by Zac Funstein
Suzette was presumed to be his partner although this was never satisfactorily clarified. Whoever this was incurred his wrath for this omission, indeed no doubt would get a reprimand when next met. Ducharme had a certain sympathy for her.
The briefcase was found eventually then a miniature hoover like object removed-(a peculiar device with a nozzle at the end). This was given over for approbation or approval as deemed fit. Dexter clicked a switch on the side which made it whir like a conventional domestic model only much smaller.
“Now you’re gonna ask where do all these pesky fibres come from?”
“I wasn’t but since you mention it L'Angelier. I suppose I adjudged the usual sources-plenty of those let’s be fair. People are always complaining about fibres in everything clogging up mechanisms making folk choke.”
One thing you got to know fairly fast was there were plenty of these it was finding which ones that mattered that sorted the men from the boys.
“They generally come from clothing, drapery, wigs, carpeting, furniture, plus blankets-you name it. Pre comp analysis, they are first determined to be natural, manufactured, or a mix of both as we are determining now.”
The hoover is rudely snatched from the inexperienced user. The casing is then removed then the internal bag removed. A few remnants are inside, but not so much as anyone would notice.
“They compare against fibers taken from a suspect’s clothes, car or home. An analyst will look at the diameter, then try to determine if it is synthetic or natural. They can also use chromatography to pick apart the various chemicals used to dye the fabric. If a fiber has faded in a particular way, this makes it even easier to link these as potentially coming from the same piece of fabric. Forensic analysts that look at these for a living do most of their work with a microscope. Why am I telling you this you should meet microscope buff Delmara Charpentier. What Delmara doesn’t know about them could be written on a postage stamp.”
“Delmara is hot!”
“You might say-we were lucky to get someone of her calibre.”
Delmara Charpentier was the resident of another disused ward, which as L’Angelier directed Dexter them there proved a good chance to ask him about this microscopically obsessed individual.
“What do you know about this Charpentier L'Angelier-apart from being highly recommended?”
“Not much-when Delmara reached puberty she left her hometown of Madre de Dios.”
“My geographies not that good but it’s in Peru I believe correct us if I’m wrong?”
“Correct-Charpentier was an exchange student here in the French speaking part of Quebec.
Hers was a big family-Delmara was the only girl-they were close- even now apart from herself they still lived in Madre de Dios in the same family house. Delmara fell in love with Canada -her aim was to be a Canadian citizen when old enough no question. Another aim-to use the microscope skills developed to assist unfortunate children began to materialize as well.”
“I trust we have enough time to elucidate further-it would assist to know as much as possible.”
L'Angelier examined his watch-it must have been okay because as the security code was punched in the following preamble came.
“Delmara went to Paris Sorbonne to get a medical education-her wish was a doctorate in pediatric research.Whilst there a social-gang gathered around her-a Toronto resident was met
who was fluent in Spanish-they hit it off immediately. Multi-lingual Delmara was smitten. It was when Toronto denizen Pahash K. Charpentier went to Europe to teach that Delmara realised how close they had got.”
“This has a happy ending I can tell-something to restore faith in human-nature-they missed each other-continue.”
“They married eventually but what got to Pahash was his beloveds affection for the use of the microscope in her research which seemed to dominate above all else. It sometimes seems to come between them but I believe they are still together”
Upon meeting Charpentier was the archetypical petite, lab-coated bespectacled techie. This might seem like the picture of wholesome innocence depicted however dressed professionally, one was assured that Charpentier could handle the most irate of clients. Friendship seemed to develop immediately-rather like the syndicated comic Rosalind/ Parataxis (the strip cartoon) they seemed to gel. Everywhere was the seemingly small rectangles of glass that denoted they were specimen slides. They were in boxes or piled up on top of one another all neatly labelled in Delmara’s telltale script.
“You must excuse the mess-when the tired oldster drew near to his last, having fought the good fight kept the faith I promised to never give up.”
The ‘tired oldster’ was her dad it was learnt-’the faith’ their desire to get rid of certain childhood related diseases through this talent that his daughter had inherited. To make such past-tense for good.
“Any reason for these? it was enquired indicating a pair of jeans in a plastic container.
A pair of jeans containing material that blocks wireless signals is being developed in conjunction with anti-virus firm Sigurmundsson. The denim is intended to stop thieves hacking into radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged passports or-even worse- contactless payment cards. According to security firm Valgeirsdóttir Ltd this type of theft is a growing problem. The jeans are designed by online clothing company Björnsdóttir and use a silver-based material to block signals.”
“This is interesting although I do not know why.”
A small plastic bottle is indicated.
“We are developing a slide cleanser at the moment-the little residue that remains is an unfortunate side-effect but when rubbed with a cloth pad with a small amount of this on.” A small amount is squeezed onto a damp J-cloth. “This has the additional merit of making using specimen slides much quicker, each user getting can get through many more than usual.”
“What is special did you get this from if you’ll pardon the intrusion Delmara?” asked Dexter picking up a slide which seemed fairly much like the rest.
