Frode turned to an empty sheet, wrote Rug 1 at the top, and underlined it twice.Then he listed: Elmore, evidence woman, Saylor, Dubose, Saylor, dark-haired forensic man, Saylor, Altman, victim 1, Altman, Sam Neace.He stopped after Mr.Neace, since nothing was relevant beyond him.
Then he turned a sheet and wrote Rug 4 followed by: Dubose, Saylor, dark-haired forensic man, Saylor, Dubose, Saylor, ME guy, Saylor, Altman, victim 4, Altman, gray-haired woman.He stopped after her.They didn't know who she was, but Frode didn't think it was relevant.She'd most likely sold the rug to Altman.
If they wanted him to, he could work with Yeager and do a composite drawing, but he didn't think they'd have much use for it.
Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind.After a minute or two, he turned another leaf and wrote Rug 3, followed by: Elmore, evidence woman.He should learn the names of people he saw often.The evidence woman had handed out many of the things he'd read over the years, but he always allowed her face to swish by since he knew she'd most often be the second face he saw after touching something.
After the evidence woman, it had been Saylor, the dark-haired forensic guy, Saylor, Dubose, Saylor, Altman, victim 3, Saylor, Altman, a man in his mid-thirties.He stopped after the man since he suspected it was the one who'd sold the rug to Altman.Then he stared at the list, and the hairs at the back of his neck stood on end.
"Frode?"Nikolai's voice sounded far away.
He looked up and met concerned eyes.
"Hey, are you feeling okay?"
Elmore stopped what he was doing and looked at Frode."What happened?"
Frode couldn't find his voice, so he pointed to his list.Both Elmore and Nikolai got off their chairs, grabbed them, and placed them in front of the couch.As they sat, Frode turned the notepad and pointed at Saylor's name underneath victim 3.
Elmore blinked."Saylor touched the rug before Jennifer Elder?"
Frode nodded.
"Wait."He held up a hand as a frown overtook his face."The man in his mid-thirties is the one you think sold the rug to Altman?"
Frode nodded again.If he sold it, handed it over, threw it on the curb for Altman to find, he didn't know, but he was the last one to touch it before Altman did.
"And then Saylor touched it between Altman and Jennifer Elder?"
"Yes."Frode's voice was hoarse.
Elmore leaned back in his chair."Fuck."
Nikolai held his hand out."Can I see the other lists?"
Frode gave him the notepad, and Nikolai started at the first list.He scanned the names, then read them again."Nothing weird about this one, right?"
"No slip up."
Nikolai studied him for several seconds."But he couldn't know it would be the first one you'd touch.It was all us."He motioned between Elmore and himself.
"True."
Nikolai didn't reply but turned over the sheet and studied the second list."This is okay too?"
Frode shrugged."Yeah, I think so."
"But this one was the one he pushed for, either to have you do a reading in the forensic department or because it was safe for him."
Elmore took the notepad from Nikolai, his expression hardening, and Frode's pulse picked up.
"What?"His voice was nothing but a whisper.
"When you were getting ready to touch the rug in the forensic department, Hjalmar asked Dubose about the crime scene."He gestured at the list; Frode wasn't entirely sure why.He remembered Hjalmar talking to Dubose.He'd been his normal flirty self, and Frode had been too nervous about facing the rug to pay attention to what he'd said.
"Yeah?"
"She said Mallon was the first one to arrive."He pointed at where Frode had written ME guy between two mentions of Saylor."You have it Altman, Saylor, Mallon, Saylor, but according to Dubose, Saylor arrived after Mallon."
