canât.â
âYou donât have to involve the police, at least not at this stage. Go to a commercial lab. Itâs a standard procedure these days, the staff will assume itâs a paternity issue.â
Byrfield was drawn to the idea. But already he could anticipate problems. âTheyâd need the childâs DNA to compare it with. How would I get that?â
âYou couldnât,â Hazel conceded. She gave it some more thought. âOkay, how about this? Get the test done, and send the results to Norris under my name. Iâll explain that itâs purely to rule something out, and that if thereâs no correlation between the two results, Iâll be respecting the subjectâs wish to remain anonymous. If, God forbid, there is a correlation, then weâll have to be honest with him. This is a murder inquiry, we canât withhold evidence that would help him solve it.â
She regarded her friend with compassion, taking in the haggard face and haunted eyes. âAre you ready for that, Pete? Because once we start this we have to see it through. If youâre right, you can support your mother but you canât protect her. Not from this.â
Byrfield nodded jerkily. âI understand. I suppose, if ⦠if thatâs what it shows ⦠I wouldnât want to protect her.â
âWeâre talking as if your mother is the only one who could be implicated,â Hazel realized. âBut if you had an older brother who was kept a secret for ten years and then killed, your father had to be involved as well. She may claim it was his doing.â
Byrfield flinched as if sheâd slapped him. âYou knew my father. Which of them would you feel inclined to blame?â
Hazel didnât have to think long. âFair enough. So, is that what youâre going to do?â
It was almost as if heâd committed himself by talking about it. While it was just a worm eating away in his brain he had the option of doing nothing about it. But heâd chosen to share his fearsâwith a police officer, of all peopleâand even if Hazel wouldnât have bullied him into doing something he didnât want to, his own conscience would. It wasnât just a sick thought anymore. Heâd acknowledged it was a possibility, and now he owed it to the child buried by his lakeâwhoever he might turn out to beâto find the truth.
And, of course, the same sample that could turn his whole family upside down could equally well set his mind at rest. If it did, he swore to himself he would never complain about the weather or the suicidal tendencies of sheep or the fact that his expensive new bull was a card-carrying member of Gay Pride ever again.
He set his jaw. As a member of the aristocracy it wasnât his best feature, but he did what he could. âYes,â he said. âAs soon as I can arrange it.â
âWill you tell David what youâre doing?â
âNo.â
âOr your mother?â
âGood God, no!â Byrfield sounded horrified. âIâm not telling anyone, unless I have to. If the results mean that I have to.â
Hazel nodded. âItâs your decision.â
âBut you donât think itâs the right one.â
âPete,â she said patiently, âitâs none of my business. Only that youâre my friend, and I want you to walk away from this with your soul intact. Do what youâre comfortable with. Do what you can face doing. But thereâs a risk that events may take the decision out of your hands. If that happens, it may become harder, not easier, to talk to your mother. I wouldnât like to think you missed your last best chance.â
His gaze dipped. âYou think Iâm being pathetic.â
Hazel shook her head. âI think youâve had a shock. I think youâre trying to deal with it without hurting anybodyâs feelings. I just think this
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