“By rescuing James from the oblivion into which my co-developer was cast. I was the one that encouraged him that gave him the support. James grew up in a family in which his parents were divorced when my chum was a baby. James describes his parents as ‘old hippies’ whose main message to him was, ‘Do your own thing’. They never gave him an iota of guidance or support. His sense was that while they didn't discourage him, neither did they support him in terms of encouraging him or participating in the activity with him.”
“What does our ‘little find’ at the Schreiber British Columbia site tell you?”
“I am familiar with the tragic circumstances but I haven’t seen the data-if you would punch it up online L'Angelier.”
“A moment if you would Delmara -its not complete we have only just begun.”
A security ATM card is slipped into the side of a monitor which bleeps responsively-then a jpeg of the fabric found appears. The response from the public spirited one is immediate.
“The number of fibers on the clothing of a victim identified as matching the clothing of a suspect is important in determining actual contact-I’m not sure we have enough here.”
The magnification is turned up a notch.
“You don’t have enough-I don’t quite understand.”
“The greater the number, the more likely that contact actually occurred with the one responsible. The amount on the clothing of a victim identified as matching the clothing of a suspect is important in determining actual contact. It doesn’t preclude a solution just makes life easier.”
“More is better- like a slogan almost.”
“Generally-yeh a slogan I like that- the analyst gets only a limited quantity to work with sometimes-as humbling as it must be- only one-as with the unfortunate here. Something is better than nothing as always-we must be stoic. Whatever has been gathered is then compared against those from a suspect source, unfortunately since we have nothing else to go on we are forced to conjecture what or where thi
s is. Fibers are laid side by side for visual inspection through a microscope needless to say-but since we have nothing else we must deal with what we actually have.”
A comparison microscope (compound microscopes joined by an optical bridge) used for more precise identification is pulled over as per illustration.
All this toying with the importance of filaments seemed to suggest rope-making a highly important useful art, by which a great number of delicate strands are combined together. The fibres most commonly used in the manufacture of ropes, are those of hemp which was imported from St Petersburg where Dexter’s grandfather originated, though Dexter wisely neglected to mention this.
“An app of some description Delmara-how fascinating.”
Ducharme leans forward to peek through the lens but the microscope buff stops him.
“Patience Dexter-this is not a plaything-but a very delicate instrument. All of the lens in these are very precious-they are made of the softest coated glass. Never use an abrasive or hard brush of any description-or approach them wildly like that as you did just now.”
“I didn’t realise please understand that I haven’t seen one of these before.”
An air aspirator which has rested nearby is used to clean this then the lens is fogged by gentle breath which precedes a Q-tip being rubbed around the sides.
“Now I believe you can use the lens as the beautiful instrument it is.”
The viewer is rotated for his edification once again.
Some activity on the Peruvians part is noticed so that Dexter asks:
“What is it you are doing Delmara?”
Dexter had one of those ‘stupid pedagogique moments’ like when you got one of those really big, fat F's on a test or homework assignment, which you quickly hid in the desk so no one else would see how ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’ it is.
“I am positioning a relative fibre on a slide then moving it so you can see better. It will serve as an illustration I believe though I might be wrong.”
As is requested this is complied with then Dexter asks:
“What is it I’m supposed to see,” when in fact what was wanted to say l was ‘I haven’t got an inkling of what this’.
“Shall I tell him or will you Landers?”
Landers is searched for confirmation.
There seemed to be some assumption that L'Angelier knew instinctively what was being demanded.
“Carry on Delmara you seem to be doing very well on your own-the floor is yours.”
“I wanted to show how man-made fabric differs from natural. The natural have a distinct cellular shape-man-made come in a variety however-round, multi-lobal. This one on the screen we call ‘Michelan man’ on account of the puffiness. I would hazard this is man made-that we found on the dead teen but we must do go deeper into this.”
The further PS results came after that. Landers L'Angelier, wrote in an e-mail that Dexter should visit personally so the significance was not misunderstood. Ducharme engaged Varden Xawa-a close associate to go instead- via the same medium however after expressing his wish to ‘opt out’.
‘I wish to be one who in the fiery furnace of controversy, found fire was not on his garments upon removal. My rule is if at all possible get a friend to continue where you left off, to extract in brief the facts stated, the arguments advanced, plus the conclusions drawn, on them, so extracted, frame an answer. You Varden are that friend.’
In reply to Xawa’s asking why a cohort was necessary-a response- again via gmail- came ‘Via the goodwill of another comes filtered as it were through an unprejudiced/ friendly medium, a divestment of anything that could warp the judgment or rouse the degrading passions. Anonymity is my cloak-my shield. I do not suppose, dear Varden, that you will disapprove of my declining to enter into further personal encounter with Mr. L'Angelier. I have observed, that there is a line of demarcation in controversy, a Rubicon, on the near side of which candour, good sense join in the search after useful practical results. In the present case Xawa , I believe it is plain that I have been brought very close to the boundary, therefore out of self-respect I advance no further.’
