“Explain, please,” said McGaven.
“I lifted the best prints with the most visible ridges from Katie’s phone and GPS. I ran two through the database. One print had more visible points.”
“So are you saying his prints are similar to someone else’s?” she said.
“Yes. And their prints are in the system for the prison detention bureau. His name is David Leland Young.”
“Young? Are they brothers?” she said.
“Yes.”
“Is he still there?”
“Yes. He’s in for life,” said John.
“Wow. Two brothers going to opposites sides of the spectrum,” said McGaven.
John looked at the detectives. “I don’t think you’re quite understanding what I’m saying. Raymond and David are more than just brothers—they’re twins.”
“What? Wait. I thought twins had identical fingerprints,” she said.
“No, they don’t. However, they have similar traits if they have an arch, loop, or whorl. That’s why when I entered both of these prints with different points, the database came up with these two men.”
“What does this mean?” said McGaven.
“It just makes everything more difficult, not to mention convoluted,” Katie said.
“I’ll have more to share with you tomorrow. We’re still waiting on some tests to come back.”
“Thanks, John,” she said.
Katie was frustrated. Once they had a lead it just seemed to multiply into more questions and leads to run down.
McGaven smiled and followed his partner back to their office. When they were both inside he shut the door. “So is it difficult?”
“This case? Of course,” said Katie. “We’re not getting anywhere.”
“No, is it difficult to work directly with someone you’re… dating?”
“Gav, not now. We need to put all our leads together.”
McGaven sat down and rolled over next to Katie. “It’s just a yes or no question.” He gave her a big smile.
“You’redating someone you work with,” she said.
“But it’s not like this…”
Katie thought about it. It was true she worked with John on every case. And McGaven often didn’t even see Denise as she was in the records division. “If I answer this, will you give it a rest for a while?” she asked.
“Yes.”
She chuckled. “Yes, it’s difficult because we work closely and there are boundaries at work, not to mention professionalism to maintain.”
McGaven nodded, still smiling.
“And yes, it’s nice because we know what our work is like, whereas most people wouldn’t.” Katie rolled her eyes. “Now let’s get back to it.”
McGaven scooted back to his area. “The guy in the woods… who would’ve thought he was a decorated Marine with a twin brother in prison.”
