Olmec Obituary by L.J.M. Owen

Author:L.J.M. Owen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime fiction, cosy crime, cosy, archaeology, cold cases, Australian fiction, debut novels, L.J.M. Owen, Dr Pimms, Intermillenial Sleuth, Olmec Obituary, Mayans, Olmecs, ancient world
ISBN: 9781760400330
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Australia
Published: 2015-10-04T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Standing on her balcony the next Saturday morning, Elizabeth peered out at the small fogged-up glasshouse nestled inside Nainai’s vegetable garden. The garden’s solar panels heated water that circulated beneath the glasshouse floor.

The house bore matching hot-water solar panels arrayed across the entire north face of the roof, heating the inside. The beautiful floorboards downstairs that Loki and Paris loved to slide on in fact weren’t floorboards at all. They were polished concrete that had been stained and scored to look like dark Tasmanian oak. The concrete emitted a gentle heat in winter, courtesy of the sun-warmed water circulating through pipes in the concrete slab. Taid joked that it was his version of the Roman hypocaust underfloor heating.

Although this system meant other heating wasn’t really necessary, Elizabeth was glad her grandparents had insisted on having gas fireplaces, as well as the wood-fired masonry heater in the lounge room. The flickering flames and radiant heat were so comforting…

Was she really contemplating heating systems? She must be feeling better.

Despite the cold and dark, Elizabeth had barely slept past six o’clock. It was going to be another great weekend. Today, she would take a second set of dental non-metric data, then work with Alice to organise the x-rays and other tests. Working with Alice would be good practice for becoming a tutor.

Smiling as she observed the mist in the valley below her suburb, Elizabeth completed her pre-laboratory mental checklist: fed, showered, dressed – check. Lunch, laptop and plaster casts packed – check. Off to conquer the world – check.

Just five hours later, Elizabeth finished taking a second set of dental non-metric data from her population of Olmec women and children. She poured herself another cup of delicious apple tea, and waited for Alice to arrive.

Alice opened the lab door right on time. The poor girl still seemed nervous in Elizabeth’s presence.

Together, they reviewed the process for x-raying the skeletal material for Harris lines, examining the remains under the microscope and taking samples for DNA analyses.

‘How are your funds looking?’ Elizabeth asked. ‘Can you afford to do any radiocarbon dating?’

‘Yes! I checked after you asked. It turns out if I do two weeks’ work for the lab they’ll date all the remains in exchange for the funds I have left.’

‘Are you sure you want to do that?’

‘Of course. It’s a great opportunity. I want to learn more about dating anyway.’

‘That’s excellent news,’ Elizabeth smiled at a now beaming Alice. ‘Do you need anything?’

‘There’s a heap of paperwork to do, and I need lots of signatures, but it should be fine. I’ll make sure I CC your email address on all the forms so you get a copy of the results.’

‘Thanks, that’d be great.’

Alice seemed to finally relax in her presence. ‘No worries,’ she replied.

Hours later Elizabeth and Alice finished tagging the last item for dating. Waving the shy undergrad from the room, Elizabeth settled down for a very late lunch.

A key rasped in the lab door. Alice must have forgotten something.

‘Hello, how are we today?’ It was Carl, dressed in an immacu­late suit, tie and overcoat.

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