Page 57 of Water's Edge

“This is actually a 1912 Colt government model,” he says. “Forty-five-caliber, magazine capacity seven rounds plus one in the chamber. The after-factory magazines hold eight plus one in the chamber. This is the original. My stepfather carried it in Vietnam.”

The way he says it makes me think his stepfather is deceased, so I don’t ask. He puts the weapon back in the shoulder rig. “You aren’t here to talk about my gun, though.”

“I brought my file,” I say. “What we have so far, anyway. Is Clallam County coming?”

He sets a couple of chairs over by one of the desks and we all sit. Dina Knowles’s face is familiar to me. I notice her file open on the desk. A few of the photos from when she was found are in a neat array.

“Larry might be a little late,” he says. “He’s trying to get his hands on the DNA results. He said he couldn’t find them in his case file, and he’ll have to get copies from the crime lab.”

Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? The DNA results would already have been run by the crime lab. I won’t have to supply Marley with any of that. All I’ll have to give him are the DNA samples Cass collected for me.

“You’re talking about Marley Yang, correct?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he says. “He’s the one that did the comparison of our cases. Have you submitted DNA yet?”

“A rape kit,” I say. “They haven’t run it yet.”

Clay lets out a breath. “I know how that is. Took me four weeks to get them to look at mine, and then another three weeks after I found out about Clallam County’s case to get them to agree to compare them. That was about five months ago.”

“I talked to Marley today,” I say. “He tells me they have a new machine that can run the DNA in less than two hours.”

Clay’s eyebrows bounce. “I guess they don’t want that to get out. They wouldn’t be able to put everyone off with that ‘I’m covered up with DNA work’ routine.”

My thoughts exactly. I think Marley is afraid the lab will be flooded with priority requests.

Ronnie speaks up. “He showed me the machine when I did my rotation last month. It’s a fascinating and very expensive piece of equipment and he’s the only one trained to use it.”

And he probably wants to keep it that way. I get it.Job security.

I take the case file on Leann Truitt out of my bag.

“I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to copy it,” I say. “Can you do that while we wait for Larry to bring Clallam’s case?”

“Did someone call my name?” Larry Gray says from the doorway.

I have spoken to Larry Gray only briefly. I look at him, but I see the spitting image of Sheriff Tony Gray. Same features. Same thin hair. Same belly. Same size. The only difference is he’s five or so years younger and ten pounds heavier.

Make that fifteen.

“You don’t happen to be related to our sheriff?” I ask. “Tony Gray?”

He gives a friendly shrug. “Second cousins on my mother’s side. He doesn’t claim me and that’s the way I like it.” He adds with a huge, toothy grin, “Tony’s okay. Nothing wrong with him that retirement won’t cure.”

Thanks for nothing, I think.

Larry is lugging a big accordion folder barely held shut with a string and some rubber bands. Clay kicks a chair out, and Larry brings over his file.

“Clay,” he says.

“Larry.”

“Megan,” I say putting my hand out. His hand is big, but his grip is soft. Compared to Clay’s, anyway.

“And this must be your trusty deputy, Ronnie Marsh,” Larry says as Ronnie’s hand drips through his big paw. “We’ve talked a few times. I called Yang at the crime lab. You know Marley, don’t you?”

I nod and he goes on. “Yeah, he’s a pistol. He said I didn’t need a copy of the results because he has all of that pulled up already and is looking at our cases. He has high praise for Ronnie here. Said to tell her he’s running her case through now.”

Hercase?

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