Chapter 33
"Gentlemen, I'm surprised to see you," David said when we stepped into his office. "Don't tell me you're still investigating the Prescott case?”
"Just wrapping up loose ends," I said.
"I thought you already had the perpetrator behind bars. It's pretty open and shut, if you ask me. Wescott never really could handle his temper,” he said with a grin. “Just think, you owe this case all to me."
I smiled. "Yes, thank you for the lead. It paid off."
"Well, I like to do what I can to help,” he said, gloating.
"That's good, because we just have a few more questions to close this thing out."
"Ask away. I'm an open book."
I tried not to smirk. The guy was anything but an open book. "Did you see Liam at all on the day of the murder?"
"I don't want to misspeak, but not that I recall."
"So there would be no legitimate reason why your fingerprints might be on his thermos."
David's face wrinkled with confusion. "Now, that's an odd question."
"I know. It seems silly. We just need to collect elimination prints from people who may have handled the item."
He still looked at us with confusion, trying to figure out where we were going with this. "I don't recall ever touching Liam's thermos." He laughed. "What's the matter? Did someone spike his drink?”
I shared a look with Jack.
David's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to tell me he was poisoned?"
"I'm not trying to tell you anything. I just need your fingerprints for reference.”
David's face tightened. "I'm telling you, you’re barking up the wrong tree. What could I possibly have against the guy?”
I said nothing.
"You still think my wife was having an affair with him?”
I shrugged.
David frowned and shook his head. "Blair is faithful. I have no worries there.” He paused. “Will you stop harassing me if I give you my fingerprints?”
"It will help us eliminate you as a suspect."
"Do you need me to come down to the station for that, or do you have some kind of mobile scanner so we can get this out of the way?”
I smiled. "I'm so glad you asked.”
A specialized app on my phone could analyze fingerprints from a photograph and run them through a database. Within minutes, you’d have a result. The county paid a pretty penny for usage. I snapped photographs of David’s fingers, thumbs, and palms, then uploaded them.
I was surprised he complied. It was almost too easy. If he had poisoned Liam, he probably wore gloves, hence his confidence.
When all was complete, I thanked him for cooperating. It wouldn’t take long to make a determination either way.
We left David’s office and headed to the station. I called the sheriff on the way and gave him a heads-up.