Chapter 16Alan called ahead to let the forensics chief, Martin Smith, know we were coming. He greeted us as we entered his domain, saying, “If you’d called ten minutes later I’d have gone. Let’s see what you have for me.”
Alan handed him the carefully folded barber’s cape holding trimmings from Ed Parsons’ hair and beard.
“I presume the man these belong to doesn’t know you have them,” Smith said as he carefully laid the cape on a worktable and opened it.
“No. All I want is confirmation that the hairs do or don’t match the ones found at the scene of Ms. Willows’ burial,” Alan told him. “If they do match it gives me probable cause to bring the suspect in for formal questioning.”
“Okay. It will take me a while to run the comparisons. You can wait if you want or I can call when I’m finishe
