Fair Warning (Jack McEvoy #3)(39)

“First or last?” I asked.

“She said first,” Emily said. “She described him as Latino so I am assuming the first name is Digoberto or a variation of that. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.”

I nodded.

“So,” Myron said. “Orton gets shown the door at UC–Irvine and just sets up shop in a private lab down the road. He got off easy.”

“He did,” Emily said. “But like my source told me, their big concern was getting him out of the school.”

“What about that rumor about changing his DNA?” I asked. “Is that even possible?”

“I did a little bit of research while waiting for you to show up,” Emily said. “Gene-editing technologies are advancing every day but they are not at the point—and certainly not four years ago when this happened—where you can change your entire code. What happened with the Jane Doe case is a mystery. According to my source, Jane Doe had a lawyer ready to sue Orton and the school. His office conducted its own testing on the sample and got the same result. No lawsuit was ever filed.”

All three of us were silent for a moment before Myron spoke.

“So what’s next?” he asked.

It was my story and I wanted to be protective of it, but I had to acknowledge that Emily Atwater had moved it along in a big way.

“Well, one thing we have to remember is that William Orton is a shady figure, but what Jack is pursuing does not touch him—yet,” Emily said. “It bears further reporting but let’s look at where we are. The four victims we know about were GT23 participants. It is possible but not yet proved that their DNA could have been sold to Orton’s lab for his research purposes. Now add in that Orton appears to be a sexual predator and it all gets more interesting. But we have nothing concrete that connects one with the other.”

“Exactly,” Myron said. “I’m wondering how far we go with this without a stronger connection.”

Myron looked at me, which I took as a good sign. It was still my story and he wanted to hear from me.

“I think it’s part of throwing out the net,” I said. “We have to see what comes up. I think the thing to do is try to get inside Orange Nano and talk to Orton. Maybe get a feel for him from a direct contact. I’m not sure how to do that, though. I don’t think we should call up and say we’re looking into the murders of four women. We need another way in.”

“I was thinking about that,” Emily said. “Again, waiting for Jack today I was looking around for anything I could find on Orton and I found one listing for him in an annual report for the Rexford Corporation. He’s a member of the board.”

“What’s Rexford do?” I asked.

“Primarily, it’s hair products for men,” Emily said. “With an emphasis on alopecia—hair loss. It is on the rise in both genders and within five years is expected to be a four-billion-dollar industry.”

“Orton’s trying to cure it,” I said.

“My guess, too,” Emily said. “If he can discover or create the genetic therapy that cures it or even slows it down, then just think what that would be worth. He’s on the Rexford board because the company is funding his research and that could be our way in.”

“We say we’re looking into hair loss?” I asked.

“We follow the money,” Emily said. “Billions are being spent each year but there is no cure—not now. We go in with the consumer angle: How many of these treatments are worthless and where are we on the genetic cure? We play to Orton’s ego, say we heard that if anybody is going to make the breakthrough, it’s you.”

It was a good plan, only marred by my wish that I had thought of it first. I said nothing and Myron looked at me.

“What do you think, Jack?” he asked.

“Well, this alopecia research is new to me,” I said. “Jason Hwang told me that Orton was studying addiction and risky behaviors. Going bald is not connected with either—as far as I know.”

“That’s how these researchers work,” Emily said. “They get a ride on a Big Pharma ticket to do research in one arena and it funds their other research, the stuff that really holds their interest. Rexford is paying for the research they want but funding the research Orton wants.”

I nodded.

“Then I think it’s a good idea,” I said. “That’s our way in. Maybe we go through Rexford first. Get their corporate PR people to set it up, make it harder for Orton to say no—especially if he’s got something hinky going on down there.”

“That’s a good idea,” Emily said. “I—”

“I’ll call first thing in the morning,” I said. “Try to get it set.”

“Tell them there will be two of you on the interview,” Myron said.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I want you both to go down there,” Myron said.

“I think I can handle it,” I said.

“I’m sure you can,” Myron said. “But for security reasons I want you both to go. Emily, take the Canon and you can take photos.”

“I’m not a photographer,” Emily protested.

“Just take the camera,” Myron said.

“What about Anaheim PD?” Emily asked. “You want us to tag-team that too?”