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I’m going to give you a brief snapshot of how I see this – but keep in mind the evidence guys have yet to do their analysis, and Svenson is waiting for them to finish up before he gets a decent look at the vic . . . Sorry, I mean, Ms Tyler,’ he added, looking at David.
    David nodded back, acknowledging Joe’s efforts to show Stephanie the respect of personalisation. He and Sara both knew that until the ME arrived, no one moved the body – and when the ME got the go-ahead, he would do a ‘minimal’ examination so as not to upset the crime scene. Then it was back to the morgue, where the autopsy would be carried outeither tomorrow or the next day, or considering it was Friday night, some time early next week, depending on Svenson’s ‘back-up’.
    â€˜The dad,’ Mannix went on, ‘the TV guy, says he was cleaning his hunting rifle in the garage and needed some extra rags from under the kitchen sink. Says he forgot the piece was loaded, kicked the kitchen door open with his right foot and accidentally lost his footing. Says he lunged into the kitchen and shot his missus, who was sitting down with a wine and a magazine.’
    â€˜The murder weapon was a hunting rifle?’ asked David.
    â€˜The mean kind,’ Joe confirmed with a nod. ‘The one used to pop big game animals.’
    â€˜The guy shoots game?’ asked Sara.
    â€˜No – at least he says he hasn’t had a chance to try it yet. Says the gun was a present from his wife.’
    David immediately found this strange, given the Stephanie he once knew was a vocal advocate against cruelty towards animals.
    â€˜Says he has never shot with anything bigger than a two wood,’ Joe went on. ‘In his whole entire life.’
    â€˜Until tonight,’ said David.
    â€˜Until tonight,’ repeated Joe.
    â€˜So how do you see this?’ asked David as another crime tech walked by.
    â€˜The guy is lying. His theory just doesn’t add up. He was too clean. That rifle is a spatter gun, and the only traces of blood on him were transferred. There was no gunpowder residue on his hands.’
    â€˜Did he have time to shower?’ interrupted David.
    â€˜He didn’t shower,’ said Joe. ‘Still had make-up on from the TV thing earlier in the day.’
    â€˜So?’ said David, taking it all in.
    â€˜So the dad is clean and his son is covered in a thousand miniature droplets.’
    â€˜Of his mother’s blood?’ asked Sara.
    â€˜Like he just ran through a sprinkler.’
    â€˜You think the father is covering for the kid?’ David asked.
    Joe nodded. ‘I’m sure of it. The kid’s eyebrows are knotted with his mother’s blood. His hands were clean but that was probably because ofthe length of his T-shirt sleeves and the way he was holding the rifle. Up high,’ said Joe, mimicking an old rifleman’s pose. ‘Like this. The burn mark on the shirt is probably a result of the blast literally smouldering the fabric at the point where it made contact with the gun – and if the crime lab guys find trace powder residue on it, that, and the blood, will pretty much confirm the kid as the shooter.’
    â€˜Which means he’ll be arrested within days,’ said David.
    â€˜It is just a matter of time,’ said Joe.
    â€˜Are you taking him in for questioning?’ asked Sara.
    â€˜No. Frank and I had a go at him earlier but he’s terribly distressed, practically catatonic. I’ve called for a psyche consult but . . . the thing is, with the father’s confession, until we can prove the good doctor
didn’t
kill his wife then our hands are somewhat tied.’
    â€˜Because officially you already have the perp in hand,’ finished Sara. ‘And no legal reason, at least until the evidence is analysed, to pursue any other possible perpetrators.’
    Joe nodded again.
    â€˜One last thing before we