Seven Seconds by Lisa Compton

Author:Lisa Compton [Compton, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC031000 FICTION / Thrillers / General
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2023-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

“Dr. Osborne was right about him wearing gloves. We checked the pants pocket and found an unused pair of latex gloves inside. No sweat, no DNA inside. Interesting, but still nothing that will give us any more information about who he is,” Frank Tobias said. The forensic chief paused a moment before delivering another bit of disappointing news. “Unfortunately, we found no DNA on the knife we recovered, other than Wendy Florren’s.”

“Did you find the dark hat, the one Dr. Osborne mentioned?” Barry asked.

“Not at first,” Frank admitted. “It didn’t come in with the jeans and the shirt. I called back and sanitation found it two barrels down. The UNSUB specifically separated it from the other articles.”

“Somehow the hat is important,” Barry said. Who was this guy? Did he get off on crime shows? Outsmarting the cops? He was doing everything he could to stay one step ahead of them, but they were catching up. Thanks to Olivia.

“We wouldn’t have known to look for it, if Dr. Osborne hadn’t told us,” Frank said, echoing Barry’s thoughts.

“So? What did you find in the hat?” Barry asked.

“Hair,” Frank said, holding up a strand with a pair of tweezers. “Synthetic. Upon close examination, we see there is no root, no follicle. The texture is similar to fine thread or fishing wire. I suspect it’s from a cheap wig. We’re verifying, but I’m thinking it’s something you can pick up at any party store.”

“So, our guy is bald,” Barry concluded. It all made sense.

“I think that’s a safe assumption at this point, given the evidence,” Frank agreed. “The picture is wrong, just like Dr. Osborne said. By my count, she’s three for three today.”

On his way to the captain’s office Barry called the police artist and ordered a sketch of the UNSUB without hair. He was mildly curious as to where Mark had disappeared to, but his thoughts scattered when he passed Jessica Tate coming out of Zavalla’s office. SAPD counsel Jim Webber passed him as well, and another guy in a rush to catch up to the reporter.

“Are we consorting with the press now?”

“We have twelve hours,” Silas said.

“Twelve hours?” Barry didn’t like the vibe he was getting from the room.

“Twelve hours before our UNSUB knows who Olivia is.”

****

Within ten minutes of arriving at Olivia’s house, Mark was walking the property with her, reviewing the entry and exit points. By the time they made it back around to the front, the two officers assigned for night duty had arrived. They all went inside together.

“Looks nice,” Mark commented as she showed them around. He had seen the house in the beginning and had watched the slow, steady building process. She had been living under construction for months. “Happy to finally have the end in sight?” Mark asked.

“God, you have no idea.”

“Any work scheduled for tomorrow?” Mark asked the question, but the other two officers were paying attention. They needed to know who to look for.

Olivia nodded. “Martin Mendoza will be here around eight with his tile guy and two painters.

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