle tread marks

• Wednesday. Edwin Sharp’s house

– outside:

– boot print, probably cowboy-style, unable to determine size, male or female

– no vehicle tread marks

– unique trace materials

– triglyceride fat (lard)

– 2700K color temperature (yellowish)

– melting point: 40-55 degrees F

– specific gravity: 0.91 at 40.0 C

– fungus

– chemicals: limonite, goethite and calcite

– mineral oil, with lime sulfur

– calcium powder. Medical/dietary supplement?

– ammonium oxalate

– inside:

– latex gloves, not associated with those at Prescott homicide

– household cleaning materials (to eliminate trace?)

– no cigarettes, matches or lighters, odor of cigarettes

Lincoln Rhyme regarded the chart closely. “Not good, not bad. Let’s get to work.”

Chapter 53

“ENTRANCE AND EXIT routes from the convention center?”

Shean explained, “There’re twenty-nine of them, including the windows and infrastructure access doorways and loading docks. There were thousands of prints and samples of trace.”

Lincoln Rhyme said, “Yes, yes, sometimes the problem is too much evidence, rather than not enough… I’m glad you know the number of exits, Charlie. Good searching.”

“Thank you, sir.”