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〃I didn't know you watched Biography；〃 I said。
〃Oh yeah。 And the real…life cops shows they usually got on。 This may sound like I been sniffing glue； but does it strike you how everything in the world's gone to hell ever since Bray came to town？〃
〃I'm sure it would strike you that way； after what she's been doing to you。〃
〃Huh。 And she's not been doing the same thing to you？〃 he challenged； sipping his drink。 〃I'm not the only person in this room she's trying to ruin。〃
〃I don't think she has the power to cause everything else going on in fife；〃 I replied。
〃Let me just run through the list for you； Doc； and make sure to remember we're talking about a three…month period； okay？ She arrives in Richmond。 I get thrown back in uniform。 You suddenly have a thief in your office。 You have a snitch who breaks into your e…mail and turns you into Dear Abby。
〃Then this dead guy shows up in a container and Interpol's suddenly in the picture； and now Lucy kills two people； which is convenient for Bray； by the way。 Don't forget； she's been all hot and bothered about getting Lucy to sign on with Richmond； and if ATF throws Lucy back like a fish； she's gonna need a job。 And oh yeah； now someone's following you。〃
I watched a young； gorgeous Liberace playing the piano and singing while a voice…over of a friend talked about what a kind； generous man the musician had been。
〃You're not listening to me；〃 Marino raised his voice again。
〃I'm listening。〃
He heaved himself úp again with an exasperated huff and padded into the kitchen。
〃Have we heard anything from Interpol？〃 I called out as he made a lot of noise tearing open paper and rummaging through the silverware drawer。
〃Nothing worth passing on。〃
The microwave hummed。
〃It would be nice if you'd pass it on anyway；〃 I said； annoyed。
Stage lights caught Liberace blowing kisses to his audience and his sequins flashed like an intense red and gold fireworks display。 Marino walked back into the living room with a bowl of ruffled potato chips and a container of some sort of dip。
〃The guy at State Police got a puter message back from them within an hour。 They just requested more info； that's all：〃
'That tells us a lot；〃 I said； disappointed。 〃That probably means they didn't get a hit on anything significant。 The old fracture of the jaw； the unusual accessory cusp of the Carabelli； not to mention fingerprints。 None of it matched up with anybody wanted or missing。〃
〃Yeah。 It's a pisser；〃 he said； his mouth full as he held out the bowl to me。
〃No； thanks：'
〃It's really good。 What you do is soften the cream cheese in the microwave first and put in jalapeiíos。 It's a lot better for you than onion dip。〃
〃I'm sure。〃
〃You know； I always liked him：' He pointed a greasy finger at the TV 〃I don't care if he was queer。 You gotta admit he had style。 If people are gonna pay all that money for records and concert tickets； by God they ought to get people who don't look and act like some schmoe on the street。
〃Let me tell you；〃 Marino said with his mouth full； 〃shootings are a bitch。 You get investigated as if you made an attempt on the damn president； and then there's all the counseling and everybody worrying about your mental health so much it makes you crazy。〃
He threw back bourbon and crunched more chips。
〃She's gonna get some time on the bricks；〃 he went on； using cop jargon for involuntary time off。 〃And Miami detectives are gonna work it like they always work homicides。 Got to。 And everything will have the hell reviewed out of it〃
He looked over at me； wiping his hands。on his jeans。
〃I know this won't make you feel good； but maybe you're the。 last person she wants to see right now；〃 he said。
20
There was a rule in our building that any evidence； even something as innocuous as a ten…print card； had to be transported on the service elevator。 This was located at the end of a hallway where two cleaning ladies were this minute pushing their carts as I headed to Neils Vander's lab。
〃Good morning； Merle。 And Beatrice； how are you？〃 I smiled at them。
Their eyes landed on the towel…covered surgical pan and the paper sheets covering the gurney I was pushing。 They had been around long enough to know that whenever I carried something bagged or pushed something covered； it was nothing they wanted to know about。
〃Uh…oh；〃 Merle said。
〃Uh…oh is right；〃 Beatrice chimed in。
I pushed the elévator button。
〃You going anyplace special for Christmas； Dr。 Scarpelts。
They could tell by the look on my face that Christmas was a topic I didn't particularly care to talk about。
〃You're probably too busy for Christmas；〃 Merle quickly said。
Both women got unfortable for the same reason everybody else did when they were reminded of what had happened to Benton。
〃I know this time of year gets real busy；〃 Merle awkwardly changed the subject。 〃All those people drinking on the road。 More suicides and people getting mad at each other。〃
Christmas would be here in about two weeks。 Fielding was on call that day。 I couldn't count how many Christmases I had worn a pager。
〃People burning up in fires； too。〃
〃When bad things happen this time of year；〃 I said to them as the elevator doors opened； 〃we feel them more。 That's a lot of it。〃
〃Maybe that's it。〃
〃I don't know 'bout that； remember that electrical fire 。 。 。 ？'
The doors shut and I headed úp to the second floor； which had been designed to acmodate tours for citizens and politicians and anyone else interested in our work。 All labs were behind big expanses of plate glass； and at first this had seemed odd and unfortable to scientists used to working in secret behind cinder block walls。 By now； nobody cared。 Examiners tested trigger pulls and worked with bloodstains； fingerprints and fibers without paying much attention to who was on the other side of the glass； which at this moment included me pushing my gurney past。
Neils Vander's world was a large space of countertops； with all sorts of unusual technical instruments and juryrigged contraptions scattered all over the place。 Against one wall were wooden cabinets with glass doors； and these Vander had turned into glue chambers； using clothesline and clothespins to hold up objects exposed to the Super Glue fumes generated by a hot plate。
In the past； scientists and police had had very little success in lifting prints fróm nonporous objects such as plastic bags； electrical tape and leather。 Then； quite by accident； it was discovered that the fumes from Super Glue adhere to ridge detail； much as traditional dusting powder does； and out pops a white latent print。 In a corner was another glue chamber called a Cyvac II that could acmodate larger objects such as a shotgun or rifle or car bumper； or theoretically even an entire body。
Humidity chambers raised prints off porous items； such as paper or wood； that had been treated with ninhydrin； although Vander sometimes resorted to the quick method of using a household steam iron； arid once or twice had scorched the evidence； or so I'd heard。 Scattered about were Nederman light