Faye Kellerman - The Burnt House

“So the technology is basically a CT scan for machines,” Decker said.

The technician gave Decker’s off-the-cuff words more consideration than they deserved. “In a way, yes, but we keep pushing the technology further and further. From the virtual cross sections, we use computer-aided design software to re-create the model in the physical. And with today’s accurate technology, we not only fabricate models, we also can now fabricate small car parts with a very high degree of accuracy.”

Hollander piped up. “Who’da thunk we’d be using all this fancy robotic technology for police work?”

“Isn’t it amazing?” Alderweiss gushed over his baby. “In the five short years that I’ve worked with Rapid Prototyping, I’ve seen advances in the technology that have gone way beyond my imagination. For instance, traditionally the fabrication of a model was made by laying successive layers of liquid or powdered material. That allowed us to create almost any geometry, but it didn’t help us with negative volume, which is all the stuff inside the perimeter model. Now we can actually make quality machine parts-inside and outside-using specific computer directions. You can go almost anywhere with that.”

Decker nodded, although he wasn’t quite sure what Alderweiss was talking about. The man was certainly enthusiastic about his topic. His wide hazel eyes sparked fire every time he spoke. Decker was also learning that the rapid part in Rapid Prototyping was a loosely defined term. For something the size of a human skull, the machine had to produce dozens upon dozens of successive layers of paper silhouettes. The process would take hours. Eventually all the cut-out silhouettes would be fused together to form a nearly exact replica of Jane Doe’s skull.

Alderweiss said, “Imagine what this kind of high-resolution technology could do for you?”

“Probably a lot,” Decker said, trying to match the tech’s enthusiasm.

“Take, for instance, things like stab wounds. Someone could do a CT scan of the depression, and our laser machine could trace the outline, image by image. Eventually, you’d have a replica of the knife with tool marks and all.”

“Except that flesh isn’t bone,” Decker pointed out. “The wound closes once the knife is pulled out, so the dimensions would be off.”

Alderweiss didn’t comment.

“But the applications are limitless,” Decker added.

The tech nodded but kept future conversation with Decker to a minimum. Hollander, on the other hand, had bonded with Alderweiss and the two of them continued to marvel at the wondrous fusion of science and machine.

It was around six in the evening and it looked to be a very long night. It had taken the mighty laser hours just to reproduce about a quarter of the skull, meaning that the final prototype wouldn’t be ready until the wee hours of tomorrow morning. Decker was more than willing to put up with the wait and the monotony to assure a judge that the forensic chain of evidence had not been broken, but he felt terrible about crapping out on Cindy and Koby with the house. And to add even further to Decker’s guilt, he had canceled on his daughter and son-in-law after Koby had put in extra hours and extra effort to help Decker with the CT scans.

He made a show of stretching. “If I’m not needed right now, I think I’ll take a little walk…loosen up the old bones.”

“We’ll still be here,” Alderweiss said.

Hollander said, “I’m getting hungry. How about a little takeout, Brian?”

“Sounds good to me, but we’ll have to do delivery.”

“Around my parts, pizza is a staple.”

“Okay, I’ll order in. Cheese and what?”

“Whatever you want.” Hollander turned to Decker “Loo?”

“Maybe later.”

“Hey, if you want to go out and meet someone for dinner, I’ll stick around. You know me and machines. Never met one I didn’t like.”

“Thanks, Mike, I just may take you up on it.” Decker excused himself, walked outside into the setting sun. He dialed Cindy’s number and she picked up on the third ring. “How’s it going?”

“Well…let me put it this way. We now have a gigantic hole in the back wall. I suppose that’s progress…sort of.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t-”

“Dad, I’m a cop; I understand, and it’s absolutely fine. You absolutely had to do this…to replicate that skull. Because until you put a face on your Jane Doe, there’s no way you’re going to solve her murder. And I know how obsessive you are with open cases. I’m excusing you for the betterment of society.”

“You’re very sweet and understanding, but I still feel bad about taking Mike away from the job.”

“You know, Loo, the more work that piles up, the more that Koby will see that we need outside help. Right now we’ve got a huge pile of drywall that’s about to avalanche over his beloved rose garden. I think he’s finally beginning to see that we can’t do this all by our little lonesomes, no matter how well Koby wields a nail gun.”

“I’d like to make it up to you two,” Decker told her. “What are your plans for dinner?”

“We haven’t gotten that far yet,” Cindy said. “We’re still in the ‘tarping the giant hole’ stage.”

“Rina’s visiting her parents in the city. I’ve got to stick around the area until the skull is complete. That doesn’t mean I have to be glued to the machine. Hollander can watch it in my absence, but I can’t go too far. If you can meet me, I’d love to take you both out.”

“Where are you?”

“Approximately Roscoe and Sepulveda.”

“There’s nowhere to eat around there.”

“Unless you’re interested in consuming marble or brick, that’s true. But if you’re willing to drive out to the Valley, I’m sure I could find something a little more south.”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass, Daddy. I’ve got a mess to clean up. Can I take a rain check?”

Decker was disappointed but tried to keep his voice even. “Anytime.”

“How’s the skull coming?”

“Slow, but like you said, it’s our best shot for finding out the identity of our Jane Doe. The technology is impressive, even for a Luddite like me.”

“It’s really too bad I can’t get away. It sounds really fascinating. Are you also having a forensic computer artist come up with a face?”

“Yes, ma’am, we are doing that as well.”

“Be interesting to see how well they match.”

“Yes, it will be interesting. Please thank Koby again for helping us out so quickly.”

“You can call him and thank him yourself. He’s on my naughty list right now. There are about a thousand things I’d rather be doing than sledgehammering a kitchen. On the other hand, he and Mike Hollander get along famously. I think Mike’s a father figure for him. He was a great choice, Daddy. Thanks.”

Decker smiled. “Sometimes I get it right.”

“Sometimes,” Cindy admitted, “but don’t let it go to your head.”

L OOKING AT THE replica skull made out of fused paper and perched on a stand, Lauren Decanter turned the base slowly, studying Jane Doe inch by inch as the skull completed a 360-degree revolution. “Absolutely amazing!” She looked up at Decker in awe. “This is the real deal. You can see all the necessary anatomical landmarks and then some.”

“The wonders of modern technology,” Decker said. “Although she didn’t die by modern technology.”

Lauren’s hands touched the cranium. “An old-fashioned bop on the head.” She returned her eyes to Decker’s face. “What can you tell me about the case, Lieutenant?”

“I thought a lot about it on the way over. This is what we have so far. By the teeth remaining in upper and lower mandibles, both the coroner and the forensic odontologist think she was in her early twenties at the time of her demise. We also know that she died during or after 1974 because she was wearing a band sweatshirt that was produced in 1974.”