The Surgeon: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel: With Bonus Content by Tess Gerritsen Read Free Book Online

extensive use of polished granite in the lobby. “Give us a few years to trash the place, and it’ll feel like home” was the joke. Schroeder Plaza bore little resemblance to the shabby police stations seen on TV cop shows. It was a sleek and modern building, brightened by large windows and skylights. The homicide unit, with its carpeted floors and computer workstations, could have passed for a corporate office. What the cops liked best about Schroeder Plaza was the integration of the various BPD branches.
    For homicide detectives, a visit to the crime lab was only a walk down the hallway, to the south wing of the building.
    In Hair and Fiber, Moore and Rizzoli watched as Erin Volchko, a forensic scientist, sifted through her collection of evidence envelopes. “All I had to work with was that single hair,” said Erin. “But it’s amazing what one hair can tell you. Okay, here it is.” She’d located the envelope with Elena Ortiz’s case number, and now she removed a microscope slide. “I’ll just show you what it looks like under the lens. The numerical scores are in the report.”
    “These numbers?” said Rizzoli, looking down at the long series of scoring codes on the page.
    “Correct. Each code describes a different characteristic of hair, from color and curl to microscopic features. This particular strand is an A01—a dark blond. Its curl is B01. Curved, with a curl diameter of less than eighty. Almost, but not quite, straight. The shaft length is four centimeters. Unfortunately, this strand is in its telogen phase, so there’s no epithelial tissue adhering to it.”
    “Meaning there’s no DNA.”
    “Right. Telogen is the terminal stage of root growth. This strand fell out naturally, as part of the shedding process. In other words, it was not yanked out. If there were epithelial cells on the root, we could use their nuclei for DNA analysis. But this strand doesn’t have any such cells.”
    Rizzoli and Moore exchanged looks of disappointment.
    “But,” added Erin, “we do have something here that’s pretty damn good. Not as good as DNA, but it might hold up in court once you nail a suspect. It’s too bad we don’t have any hairs from the Sterling case to compare.” She focused the microscope lens, then scooted aside. “Take a look.”
    The scope had a teaching eyepiece, so both Rizzoli and Moore could examine the slide simultaneously. What Moore saw, peering through the lens, was a single strand beaded with tiny nodules.
    “What are the little bumps?” said Rizzoli. “That’s not normal.”
    “Not only is it abnormal, it’s rare,” said Erin. “It’s a condition called
Trichorrhexis invaginata
, otherwise known as ‘bamboo hair.’ You can see how it gets its nickname. Those little nodules make it look like a stalk of bamboo, don’t they?”
    “What are the nodules?” asked Moore.
    “They’re focal defects in the hair fiber. Weak spots which allow the hair shaft to fold back on itself, forming a sort of ball and socket. Those little bumps are the weak spots, where the shaft has telescoped on itself, making a bulge.”
    “How do you get this condition?”
    “Occasionally it can develop from too much hair processing. Dyes, permanents, that sort of thing. But since we’re most likely dealing with a male unsub, and since I see no evidence of artificial bleaching, I’m inclined to say this is not due to processing, but to some sort of genetic abnormality.”
    “Like what?”
    “Netherton’s Syndrome, for instance. That’s an autosomal recessive condition that affects keratin development. Keratin is a tough, fibrous protein found in hair and nails. It’s also the outer layer of our skin.”
    “If there’s a genetic defect, and the keratin doesn’t develop normally, then the hair is weakened?”
    Erin nodded. “And it’s not just the hair that can be affected. People with Netherton’s Syndrome may have skin disorders as well. Rashes and flaking.”
    “We’re looking for