Private Oz (Private 7)

“But the camera did.”

Darlene pulled a photo from the folder. It showed a magnified white-blonde hair lying on a piece of dark fabric.

“And Yasmin was a brunette,” I said.

“She was.” Darlene took back the photo. “I ca

lled forensics straightaway. One of the guys there, Martyn Gofner. He’s okay, seems to like me. He checked their files. Sure enough, they have a blonde hair from the Yasmin Trent murder scene.”

“Wow!” I exclaimed.

“Yep … They profiled a DNA sample from the hair. Couldn’t match it with any database. They sent the profile over.” She pulled a piece of paper from the folder and held it out. It was a chart showing the analysis of the sample. “And this,” she said proudly, “is the profile I have from the hair I had, taken from Elspeth Lampard’s body.” She handed me a second sheet. The two charts were identical.

“Hair from the same person.”

“Absolutely no doubt … and the DNA does not match either blonde victim, Stacy Friel or Elspeth Lampard.” She flicked a glance at the sheets of data I held in each hand. “There’s one more thing … the DNA, and therefore the hair, is definitely from a female – no Y chromosome in the profile. Our killer is a woman.”

Chapter 79

DARLENE HAD GONE back to her lab and out of the corner of my eye I noticed Mary walking along the corridor from reception to her office. I hadn’t seen her or heard from her all day. But Johnny had told me what’d happened to her at the Triad place. I pulled up from my desk and tapped on her open door. She looked up and knew I wasn’t happy, followed me over to my office.

“I’m really pissed with you, Mary. What the hell were you thinking?”

She sat down, kept her bandaged hand just out of sight deliberately. “Information gathering, Craig. I went into places worse than that friggin’ Triad dump all the time in the force.”

“You could have gotten yourself killed. Besides, you might as well have put up a billboard on George Street … ‘Triads … We’re after you’!”

“They knew already. Word travels fast in this city. Besides, that’s exactly the desired effect, Craig. I wanted to give them the shits!”

I let out a deep sigh. “Okay.” I put my hands palms down flat on the table. “It’s done. How is it?” I nodded toward her hand.

“Just a scratch.”

“Yeah right! A sixteen-stitch scratch!”

“God!” Mary exclaimed. “Can’t a girl keep anything secret around here?”

The phone rang.

“Mr. Gisto,” Ho Meng said down the line. “I need you to come here to my home immediately. There has been … a development.”

Chapter 80

JOHNNY WAS WALKING toward the exit gate at the Old Quarantine Station where the cabs were lining up when he heard someone call his name.

He turned just as a black limo pulled up. Micky Stevens had his head out the window, a big grin on his face.

“Jump in.”

Johnny strolled over and peered inside. There was a stunning girl on the back seat next to Micky. She had mile-long legs and a perfect model pout. Hemi was in the front passenger seat next to the driver.

“I’m good, Micky.”

“Dude! You’re coming to the after-gig party, right?”

“Party?”

“My place. Come on, hop in.” He spread his arms. “Plenty of room.”