The Broken Window (Lincoln Rhyme 8)
Page 74
"He wasn't going to plant something as small as that at the fall guy's house. It's some other bit of real information about Five Twenty-Two."
What the hell was it? Something from his lunch the day of the killing?
"I want to taste it."
"What? There's blood on it."
"The handle, not the blade. Just where that fleck is. I want to find out what it is."
"There's not enough to taste. This little chip? You can hardly see it. I didn't see it."
"No, the knife itself. Maybe I can find a flavor or spice that'll tell us something."
"You can't lick a murder weapon, Lincoln."
"Where's that written down, Mel? I don't remember reading that. We need information about this guy!"
"Well . . . okay." The tech held the knife close to Rhyme's face and the criminalist leaned forward and touched his tongue to the place where they'd found the fleck.
"Jesus Christ!" He reared his head back.
"What's wrong?" Cooper asked, alarmed.
"Get me some water!"
Cooper tossed the knife onto the examination table and went to call Thom, as Rhyme spit on the floor. His mouth was on fire.
Thom came running. "What's wrong?"
"Man . . . that hurts. I asked for water! I just ate some hot sauce."
"Hot sauce, like Tabasco?"
"I don't know what kind!"
"Well, you don't want water. You want milk or yogurt."
"Then get some!"
Thom came back with a carton of yogurt and fed Rhyme several spoonfuls. To his surprise the pain went away immediately. "Phew. That hurt. . . . Okay, Mel, we've learned something else--maybe. Our boy likes his chips and salsa. Well, let's just go with a snack food and hot sauce. Put it on the chart."
As Cooper wrote, Rhyme glanced at the clock and snapped, "Where the hell is Sachs?"
"Well, she's at SSD." Cooper looked confused.
"I know that. What I mean is why the hell isn't she back here? . . . And, Thom, I want some more yogurt!"
* * *
UNSUB 522 PROFILE
* Male
* Possibly smokes or lives/works with someone who does, or near source of tobacco * Has children or lives/works near them or near source of toys * Interest in art, coins?
* Probably white or light-skinned ethnic * Medium build
* Strong--able to strangle victims