* Lives near antiques store?
* Wears size-11 Skechers work shoe
NONPLANTED EVIDENCE
* Old cardboard
* Hair from doll, BASF B35 nylon 6
* Tobacco from Tareyton cigarettes
* Old tobacco, not Tareyton, but brand unknown
* Evidence of Stachybotrys Chartarum mold
* Dust, from World Trade Center attack, possibly indicating residence/job downtown Manhattan * Snack food/cayenne pepper
* Rope fiber containing:
* Cyclamate diet soda (old or foreign)
* Naphthalene mothballs (old or foreign)
* Leopard lily plant leaves (interior plant)
* Trace from two different legal pads, yellow colored * Treadmark from size-11 Skechers work shoe
Chapter Thirty-one "Appreciate you seeing me, Mark."
Whitcomb, the Compliance Department assistant, smiled agreeably. Pulaski figured he must really love his job to be still working so late--just after nine-thirty. But then, the cop realized, he himself was still on the job.
"Another killing? And that same guy did it?"
"We're pretty sure."
The young man frowned. "I'm sorry. Jesus. When?"
"About three hours ago."
They were in Whitcomb's office, which was a lot homier than Sterling's. And sloppier too, which made it more comfortable. He set aside the legal pad he was jotting on and gestured at a chair. Pulaski sat, noting pictures of family on his desk, some nice paintings on the walls, along with diplomas and some professional certificates. Pulaski had glanced up and down the quiet halls, extremely glad that Cassel and Gillespie, the school bullies, weren't here.
"Say, that your wife?"
"My sister." Whitcomb gave a smile but Pulaski had seen that look before. It meant, this's a tough subject. Had the woman died?
No, it was the other answer.
"I'm divorced. Keep pretty busy here. Tough to have a family." The young man waved his arm, indicating SSD, Pulaski supposed. "But it's important work. Real important."
"I'm sure it is."
After trying to reach Andrew Sterling, Pulaski called Whitcomb, who had agreed to meet the cop and hand over the time sheets for that day--to see which of their suspects had been out of the office at the time the groundskeeper was killed.
"I've got some coffee."
Pulaski noted that the man had a silver tray on his desk, with two china cups.
"I remembered how you liked it."