"We need to search her condo," Chip said. "This videotape is mostly circumstantial, but it gives us enough for a search warrant."
"She no doubt burned that silk scarf with the blue and red triangles," Sandy said. "Any chance blood splattered on the suit she was wearing? Although I guess she'd have it cleaned."
"We sometimes contact a suspect's dry cleaner. They tend to remember bloodstains. More likely, she'd burn it if she noticed it. We'll scope her entire closet, including the soles of all shoes. We know someone stepped in his blood spatter."
"Remember when I was first arrested, and you tested my hands for gunshot residue?"
"It would be long gone from her hands."
"That's not what I'm getting at. Does GSR cling to cloth for a long time?"
"It can, but it brushes off and it washes off."
"Well, when I first met Tammy in the restaurant at noon on the day of the murder, she had one of those large satchel handbags. I remember because it was next to her on the table, and I was thinking how well coordinated she was. I remember light brown because it matched her suit. As I recall, it was suede. Would gunshot residue stick to suede?"
"Like Florida bugs to a windshield."
"Look for that suede bag when you search her place. I'm guessing after shooting Towson, she put the gun in that handbag because that's what she was carrying that day. You won't find the gun in there, but I'll bet you'll find gunshot residue."
"If she put the recently fired gun in her purse, the lab will find residue and traces of firearm oil," Chip explained. "They'll do a Trace Metal Test, use infrared photography and a microscopic examination. They can match it with the residue found at the murder scene. I'm arresting her right now. We're dropping all charges against you."
"My nightmare ends."
Sandy said, "A good attorney will say it's not first degree, that she didn't go there to shoot him, they got in an argument. Her attorney will make it sound like a lover's quarrel, passion of the moment. She might try to plea out to manslaughter?"
"She won't get to keep those Chinese porcelain dishes she inherited when Towson's brother finds out they're worth a half-million," Ray said.
"Seriously, that much?" Sandy asked.
"Easily. He had several complete settings plus the historical directory. Towson, apparently, wanted to take care of Tammy should he die. He wanted to make her a wealthy woman to thank her for all the years she helped him. Instead, she goes to jail because he broke her heart. Meanwhile, Loraine has replaced me in jail, arrested for drowning Barner."