I was placing the last of Gamble’s cranial fragments into a boiler basket for final removal of flesh. Hawkins was shooting X-rays of his teeth. Larabee was stitching the Y on his chest.
Williams and Randall cooled their heels in reception while the boss and I showered and changed from surgical scrubs. The four of us then gathered in Larabee’s office.
Our visitors wore identical frowns. Annoyed at having to wait? Unhappy with developments in the investigation? With life in general? Because of their arrogance, I couldn’t have cared less.
Larabee’s face was also unnaturally stiff. Lack of sleep? Or had the autopsy revealed something disturbing?
As usual, Williams lasered straight to the point. “What did you find?”
Larabee stiffened at the man’s brusqueness. “Death due to exsanguination resulting from massive cranial trauma and decapitation.”
“Did the body show any defensive injuries?”
If the question surprised Larabee, he didn’t let on.
“I observed bruising in the right wrist area and a slight abrasion on the back of the right hand. Both injuries appeared to have occurred shortly before death. I cannot conclusively attribute them to any specific cause.”
“Anything else?”
“The stomach and intestinal linings were severely inflamed. I noted internal bleeding, widespread irritation of the mucous membranes, and early signs of vascular collapse and multiorgan failure. The stool that I collected contained blood.”
“So Gamble was sick.”
“He was probably suffering from excessive thirst, a sore throat, perhaps difficulty swallowing. He may have had nausea, abdominal cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, or a combination of these symptoms. It’s possible he was experiencing general weakness, perhaps drowsiness and disorientation.”
“What’s your diagnosis?” Williams asked.
“The configuration could mean many things. I’ve taken samples. Until I have tox results, I can’t be sure.”
Larabee paused a moment before continuing.
“What I find noteworthy is that the pathological fingerprint presenting in Wayne Gamble is identical to that which presented in the landfill John Doe.”
What the flip? The landfill John Doe had been poisoned with ricin. Was Larabee suggesting the same thing had happened to Gamble?
The special agents locked eyes for what seemed a very long time. Finally Williams nodded.
Randall withdrew a paper from the pocket of his really dark suit. Half rising, he tossed it onto the desk.
As Larabee read, my mind flew in a zillion directions. I pictured the empty water bottles, the tissues, and the Pepto in Gamble’s car. The man had called me and I’d blown him off. Once more, I had to hammer back the guilt.
“So.” Larabee looked up and gave a slow roll of his shoulders. “What now?”
“GAMBLE’S SYMPTOMS FIT WITH ABRIN POISONING, AM I CORRECT?”
Abrin? I was expecting ricin.
“Yes,” Larabee said.
“What can you tell me about it.” Williams laced his fingers and dropped his hands onto his genitals.
“Abrin is also known as agglutinin or toxalbumin. It’s a highly toxic lectin found in the seeds of
“How does it work?”
“Like ricin, abrin attacks cells from the inside, inhibiting protein synthesis and causing the cells to die. As the toxin penetrates the body, more and more tissues are destroyed. This leads to organ failure and eventual death.”
“How quickly?”
Larabee shrugged one shoulder. “Hours or days. It depends on the dose and the route of exposure.”
“Route of exposure?”
“One could touch a surface on which abrin particles or droplets have landed, or particles or droplets could land on the skin or in the eyes. One could inhale abrin if it’s in the form of a mist or powder. One could ingest it if it’s in food or water.”
“That’s it?”
“I suppose pellets, or abrin dissolved in a liquid, could be injected into a person’s body.”
“How common is accidental exposure?”
“Not common, though it happens.”
“Give me a scenario.”
“Rosary pea seeds are used to make jewelry and percussion instruments, mostly in India or Indonesia. I think the products are illegal in this country. Anyway, there have been cases in which broken seeds have exposed the
