Gary Braver - Elixir

"That could take months."

Because the Bureau did not database unidentified prints, the likelihood was small that any latent prints lifted from the Bacon's home, car, and office were in any evidence file. And if any were, it meant somebody in the West Virginia headquarters had to go ferreting through boxes and evidence bags in the warehouse, removing unidentified strays, recording and classifying them, then comparing what they had with those of Roger Glover on the fern pot. Mike was right. It would tie up lab people for weeks and cost thousands of taxpayer dollars, most likely for naught. Eric knew all that.

"All because of a hunch," Zazzaro said.

Brown made a what-are-you-going-to-do shrug.

Zazzaro shook his head. Then he mouthed the words: "THE WRONG MAN."

"Probably."

"TOO YOUNG."

"Probably."

"YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE."

"Probably."

"Happy birthday, Dad." Roger opened his eyes to a large ice cream cake blazing with candles and inscribed in pink sugar script: Happy 38 Roger.

It was March 15, and, according to his birth certificate, Roger Glover's birthday.

He made a big happy face. "What a nice surprise!"

Their house, a modern two-floored structure, was built with a side-attached garage that led into the kitchen. The moment Roger had returned from work, Brett met him and made him close his eyes as he led him into the dining room with the cake in the middle of the table and streamers draped across the ceiling.

Brett and Laura broke into "Happy Birthday to You." When they were finished, Brett insisted that Roger make a wish and blow out the candles. He was enjoying himself, and Roger surprised well.

"I don't know what to wish for," he said.

"A million dollars would help," Laura joked.

"I tried for the last two dozen birthdays-it doesn't work."

"You could wish to live to a hundred," Brett said.

"Yeah, that's a good one."

Laura felt a small ripple of discomfort, but let it pass.

"In a few more years," Brett said, "there won't be any more room on the cake."

"Ho, ho, funny man." Roger blew out the candles. Birthdays always made them uncomfortable, but they played along because they had taught Brett that family occasions were important. There would be gifts after which they would go out to celebrate at Gino's on Altoona Avenue. Roger's name was on the cake, but the party was really for Brett.

That was the most important thing, Laura told herself-the love of your son and your husband. It's what she drew from during moments when she couldn't sort out reality from masquerade, when she had to remind herself who they were or what time and space they occupied. On occasions like this, she felt a little like Alice stuck halfway through the Wonderland mirror-part of her in the ordinary world, the rest of her in mad make-believe.

Roger took the knife to the cake. Its center was still frozen solid.

While it thawed, Laura handed him his gift. As usual, he teasingly drew out the moment. It was a small thin package, but he shook it to guess its contents. "New running shoes. No, golf clubs." When Brett complained, Roger finally unwrapped two CDs-a Creedance Clearwater album and the latest Bob Dylan release.

Brett made a face. "Dad, how come you like that old sixties stuff?"

"The Dylan's a new collection."

"Yeah, but he's an old hippie."

"So am I," he slipped, "…kind of."

"Thirty-eight's not old."

Laura forced a bright smile. "Brett has something to give you, too," she said, wishing this were over.

Brett then handed Roger his gift wrapped in paper covered with cartoon bouncing babies trailing balloons.

"Hey, nice macho paper!" Once again Roger weighed and shook the box. "Not a CD… Too small for a new car…"

"Dad, we haven't got all night. Open it." He was more excited than his father.

But Roger continued teasing-feeling its heft, sniffing it, shaking it vigorously. "Tropical fish?"

"We have reservations at seven o'clock, and it's six-thirty," Laura reminded him.

"You guys are no fun." Roger finally removed the paper. Inside was a large framed picture of some sort with a wire attached for hanging. Still prolonging the foreplay, he kept the back side up and the picture face down so neither he or Laura could see it.

Brett was now percolating. "Daaad!" But Roger closed his eyes and turned the picture to his face.

"Dad, will you open your eyes? I'm starving."

"Does Mom know what it is?"

"Not a clue," Laura answered. "But I think it's you naked on a bearskin rug with a rose in your mouth."

"Gross, Mom."

"By the way, Gino's closes at ten," Laura laughed.

"Oh, okay," Roger said and opened his eyes.

His smile froze on his face. It was a blown-up photograph of him holding one-year-old Ricky in the backyard of their Carleton, Massachusetts home.

"I found it in your old wallet in the basement," Brett said proudly. "I didn't tell Mom, but she gave me the money to get it enlarged. It's you and me. Like it?"

"Yeah."

"How about you, Mom?"

Laura stared at the photo, and felt her mouth twist into a rictus of a grin. "It's lovely."

She had forgotten the photo. Ricky at fifteen months, the summer of 1983. He was wearing Chris's cap and sunglasses so that his eyes weren't visible. But the shape of his baby face could be taken for Brett's and he was wearing red Oshkosh overalls like Brett's. In his hand was the red and black stuffed Mickey Mouse doll.

They had fled Carleton in such a fury that Laura was staring at the only photograph of Ricky they had seen in fourteen years. What ripped at Laura's heart was how Brett thought it was himself in Chris's arms.

"Do you like it?"

Laura held her breath and nodded. "Yeah." The syllable caught in her throat.

"How old was I then?"

"About a year and a half," Roger answered.

"And you were twenty-five. Don't get mad, Dad, but you looked a lot older back then."

Laura handed Roger the knife. "I think it's ready now."

"But how come your hair was lighter?" Brett asked.

"The sun," Roger replied, thinking fast. "I spent a lot more time outdoors. The sun bleached it out. Oh, good cake." He pushed a slice to Brett.

"And my hair looks brown in the photograph," Brett continued.

"Well, it got lighter as you got older."

"It did? I thought if you were born brunette you stayed the same, but if you were born blond your hair sometimes turned darker."

"Not always," Roger said.

"But who had blond hair in the family?"

"Your grandfather."

"So I got his hair?"

While Brett and Roger talked, Laura tried to lose herself in tidying up the table, removing wrapping paper, cutting more cake.

"Yes."

"What was his name?"

"Sam."

"Sam Glover?"

"That's right."

"And where's he buried?"

"Wichita, Kansas."

"Maybe on Memorial Day we can visit his grave."

"Uh-huh," Roger nodded. "We'll see."

"And who were my other grandparents? And where are they buried?"

But before Roger could answer, Brett said, "Mom, what are you doing? There are only three of us here. You cut eight pieces."

"Oh." She looked up stupidly and lay the knife down.

She felt crazy. Brett's questions and Roger's made-up responses were almost too much to take. Lies and more lies. They were poisoning their son with them. And the photograph sitting there on the table. Ricky laughing, his two bottom teeth poking up, and Brett thinking it's his teeth and his hair, his life. How could they tell him? How could he ever accept the truth or forgive them?

"At first, I didn't even think it was me," Brett said. "I also don't remember that Mickey Mouse doll."

"You were only a baby," Roger said.

"But I still remember Opus. And I still have him."