The Tarnished Eye by Judith Guest

Author:Judith Guest
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

DNA and Other Data

GRAND RAPIDS IS growing. The city itself used to cluster—Oz-like—within a realm of flat green fields. No more. Now it ruthlessly pursues the surrounding countryside, sprawling its way across both sides of Highways 131 and I-96.

Standing before the windows in Billy Shaw’s office in Blodgett Hospital, Hugh gazes at the downtown skyline, remembering a time when his father nearly accepted a job here, in Police Administration. He can’t imagine how differently his and his brother’s lives would have turned out had this happened. Grand Rapids feels like a fractured place to him, with the strict religious values he associates with a more pastoral setting, and the seemingly relentless municipal construction.

“I’m leaning toward the single-shooter theory,” Billy says. He is standing at his desk, a sheaf of papers in his hand. “What about you?”

“Yeah. That’s what I think, too.”

Billy’s office is roomy and well furnished, hardly reflecting the business of the head of Forensic Pathology. It resembles the high-class digs of a professional photographer, with its cream-colored walls upon which are plastered dozens of prints of exotic settings around the world.

“Those over there are new,” Billy points out. “I took them in Rwanda. At the gorilla sanctuary.”

“Pretty impressive.”

Billy laughs. “I always like showing you my stuff, Hughie. You know just what to say. Your guy Harry Rose is an ace, by the way. Where’d you pick him up?”

“MSU,” Hugh says.

“Samples are as clean as any I’ve seen. As good as the stuff I get from Grayling. Good tissue means good serology.”

“Always looking on the bright side,” Hugh says. “Tell me what you think about the woman and the little girl.”

“Severe tearing of the vaginal tissues. More than just normal decomposition would allow. I took DNA samples just in case. You got any for me? Any suspects yet?”

“That’s the next order of business.”

“You looking at RFLPs or PCRs?”

“Whichever’s faster.”

“PCR. By far. But it’s got a big drawback. Fewer variants. I’d advise going with RFLP or both. You’ll get better results.”

“How long are we talking?”

“A month. Maybe more. Depending on what we’re after. PCRs don’t differ much from one lab to the next, but RFLPs will. Different labs use different binning strategies. That’ll affect the time.”

Billy would love to go on, but Hugh holds up his hand; he’s already in over his head. Any more talk of probes, protocols, lengths of polymorphisms, and VNTRs, and the picture will just get muddier.

“When are you releasing the bodies?” Hugh asks.

“Today. I’ll call the lawyers. Hey, I read the papers, too, you know. Is the business partner a suspect?”

Hugh smiles. “Don’t count my chickens.”

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