Vic pulled out her phone and brought up the crime scene photographs.Miles was somewhat surprised; it seemed like a bold tactic.“The killer left manifestos claiming both victims were spreading molecular corruption through their work.The teacher used recalled art supplies with race amounts of toxic substances.The florist was using synthetic pesticides.”
Lawson studied the photos as Vic scrolled through them, his face growing even paler as he absorbed the details.“My God.This is...this is monstrous.”He looked up at them with genuine horror.“You thinkIdid this?”
“We think whoever did this shares your views about chemical contamination and has access to the same technical knowledge,” Miles said.“Your writings about fluorine purification match the killer's stated philosophy from the letters they left behind almost exactly.”
“But I would never hurt anyone!”Lawson's voice cracked with emotion.“Yes, I believe chemical contamination is a serious threat that's being ignored by government agencies.Yes, I think fluorine compounds could theoretically be used for large-scale purification.But I'm a pacifist!I've never even owned a gun, let alone built chemical weapons!”
He seemed legitimately offended—almostsad—about the accusation.The passion in his response convinced Miles that they were dealing with someone whose theoretical obsessions had never translated into violent action.Lawson's shock at the crime scene photographs seemed too genuine to be an act, and his technical explanations suggested someone who understood the dangers of fluorine too well to take risks with it.
“Can you account for your whereabouts Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon?”Vic asked.
Lawson seemed finally to understand the importance of this question… the crime he was being accused of.He still looked out of sorts and offended, but he blinked rapidly as he seemed to delve back into his memories.
“Tuesday night I was at a community meeting about air quality monitoring in public schools.There were maybe twenty people there, including city council members.Wednesday afternoon I was at George Washington University's chemistry library researching industrial pollution data.I was… yes, I was there until they closed up.I was the last one there… they had to ask me kindly to leave.”Lawson moved to a desk covered with appointment calendars and pulled out a worn notebook.“I keep detailed records of all my activities.Have to, since the EPA fired me for unauthorized research.They’realwayslooking for something to nail me on.”
He flipped through pages covered with precise handwriting, showing them entries that documented his daily schedule in meticulous detail.The alibis looked solid, though Miles knew that remote activation systems could allow someone to trigger gas releases from almost anywhere in the city.For this case, alibis might end up not amounting to much.
“Dr.Lawson,” Miles said, “the delivery systems used in these attacks were sophisticated… with remote activation, precise dosage calculations.Someone with your background could potentially build and distribute such devices.”
“Could,yes.But wouldn't.”Lawson set down his notebook and looked directly at Miles.There was anger there now, the scowl of a man who was used to people expecting the worst of him after falling from grace so spectacularly.“Do you know what fluorine gas does to human tissue?”he asked.
“I know some of wh—”
“It doesn't just kill you,” Lawson said.“It dissolves you from the inside out.The fluoride ions attack your cellular structure at the molecular level.It's one of the most agonizing ways to die imaginable.”
The technical description was delivered with clinical precision, but Lawson's voice carried genuine revulsion at the thought of inflicting such suffering.Miles found himself convinced that whatever psychological profile drove their killer, it didn't match the man sitting across from them.Lawson certainly had the knowledge, but it seemed he cared too much for his work to turn it into something so ugly and deadly.
“Is there anyone else in your field who might have access to fluorine compounds and the technical knowledge to weaponize them?”Vic asked.
Lawson considered the question carefully.“Industrial chemists who work with fluorine production.Military researchers with access to classified chemical weapons programs.Maybe some pharmaceutical researchers who use fluorine in drug synthesis.”He paused.“But the philosophical framework you're describing...that's not typical of mainstream scientific thinking.”
“What do you mean?”
“The idea that fluorine purification could cleanse molecular corruption in living organisms.That's...that's more like pseudoscience.Makes no real sense.Real chemists understand that fluorine compounds are toxic, not purifying.”Lawson gestured toward his equipment.“My research focuses on atmospheric contamination, not biological purification.”
Miles felt their lead slipping away as Lawson's explanations highlighted the differences between his legitimate scientific concerns and the killer's twisted philosophy.The technical knowledge was similar, but the underlying motivations were completely different.If Lawson was indeed telling them lies just to cover his ass, he could be in movies or on Broadway with such acting skills.
“Dr.Lawson, thank you for your cooperation,” Vic said, gathering the crime scene photographs.“We may need to speak with you again as the investigation continues.”
“Of course.And please...”Lawson's voice became urgent as they prepared to leave.“If there's anything I can do to help catch whoever's doing this, anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me.What they're doing is an abomination of everything chemistry should represent.”
They headed back outside with Lawson watching them.Miles felt bogged down, leaving the house with more questions than answers.Lawson clearly possessed the technical knowledge to build fluorine dispersal systems, but his genuine horror and disgust at the murders convinced both Miles and Vic that he wasn't their killer.His paranoid theories about government cover-ups were focused on exposing contamination, not eliminating the people he believed were spreading it.
“Back to square one?”Vic asked as they walked toward their car.
“Not entirely,” Miles said.“His technical insights might help us understand the killer's capabilities.”Miles looked back at the cluttered house where monitoring equipment hummed behind aluminum-covered windows.“But he's not our fluorine killer.”
“His alibis looked solid, and his reaction to those crime scene photos was too genuine to fake.”
Voicing his earlier concern from when standing in Lawson’s home, Mile said, “I don’t know that alibis are going to really amount to much in this case.The gas being triggered remotely… it could be anyone, from anywhere.”
She nodded.“Morning reports and briefings indicated that the bureau has some tech heads looking at the devices, trying to determine if there are range limitations on them.If we could manage to find out what sort of radius we’re looking at for deployment, that could help.”
Miles nodded, though part of him remained troubled by the remote activation capabilities of the dispersal systems.Someone could theoretically trigger gas releases from anywhere in the city, making traditional alibis less meaningful.
They'd eliminated their most promising suspect, but gained valuable insights into the technical expertise required for the attacks.Somewhere in the city, someone with advanced knowledge of chemistry and a twisted philosophy about molecular purification was planning their next strike.And Miles was still terrified about the prospect of those devices already being hidden throughout the city.If that was the case, how many could they be looking at?Two?Three?Ten?Hundreds?
The thought of it sent a chill through him, which he managed to suppress as he slid into the passenger seat, ready to jump even deeper into the sordid mystery ahead of them.
