I called up Laura. It seemed to me she owed me one.
Her office was drab and devoid of personality. You might expect someone working in a morgue to try to jazz the place up a bit. But no. The desk was stainless steel. Just like the slabs. I suppose a little color might only have made the place worse. The contrast too extreme. But she didn’t have so much as a picture of the kids on her desk.
Laura, I said, I need a favor.
Just ask, she said, and it’s yours.
Well, it’s a really, really big favor.
She tilted her head quizzically.
All right, Rick, spit it out. What do you need?
I need a private DNA lab.
I can refer you to several. Some of them are actually quite good.
No, I can’t use commercial labs.
Why not?
Let’s just say there are certain things they won’t be able to do.
Laura shook her head.
I don’t know, Rick. I think I see where you’re heading. But that’s a lot to ask.
I know. I told you that up front. It’s a really, really big favor. But it’s really, really important to me.
She looked me in the eye. This has something to do with Melissa, Rick?
Maybe.
Can you be a little more vague?
I’d like to tell you more. I really would. But I think it’s better if I don’t.
Rick. This is a little weird. I mean, I think I know you well enough to know that you wouldn’t be up to something illegal…
That much I can assure you, I laughed. It’s just that…well. I need this to be private. It’s very important to me.
You’re making it awfully hard for me to say no.
Good. Then it’s working.
All right, she said, pulling over a pad of paper. I reserve the right to change my mind. But let’s do this. If you have a sample you want tested, leave it in an envelope in my home mailbox. Here’s the address. Don’t ring the bell. Just drop it in the box. It’s locked. Write any instructions on the inside of the envelope. Don’t put it on a separate piece of paper. Just write it under the flap before you seal it.
My, you’ve got a little of the spy in you, I said.
She gave me a wry smile.
And Rick? she said.
Yes?
If this turns out to be something that’s important to a case I know about… she paused to give me a knowing look…I can’t keep it to myself.
Okay Laura. I understand. But let’s cross that bridge when we come to it, okay?
Okay, she said, with a dubious shake of her head.
On the way home I had the car make a detour. I took the small envelope out of my pocket. I wrote some simple instructions on the underside of the flap. I sealed it, and dropped it into Laura’s mailbox.