Nikolai shook his head."Neighbor."
Frode nodded."So if he didn't murder her, he was there to watch the carnage, touched the blood-soaked rug, and then left without reporting it."A shrug."Either way, you have to prove he did it.My word holds no weight in court.I'm as certain as I can be of him being the guy, but you must do your job, and both find him and prove it."
He was right.They still had to do their job, still had to gather evidence."Let's ask the neighbors if they've seen him."
Isaac gave a clipped nod."I'll put some uniforms on it."
"Want to go visit Saylor?"Nikolai looked between Frode and Isaac.
Isaac grinned."He'll get annoyed if we show up before he's called us."
"Not if we bring Frode."Nikolai wiggled his eyebrows despite not liking the idea of putting Frode and Saylor in the same room.
"I should leave."Frode glanced at the door."You have a job to do.I'd only be in your way, plus I'm not sure you're allowed to share any details with me.I'm not a cop."
Valid points, but Nikolai didn't want him to go.
* * * *
Frode walked along Nikolai and Elmore down the corridor to Saylor's workplace.He wasn't sure what he was doing there.The forensic team worked in a building on the other side of town, and he'd never been there before.
Elmore stopped by an open door to a spacious laboratory with white walls, clean desks with sharp lights, microscopes, and other things Frode only had seen in crime shows before.
Saylor was standing in the middle of the room, wearing a white lab coat, and protective gloves.At Elmore's knock he looked over and scowled, then his gaze landed on Frode, and the scowl softened.Fuck.
"I wasn't aware we had an appointment."Okay, so maybe the tone was a little biting.Frode didn't mind.
Nikolai only grinned."We don't.Frode came by to discuss the composite sketches from the first rug, so we figured we'd drop by while we had him with us to see if you can tell us anything about the latest one."
"You want to touch this one?"Saylor's entire focus was on Frode.
"Not if I can avoid it, and certainly not if it's a well-used rug."
Saylor shook his head."I'm not done with the processing, but I think it's fairly new.It's machine-made, printed pattern, synthetic fibers, no wear and tear."
Frode held his breath.It didn't sound too bad, but he didn't want to touch it."How sure are you?"
Saylor gave a slow shrug accompanied by a grimace."I can't guarantee anything.All I can tell you is it isn't damaged other than by the blood and decomposition, but I have no idea how many have stepped on it."
Pleading looks hardly ever helped, but Frode sent Nikolai one anyway.When Nikolai placed a hand on Frode's shoulder, he jumped.
"You don't have to do anything.We have the drawings.We'll see what comes of it."
Saylor stared at the hand lingering on Frode's shoulder, and Frode wondered if Nikolai had touched him to annoy Saylor.Petty, but he didn't shake it off.Saylor might be cute, but he was a bit...overzealous.Maybe he was being unfair, but he wasn't sure he'd have spared Frode so much as a glance had he not been psychic.
"If we get stuck, we can see which one of the other rugs has the least wear and tear and see if you're willing to risk it, but for now, you don't have to touch anything."Nikolai sounded as if he meant it.It was a huge change from him accusing Frode of lying about his ability and then pushing to have him touch all the rugs.Frode was grateful, but what had changed?
"I'll let you know when I'm done."Saylor looked between Nikolai and Frode, and Frode stepped away from under Nikolai's hand.It was a bit too possessive.
A small smile appeared on Saylor's lips."Your brother had some more bullet casings for us too."
"He did?Today?"
"Nah, yesterday."
Frode nodded.Was it why he'd sounded a bit off yesterday?"He hasn't asked me to touch anything."
"Word around town is he and Givens had a fight."