Varden although a little mystified agreed to the request-it didn’t sounds like a very large undertaking. The KWV Scientific premises were duly made for in his Nissan Maxima. A further edifice in glass/steel to ostensible purposes like so many of similar construction.
L'Angelier seemed as stymied as Xawas was. Varden-who was the kind of man who bought his clothes at the Big & Tall store, who certainly had the imposing attitude to match his imposing size so anything said was always heeded carefully-was asked.
“Was it something I said-maybe I offended him in some way? I can't understand a culture that embraces outsiders at the expense of their own. If you can tell us what went down.”
When Landers was not invited to serve on a faculty committee, where it was believed someone of his calibre could make a contribution, the scientist was visibly hurt / angry as now but insisted then as now that ‘didn't care’ status was his—in fact, said it would give him more free time.
Woe unto us all because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence eventually cometh!
“I can't do the Mexican accent, like him, but what Dexter said was”— here Varden made himself sound all indignant then gave an edited version of what was mentioned as per excuse.
“So Ducharme likes to play it incognito ‘The Man in the Crowd’ big deal. We’d all like to go incognito once in a while. If we could all opt out of our responsibilities it would be good.”
Poe's famous tale ‘The Man of the Crowd’: the pursuer, the crowd, an unknown man who manages to walk through London in such a way that he always remains in the middle of the crowd was perhaps what was being referred to.
Varden’s expression stayed frozen like a glass mask for the beginning of their meeting the theatrical tinge only dampening towards the end. Eventually it was demanded boldly.
“If you could tell us what Delmara Charpentier’s valued judgement prove to be.”
Now more important issues impinged like the fabric that had been so keenly studied.
“I believe Charpentier said the material was most likely man-made.”
“You certain about that Varden?”
“Each time you make a choice, you must be prepared to experience the consequence of that choice I believe is how it was put by Delmara.”
“Anything else from Charpentier’s great store of wisdom?”
“‘ Now only a solitary task must obsess us to play fast/ a loose with science,’ was mentioned. There is something else. ‘Don’t Be Sorry, Be Sure!’ You must realize that who you are is wrapped up in what you do-to ignore this is to be guilty of an impiety which we must surely eventually repent of.”
Delmara was full of pithy sayings appropriate for any occasion.
“Was any indication given of which artificial material it was?”
The occasional scream of agony plus the sound of the lash might rent the air but they got to the matter under scrutiny no question.
“Polyester/ nylon fibers are the most commonly encountered man-made fibers, followed by acrylics, rayons, plus acetates. There are many other less common man-made fibers-but as to which it was…”
“They were at a loss if common or rare.”
“I am of accord we must do the test for nylon first then move onto the more esoteric if necessary-there is a gang well versed in this-they will know what to do. Start with the straightforward then move onto the refined element.”
The way nylon was mentioned it was like they wanted to change in some manner. This wasn’t always going to be up there. A league table was sensed-albeit an unwritten one. They wished to push past previous hurdles. Their references it was sensed were old generally regarded as masterpieces of the medieval. Nylon formed from its simultaneous creation in New York/ London wasn’t always going to be the most used.
Dexter made Varden relate all of this on his return.
There were an unlikely coupling, but seemingly they respected each other. They played chess regularly, Dexter on occasion even having a game with Xawas at his favorite haunt, situated by the YMCA. Beau McBryde called them Abbott/ Costello. Dexter, of course was the handsome one a gifted athlete, whilst Varden was the short obese idiot. They had played together for several years were quite evenly matched-there was even a rivalry. Then Dexter began to beat Varden regularly. Varden was at a loss to understand why these phenomena occurred. Then Dexter sent the several volumes that were being studied on how to play chess as a birthday gift. Soon they were evenly matched again.
Anger would appear to be a very related issue with this coupling. How can to get in touch with anger/ obtain some kind of release-seemed to motivate them both only positively. There were many who were very concerned -who wanted to find the answer quick.The faster the better.
“It's good for us to get out of our comfort zone occasionally. Who did L'Angelier say we should consult?”
“To estimate if there is a nylon component, however, we should consult the wise, not the foolish.Tyson Gister should be our guide. Tyson amateur projectionist, brooding, anarchic genius.”
The Projectionist wasn’t just a little film that made Dexter alternatively laugh, sigh even chuckle a little-one that explored the vital relationship between migration/ the moving image but a person too.
“Projectionist as in cinema?”
“Yeh the classic bored aimless projectionist- someone described him as ‘an amiable shambles’ who concocts a rich screen life to offset his bleak lonely real existence. In his alternative reality Gister, is Capt Action, star of his own reel-to-reel serial. His spare-room is piled high with old silent movie reels. But that shouldn’t concern us here-we must put ethereal disused theatre halls aside.”
“It seems an unusual connection with fibre evidence.”
“The problem with filament evidence-if you’ll forgive us for saying so- is that is not unique-not even remotely. All kinds of discipline contribute-ones that might not seemingly have a connection. This has been his part time interest since a childhood romance that was attacked had her Swedish attacker found using this technique.”