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That was his cue for me to leave； and I pushed back my chair。
'If I get something； I'll run it through AFIS right away；' he said of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System； capable of paring unknown latent prints against a databank of millions。
'That would be great；' I said。 'And I'll start with HALT。'
He gave me a curious look； because the Homicide Assessment and Lead Tracking System was a Virginia database maintained by the state police in conjunction with the FBI。 It was the place to start if we suspected the case was local。
'Even though we have reason to suspect the other cases are not from here；' I explained to him； 'I think we should search everything we can。 Including Virginia databases。'
Vander was still making adjustments； staring at the screen。
'As long as I don't have to fill out the forms；' he replied。
In the hallway were more boxes and white cartons marked EVIDENCE lining either side and stacked to the ceiling。 Scientists walked past； preoccupied and in a hurry； paperwork and samples in hand that might send someone to court for murder。 We greeted each other without slowing down as I headed to the fibers and trace evidence lab； which was big and quiet。 More scientists in white coats were bent over microscopes and working at their desks； black counters haphazardly arranged with mysterious bundles wrapped in brown paper。
Aaron Koss was standing in front of an ultraviolet lamp that was glowing purple…red as he examined a slide through a magnifying lens to see what the reflective long wavelengths might tell him。
'Good morning；' I said。
'Same to you。' Koss grinned。
Dark and attractive； he seemed too young to be an expert in microscopic fibers； residues； paints and explosives。 This morning； he was in faded jeans and running shoes。
'No court for you；' I said； for one could usually tell by the way people were dressed。
'Nope。 Lucky me；' he said。 'Bet you're curious about your fibers。'
'I was in the neighborhood；' I said。 'Thought I'd drop by。'
I was notorious for making evidence rounds； and in the main； the scientists endured my intensity patiently； and in the end were grateful。 I knew I pressured them when caseloads were already overwhelming。 But when people were being murdered and dismembered； evidence needed to be examined now。
'Well； you've granted me a reprieve from working on our pipe…bomber；' he said with another smile。
'No luck with that；' I assumed。
'They had another one last night。 I…195 North near Laburnum； right under the nose of Special Operations。 You know； where Third Precinct used to be； if you can believe that？'
'Let's hope the person sticks with just blowing up traffic signs；' I said。
'Let's hope。' He stepped back from the UV lamp and got very serious。 'Here's what I've got so far from what you've turned in to me。 Fibers from fabric remnants embedded in bone。 Hair。 And trace that was adhering to blood。'
'Her hair？' I asked； perplexed； for I had not receipted the long； grayish hairs to Koss。 That was not his specialty。
'What I saw under the scope don't look human to me；' he replied。 'Maybe two different types of animal。 I've sent them on to Roanoke。'
The state had only one hair expert； and he worked out of the western district forensic labs。
'What about the trace？' I asked。
'My guess is it's going to be debris from the landfill。 But I want to look under the electron microscope。 What I've got under UV now is fibers；' he went on。 'I should say they're fragments； really； that I gave an ultrasonic bath in distilled water to remove blood。 You want to take a look？'
He gave me room to peer through the lens； and I smelled Obsession cologne。 I could not help but smile； for I remembered being his age and still having the energy to preen。 There were three mounted fragments fluorescing like neon lights。 The fabric was white or off…white； one of them spangled with what looked like iridescent flecks of gold。
'What in the world is it？' I glanced up at him。
'Under the stereoscope； it looks synthetic；' he replied。 'The diameters regular； consistent like they would be if they； were extruded through spinnerettes； versus being natural and irregular。 Like cotton； let's say。'
'And the fluorescing flecks？' I was still looking。
'That's the interesting part；' he said。 'Though I've got to do further tests； at a glance it looks like paint。'
I paused for a moment to imagine this。 'What kind？' I asked。
'It's not flat and fine like automotive。 This is gritty； more granular。 Seems to be a pale； eggshell color。 I'm thinking it's structural。'
'Are these the only fragments and fibers you've looked at？
'I'm just getting started。' He moved to another countertop and pulled out a stool。 'I've looked at all of them under UV； and I'd say that about fifty percent of them have this paint…type substance soaked into the material。 And although I can't definitively say what the fabric is； I do know that all of the samples you submitted are the same type； and probably from the same source。'
He placed a slide in the stage of a polarizing microscope； which； like Ray…Ban sunglasses； reduced glare； splitting light in different waves with different refractive index values to give us yet another clue as to the identity of the material。
'Now；' he said； adjusting the focus as he stared into the lens without blinking。 'This is the biggest fragment recovered； about the size of a dime。 There are two sides to it。'
He moved out of the way and I looked at fibers reminiscent of blond hairs with speckles of pink and green along the shaft。
'Very consistent with polyester；' Koss explained。 'Speckles are delusterants used in manufacturing so the material isn't shiny。 I also think there's some rayon mixed in； and based on all this would have decided what you've got here is a very mon fabric that could be used in almost anything。 Anything from blouses to bedspreads。 But there's one big problem。'
He opened a bottle of liquid solvent used for temporary mountings； and with tweezers； removed the cover slide and carefully turned the fragment over。 Dripping xylene； he covered the slide again and motioned for me to bend close。
'What do you see？' he asked； and he was proud of himself。
'Something grayish and solid。 Not the same material as the other side。' I looked at him in surprise。 'This fabric has a backing on it？'
'Some kind of thermoplastic。 Probably polyethylene terephthalate。'
'Which is used in what？' I wanted to know。
'Primarily soft drink bottles； film。 Blister packs used in packing。'
I stared at him； baffled； for I did not see how those products could have anything to do with this case。
'What else？' I asked。
He thought。 'Strapping materials。 And some of it； like bottles； can be recycled and used for carpet fibers； fiberfill； plastic lumber。 Just about anything。'
'But not fabric for clothing。'
He shook his head； and said with certainty； 'No way。 The fabric in question is a rather mon； crude polyester blend lined with a plastic…type material。 Definitely not like any clothing I've ever heard of。 Plus； it appears to be saturated with paint。'
'Thank you； Aaron；' I said。 'This changes everything。'
When I got back to my of