Xo

log cabin. The one-story rambling brown structure was in the middle of a large cleared area—good visibility of the grounds, should anyone try to assault the house.
    And there were also, Davis could see, only a few windows and all of them shuttered or shaded. Although he was perhaps more of a target than some politicians anyone who’s run for office instinctively considers security, particularly lines of fire and sniper’s vantage points. Everywhere. All the time.
    Thank you, Second Amendment.

 
     

Chapter 56
    KATHRYN DANCE GRATEFULLY climbed out of the SUV and inhaled the pleasant, astringent smell of pine.
    The nausea from the rocky drive persisted but was fading.
    She watched Harutyun approach the house and punch keys on a number pad and a green light came on. He stepped inside and deactivated another security system. Then he turned some switches and lights clicked on, revealing a functional interior, with no personality whatsoever: brown shag carpet that smelled of old automobile interiors, stained photographs in cheap plastic frames, Mediterranean-style lamps and furniture with excessive scrolls. A ski resort rental. The ancient Dodge smell was supplemented by that of musty upholstery, mold and cooking fuel.
    All that was needed to complete the kitsch was a mounted bear or elk head.
    The place was big. It appeared to have four or five bedrooms and several offices behind the living room and kitchen.
    Dance exchanged mobile numbers with Tim Raymond, the security man, who remained outside. Harutyun shut the door and locked it. Then the mustachioed detective walked through the house to make sure it was secure. Simesky accompanied him.
    A few minutes later Raymond called Dance and told her that everything seemed fine along the perimeter.
    Dance looked around the austere facility and then at Davis, who now that his wife was protected seemed simply irritated that a security issue was taking time from his campaign and his congressional duties. He confirmed this a moment later when he muttered that he was due to meet workers at another farm soon but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. He’d have Peter or Myra cancel for him. “Pisses me off, I have to say.”He sat and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, then scrolled through his iPhone.
    Simesky and Harutyun returned. “All clear, windows and doors secure and armed,” the deputy told them and passed out bottled water.
    “Thanks.” Davis drank one down.
    Dance’s phone hummed with an incoming email. Rather than read it on the small screen, she opened her computer and went online. She smiled at the header: Bird Shit.
    The message was from Lincoln Rhyme and had to do with some additional analysis of the trace outside Edwin’s house.
    Finally managed to isolate the other trace in the ammonium oxalate. They were phosphates and residue of animal matter. It’s bird shit. Exactly what kind it is, I can’t say. I didn’t bring my bird shit recognition kit with me. Nor have I been able to gin up support for a bird shit genome project. But I can say the excreting birds were most likely resident in a coastal region. Fish had been the mainstay of their diet. For what it’s worth. Here’s the whole list. Don’t understand why nobody drinks in this department.
     
    He included the entire evidence chart and Dance read through it again, amused to note that when someone—Amelia Sachs, presumably—had added the recent discovery, she’d been a bit more delicate in her description.
     
    • Wednesday. Edwin Sharp’s house
    —outside:
    —boot print probably cowboy-style, unable to determine size, male or female
    —no vehicle tread marks
    —unique trace materials
    —triglyceride fat (lard)
    —2700K color temperature (yellowish)
    —melting point: 40–55 degrees F
    —specific gravity: 0.91 at 40.0C
    — Determined likely to be neatsfoot oil, treatment for leather sports equipment, tack and gunslings
    — chemicals: limonite, goethite and calcite
    — Determined likely to be gangue, ore collection and processing by - product
    —fungus
    — Determined likely to be used in place of chemical-based fertilizers
    —mineral oil, with lime sulfur
    — Determined likely to be organic pesticide
    —calcium powder
    — Determined likely to be human bone dust
    —ammonium oxalate
    — Determined likely to be bird excrement, probably from coastal area
     
    She read through the list several times more.
    And then:
    A to B to Z …
    Dance closed her eyes and let her mind