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“You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”
“Deal. Let’s go.”
My plans kept getting diverted. Maybe I’d check on the Smoots tomorrow. I liked labs, even small ones.
I started the Jeep and followed the ATV.
CHAPTER
16
THE CUSTOM LAB inside the recreational trailer was compact. Graham had made interesting use of space. Set up over the couch was a long table that, today, held a pair of goggles, a microscope, and an unused sketch pad. It was clearly a temporary setup, not something he used every day.
“You’re based in Colorado? You have a lab there too?” I asked.
“Yes, at the university in Boulder. I also teach facial reconstruction and age progression, though most of that is computer generated now. I’m pretty good at it. It’s not why the sheriff asked me to come. He’s more interested in the rogue taxidermy possibility. When I told him I knew about it, he invited me.”
“This isn’t rogue taxidermy, but a twisted idea of it might have led to all this. You heard the podcast?”
“Yes, the abomination. I agree, but I don’t think we know enough yet to determine anything.”
“Will you stick around a while?”
“Not much longer if I’m not needed. I’m making myself as useful as possible. I’m trying to be a good go-between for Calloway and the investigators in Tucson. Your local resources are scant, and I’ve never been asked to be so involved …”
I nodded. “You travel with an ATV?”
“I do.” Graham shrugged.
I hadn’t seen any signage on the outside of the trailer, and it wasn’t set up like some sort of bigger entity had put it together for him. This was his stuff.
“My lab is homemade too,” I said.
“I know. Sheriff Calloway and I talked about it. You’ve done a lot of good work.”
“Thanks. I credit my mentor, a professor up in Tucson. Dr. Fulgi. She’s amazing and has taught me so much.”
“But you didn’t go to the university?”
“I didn’t. I doubt I ever will.”
“If you want an in at the University of Colorado, I’ll make sure you get accepted.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”
There wasn’t anything else to really see and the space was crowded, so we stepped back outside.
Graham had set up camp near the opening to the Vulture Caves. He’d been right about having a great view of the valley from his spot. He could see all the way to town. I took a moment to look out over the desert, quickly realizing how close I’d been to a better route. If I’d just taken a left when I took the first right.
A table was set up outside the trailer and held both a small telescope and two different binoculars. He’d been surveying the valley from here as well as driving the four-wheeler around.
“I want to find who’s doing this,” he said when he noticed my curious and impressed expression.
His search efforts were on him. Calloway hadn’t asked him to do this.
“I’ve got something,” he continued.
“What?”
