Iris Johansen 1998 - The Face of Deception

Eve Duncan circle - book 1

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My deepest and warmest thanks to N. Eileen Bar-row, Research Associate and Forensic Sculptor with the FACES Laboratory at Louisiana State University. Her generosity with her time, help, and guidance was invaluable in writing this book. Also a very sincere thank-you to Mark Sto-lorow, Director of Operations of Cellmark Diag-nostics Inc., for his patience and kindness in helping me with the technical aspects of DNA profiling and the intricacies of chemiluminescence.

Prologue

DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION FACILITY

JACKSON, GEORGIA

JANUARY 27

11:55 p.m.

It was going to happen.

Oh, God, don't let it happen.

Lost. She'll be lost.

They'll all be lost.

Come away, Eve. You don't want to be here. It was Joe Quinn standing beside her. His square, boyish face was pale and drawn beneath the shadow of the black umbrella he was holding. There's nothing you can do. He's had two stays of execution already. The governor's not going to do it again. There was too much public outcry the last time.

He's got to do it. Her heart was pounding so hard, it hurt her. But then, at that moment every-thing in the world was hurting her. I want to talk to the warden.

Quinn shook his head. He won't see you.

He saw me before. He called the governor. Ive got to see him. He understood about

Let me take you to your car. Its freezing out here and youre getting soaked.

She shook her head, her gaze fixed desperately on the prison gate. You talk to him. Youre with the FBI. Maybe hell listen to you.

Its too late, Eve. He tried to draw her under his umbrella but she stepped away from him. Jesus, you shouldnt have come.

You came. She gestured to the horde of news-paper and media people gathered at the gate. They came. Who has a better right to be here than me? Sobs were choking her. I have to stop it. I have to make them see that they cant

You crazy bitch.

She was jerked around and found herself facing a man in his early forties. His features were twisted with pain, and tears were running down his cheeks. It took a minute for her to recognize him. Bill Verner. His son was one of the lost ones.

Stay out of it. Verners hands dug into her shoulders. He shook her. Let them kill him. Youve already caused us too much grief and now youre trying to get him off again. Damn you, let them burn the son of a bitch.

I cant do Cant you see? Theyre lost. I have to

You stay out of it, or so help me God Ill make you sorry that you

Leave her alone. Quinn stepped forward and knocked Verners hands away from Eve. Dont you see shes hurting more than you are?

The hell she is. He killed my boy. I wont let her try to get him off again.

Do you think I dont want him to die? she said fiercely. Hes a monster. I want to kill him myself, but I cant let him There was no time for this argument, she thought frantically. There was no time for anything. It must be almost midnight.

They were going to kill him.

And Bonnie would be lost forever.

She whirled away from Verner and ran toward the gate.

Eve!

She pounded on the gate with clenched fists. Let me in! Youve got to let me in. Please dont do this.

Flashbulbs.

The prison guards were coming toward her.

Quinn was trying to pull her away from the gate.

The gate was opening.

Maybe there was a chance.

God, please let there be a chance.

The warden was coming out.

Stop it, she screamed. Youve got to stop

Go home, Ms. Duncan. Its over. He walked past her toward the TV cameras.

Over. It couldnt be over.

The warden was looking soberly into the cameras and his words were brief and to the point. There was no stay of execution. Ralph Andrew Fraser was executed four minutes ago and pronounced dead at 12: A.M.

No.

The scream was full of agony and desolation, as broken and forsaken as the wail of a lost child.

Eve didnt realize the scream came from her.

Quinn caught her as her knees buckled and she slumped forward in a dead faint.

ONE

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

JUNE

EIGHT YEARS LATER

"You look like hell. Its nearly midnight. Dont you ever sleep?