Smoke and Mirrors

12

While Brad went to get the toothpick ready for shipping, Winter picked up the office phone and dialed a cell number in Washington, D.C. He smiled when a familiar voice answered, “Alexa Keen.”

“Alexa, it’s Winter.”

“Winter. Have you gotten yourself arrested?” she asked.

“What makes you ask that? Oh, the caller ID.”

“Tunica County Sheriff’s Office.”

“Not yet,” he said.

“Sean told me you were doing your deer hunt in Como.” She laughed. “So how’s that family-bonding-over-blood thing going for you?”

“Faith Ann killed her first deer. A major buck too.”

“I still think that’s a shame, Massey,” Alexa said. “Teaching that child to murder poor defenseless animals.”

“She’d beg to differ, and obviously you’ve never been assaulted by a deer. Their little hooves are like razors. Anyway, it’s all in the name of game management and a well-rounded education, which was her argument to get me to let her go hunting.”

“Cheaper than a shopping trip to Europe, I suppose. She is an extraordinary young lady,” Alexa said. “Must be hard on you, being so obviously average and surrounded by extraordinary people. So what are you doing in Tunica? Not gambling, I hope. It’s a superhighway to ruin, you know.”

Winter told her about the Adams murder, the card, and the used toothpick he’d found. “I need DNA really fast. Awhile back you told me about some new DNA deal that takes hours, not days,” he said.

“I did indeed. It’s called EDM.”

“Wasn’t the lab in Nashville?”

“ProCell. I suppose I can have DNA expedited for your sheriff buddy. You get it there ASAP. The procedure they’re doing is fast, but results aren’t going to be accepted in court. They need three days for accuracy.”

“Can I do that without having those results included in any official report along with the tests? I’d cover the costs, of course.”

“Sure, but why?”

“No big deal. Just a favor for a friend.”

“A favor for a friend is loaning them your car,” Alexa said. “Your friends tend to ask you to close the gates to hell.”