skinny rectangular windows flanked a thick steel door, which allowed access to a courtyard beside the house. Two more windows dotted the near wall, allowing a ground-level view of the Gables’ backyard and dock.
“Being rich seems nice,” Hi commented. “Remind me to get on that.”
I was already moving to where Coop was snuffling beside the steel door.
“Heel, boy.” I didn’t want him destroying evidence.
The wolfdog trotted a few steps away, turned, then crouched on his paws, watching me.
“How’d he get inside?” Ben scratched his cheek in annoyance.
“We left the door cracked, and he smelled something.” I pointed to the floor space that had drawn Coop’s attention. “Over there, I assume.”
“That’s our big lead?” Shelton gave the wolfdog a hard look. “This mutt could be tracking a bologna sandwich.”
I shook my head. “Coop sent me his perception—it wasn’t lunch meat. Coop thinks he smelled blood.”
“Do what now?” Shelton took a step backward. “Did you say blood ?”
“Yikes.” Hi ran a hand through his hair. “This just got serious.”
“Agreed.” I slipped my pack from my shoulders, thankful I’d thought to bring my evidence kit. “First, we turn this room upside down.”
As I knelt to lay out supplies, Ben began a careful circuit of the basement, golden irises blazing. After a moment’s hesitation, Shelton joined him.
I tried to hide my nerves, but was scared of what we might find.
Cooper’s nose had been sure.
Still nothing to worry about, Detective Hawfield?
“Whatcha thinking?” Hi squatted down beside me, wearing an eager look. He loved experiments more than anyone, and had guessed my intentions.
“I’m gonna spray this area with Luminol.”
“Luminol? How’d you get that? Sounds expensive.”
“Not if you make your own.”
“Make your own?” Hi shifted to get a look at my face. “Victoria Grace, have you been holding out on me?”
“Sorry.” I shoved aside my fingerprint kit, sticky tape, digital camera, and box of plastic baggies. The brown cylinder of homemade Luminol was nestled in the bottom of my bag.
“Well, at least tell me how you did it,” Hi insisted.
“You cut up vinyl gloves and boil the pieces with rubbing alcohol.” I pulled out an empty spray bottle and poured in the cylinder’s contents. “That process extracts a compound called diethylhexyl phthalate. Filter that solution, then boil it again with water and some drain cleaner. After a few more filtration hoops, you have pure phthalic anhydride.”
Hi seemed to be memorizing my words. “And that’s Luminol?”
I shook my head. “After that it gets . . . complicated. I’ll forward you the link from ChemHacker. Promise.”
“Yes, you will. I can’t believe you did this without me.”
“Sorry.” I tested the spray bottle. “The chemical process has some dangerous byproducts, and the whole thing was pretty hard to pull off, even working at LIRI. My first attempt bombed.”
“Kit lets you synthesize chemicals in his labs?”
“What my father doesn’t know won’t kill him.”
Hi snorted, but let the matter drop. “So we spray this science project on the floor to detect . . . what, exactly?”
I cleared my throat. “Blood.”
“Ugh.” Hi paled. “That’s what I thought.”
“You think there’s blood on the floor?” Shelton had spoken close to my ear, causing me to jump. “I don’t see any.”
Ben stood beside him. “Circuit complete. Nothing unusual.” Pointing to the base of the doorframe. “That’s where Coop was poking around. Did he find something?”
“I don’t know yet.” Curt. “I’m going to spray and see.”
“See what?” Ben appeared unfazed by my frosty tone.
“Luminol exhibits chemiluminescence.” Grrr. I’m not talking to you!
Shelton frowned. “Chemi-what-now?”
“Chemiluminescence.” I inched closer to the door. “In other words, it glows when mixed with an oxidizing agent. Blood contains
“Being rich seems nice,” Hi commented. “Remind me to get on that.”
I was already moving to where Coop was snuffling beside the steel door.
“Heel, boy.” I didn’t want him destroying evidence.
The wolfdog trotted a few steps away, turned, then crouched on his paws, watching me.
“How’d he get inside?” Ben scratched his cheek in annoyance.
“We left the door cracked, and he smelled something.” I pointed to the floor space that had drawn Coop’s attention. “Over there, I assume.”
“That’s our big lead?” Shelton gave the wolfdog a hard look. “This mutt could be tracking a bologna sandwich.”
I shook my head. “Coop sent me his perception—it wasn’t lunch meat. Coop thinks he smelled blood.”
“Do what now?” Shelton took a step backward. “Did you say blood ?”
“Yikes.” Hi ran a hand through his hair. “This just got serious.”
“Agreed.” I slipped my pack from my shoulders, thankful I’d thought to bring my evidence kit. “First, we turn this room upside down.”
As I knelt to lay out supplies, Ben began a careful circuit of the basement, golden irises blazing. After a moment’s hesitation, Shelton joined him.
I tried to hide my nerves, but was scared of what we might find.
Cooper’s nose had been sure.
Still nothing to worry about, Detective Hawfield?
“Whatcha thinking?” Hi squatted down beside me, wearing an eager look. He loved experiments more than anyone, and had guessed my intentions.
“I’m gonna spray this area with Luminol.”
“Luminol? How’d you get that? Sounds expensive.”
“Not if you make your own.”
“Make your own?” Hi shifted to get a look at my face. “Victoria Grace, have you been holding out on me?”
“Sorry.” I shoved aside my fingerprint kit, sticky tape, digital camera, and box of plastic baggies. The brown cylinder of homemade Luminol was nestled in the bottom of my bag.
“Well, at least tell me how you did it,” Hi insisted.
“You cut up vinyl gloves and boil the pieces with rubbing alcohol.” I pulled out an empty spray bottle and poured in the cylinder’s contents. “That process extracts a compound called diethylhexyl phthalate. Filter that solution, then boil it again with water and some drain cleaner. After a few more filtration hoops, you have pure phthalic anhydride.”
Hi seemed to be memorizing my words. “And that’s Luminol?”
I shook my head. “After that it gets . . . complicated. I’ll forward you the link from ChemHacker. Promise.”
“Yes, you will. I can’t believe you did this without me.”
“Sorry.” I tested the spray bottle. “The chemical process has some dangerous byproducts, and the whole thing was pretty hard to pull off, even working at LIRI. My first attempt bombed.”
“Kit lets you synthesize chemicals in his labs?”
“What my father doesn’t know won’t kill him.”
Hi snorted, but let the matter drop. “So we spray this science project on the floor to detect . . . what, exactly?”
I cleared my throat. “Blood.”
“Ugh.” Hi paled. “That’s what I thought.”
“You think there’s blood on the floor?” Shelton had spoken close to my ear, causing me to jump. “I don’t see any.”
Ben stood beside him. “Circuit complete. Nothing unusual.” Pointing to the base of the doorframe. “That’s where Coop was poking around. Did he find something?”
“I don’t know yet.” Curt. “I’m going to spray and see.”
“See what?” Ben appeared unfazed by my frosty tone.
“Luminol exhibits chemiluminescence.” Grrr. I’m not talking to you!
Shelton frowned. “Chemi-what-now?”
“Chemiluminescence.” I inched closer to the door. “In other words, it glows when mixed with an oxidizing agent. Blood contains
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