Page 106 of The Steel Kiss (Lincoln Rhyme 12)

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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.

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