Rhyme stared after her then turned slowly, the motor of his chair uttering a soft whine, and gazed at the challenging whiteboards.
CRIME SCENE: 390 E. 35TH STREET, MANHATTAN (SITE OF ARSON)
- Offense: Arson/homicide.
- Victim: Abraham Benkoff, 58, account director advertising agency, well known.
- COD: Burns/hemorrhaging.
- Means of death:
- Gas leak from CookSmart Deluxe range, equipped with DataWise5000 controller.
- No accelerant.
- Additional elements of profile of suspect: - Dark clothes, baseball cap.
- Observing scene to make sure only adult victim killed?
- Another message from the People's Guardian.
- Again playing down intelligence.
CRIME SCENE: 388 E. 35TH STREET, MANHATTAN (SITE OF UNSUB'S SURVEILLANCE)
- Evidence:
- Shards of glass. Window glass, old.
- Xylene, toluene, iron oxide, amorphous silica, dioctyl phthalate and talc (glazing compound).
- His profession? Probably not.
- Paper towel fibers.
- Ammonia.
- Rubber fragments.
- Diesel fuel.
- Two soil samples, indigenous to shoreline.
- Connecticut or Westchester County or New Jersey.
- Soda, differing dilutions, several sources.
- White wine, high sugar content. Typical of inexpensive sparkling white wine.
Archer too was studying the writing carefully. "Mor
e questions than answers," she muttered.
Welcome to the world of forensics, Lincoln Rhyme thought.
CHAPTER 29
Sweeney Todd, now, that was a challenge.