The activity she’d chosen for the morning—a DNA fingerprinting activity to solve a fake crime—wasn’t the most interesting, but it let the kids use a wide variety of equipment Greenfield couldn’t afford to buy, and they always liked the fun of a mystery to solve.
None of the kids looked at home behind the lab benches, arranged in pairs and perched on plastic stools. Some pulled nervously at the collar of their lab coats, while the more curious ones examined the equipment set out in trays in front of them.
The other members of staff hovered around the edges of the room. They looked just as out of place—none more so than Lily, who appeared to be trying her hardest to ignore Eva completely.
“Good morning, everyone,” Eva said, the room falling silent as soon as she opened her mouth. “I’ve brought you all here to show you what kind of thing you might be doing if you decide to take biology as your major in college. Today you’re going to solve a murder for me using a combination of PCR and gel electrophoresis.”
A few heads perked up at “murder”, but Eva had lost them again by “electrophoresis”. No matter. She’d make forensic experts out of them before the day was done.
“Can someone tell me what PCR stands for?” Several hands rose into the air, and Eva deliberately avoided the handful of students who were in her current AP class. “Yes, Carly.”
“Polymerase chain reaction.”
“Thank you. And what do we use it for?” Eva glanced around the group. “Frankie.”
“It amplifies small sections of DNA.”
“And why do we think that might be useful in the context of a murder investigation?” That seemed to stump them, and Eva waited a few seconds until one brave soul raised their hand. “Hannah.”
“Because you might only have a small amount left at the crime scene?”
“That’s right. Now, if you look in your trays of equipment, you’ll see that you have samples from the crime scene and three suspects. By the end of this session, you’re going to be able to tell me which of the three suspects is guilty and why. I have here”—Eva waved a stack of papers—“step-by-step instructions of how you’re going to do that. I’ll give you ten minutes to read it over before we begin. Feel free to discuss it in groups, and to ask me any questions you might have.”
Eva returned to the front of the lab once she’d handed out the sheets, enjoying the babble of chatter that filled the room. She’d missed this, the spark of interest, the joy of doing something new.
Behind her, the lab doors opened, and Eva turned, smiling when she saw one of her former grad students strolling toward her.
“Hey, Dr. T.”
“Matthew! What are you doing here?”
“Heard you were in town,” he said, pausing by Eva’s desk. “Had to drop by. Thought I’d offer my assistance, if you wanted it. Help you whip these kids into shape.”
“You’re more than welcome to join us.” It would run smoother if there were two people present who are familiar with all the equipment. “How are things going?”
“All right.” Matthew tucked his hands into the pocket of his lab coat. The sleeves were stained and in desperate need of dry-cleaning—Eva never would have let them get to that point if she were still his supervisor. “Carter reckons I’ve got another six months of experiments left, and then think I can start writing up.”
“Things still going okay with him?”
“Yeah. Though he’s not as tough as you.” Matthew grinned at her. “I was wondering if I could hit you up when I’m preparing for my defense? If I can face up to your questions, the real thing will be a breeze.”
Eva smirked, remembering the handful of thesis defenses she’d done during her tenure at Georgetown. All but one had cried. “Of course you can. And if I can do anything else to help, let me know.” He’d been one of her brightest students, nurtured from when he was in her undergraduate program, and she had no doubt he’d go on to do great things.
“I will. Is this what you’re doing today?” He reached for one of the spare protocols Eva had handed out, brushing shaggy brown hair from his eyes with his other hand. “You should do a prize for who gets the best gel at the end of it.”
Eva raised an eyebrow. “Is a career in teaching on the horizon for you?”
“Nah. But I know what would’ve motivated me when I was their age.”
“Please. The only motivation you needed was to be better than everyone else.” It was one of the reasons she’d been drawn to Matthew—he had a drive to succeed and a thirst for knowledge that rivaled Eva’s own.
“You might have a point there.”
“I usually do,” Eva said, before turning back to the class. “Your ten minutes are up. Does anyone have questions?” No one seemed willing to ask one in front of their peers. “Off you go, then. If you do need any help, feel free to ask either Matthew or I as we’re walking by.”
The bustle of lab work sounded all around her, and Eva sighed in contentment. It was good to be back.
* * *
