"I want you to recommend facial reconstruction."

Basil had known that was coming. The moment they'd brought in the kid's skeleton, it was a given. "It's not our problem."

"I'm making it our problem. Nine bodies were found in Talladega. I'm asking for reconstruction on only one."

"Look, Chief Maxwell doesn't want to be drawn into this mess. She'd only turn me down. She allowed you to bring the child's body here because she knew that all the missing-children groups would be on her ass if she didn't make the token effort."

"I need more than a token effort. I need to know who this child is."

"Didn't you hear me? It's not going to happen. Why don't you give up?"

"I need to know who she is."

Jesus, Quinn was relentless. Basil had run into him a few times before, and the detective had always interested him. On the surface he appeared quiet, easy, almost lazy, but Basil had always been aware of his razor-sharp intelligence and alertness. He'd heard somewhere that Quinn was an ex-SEAL, and he could believe it. "No recommendation, Quinn."

"Change your mind."

He shook his head.

"Have you ever done anything wrong, Basil?" Quinn asked softly. "Something you wouldn't want anyone to know?"

"What are you getting at?"

"If you have, I'll dig until I find it."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Yes. I'd offer you money, but I don't think you'd take it. You're pretty honest . . . as far as I know. But everyone has something to hide. I'll find it and I'll use it."

"You son of a bitch."

"Just make the recommendation, Basil."

"I haven't done anything that--"

"Lied on your income tax? Let an important report slide by because you were overworked?"

Dammit, everyone lied on their income tax form. But municipal employees could be booted out on their ass for that. How could Quinn find out about--

He'd find out. Basil's lips tightened. "I suppose you want me to recommend the forensic sculptor too?"

"Yes."

"Eve Duncan."

"You bet."

"There's no betting about it. Everyone in the department knows it's her kid you've been looking for all these years. The chief won't go for that either. Duncan's too high-profile after that political cover-up case she worked on. Reporters would be climbing all over the place if she was brought in."

"It's been over a year. That makes Eve old news. I'd work it out."

"Isn't she somewhere in the South Pacific now?"

"She'd come back."

Basil knew Eve Duncan would come back. Everyone at the Atlanta PD was familiar with her story. A young girl who had borne an illegitimate child and then fought her way out of the slums against enormous odds. She was nearly finished with college and was on her way to a decent life, when she had been struck by the cruelest blow. Her daughter, Bonnie, had been murdered by a serial killer and her body had never been found. Fraser, her killer, had been executed without revealing the location of any of the bodies of the twelve children he'd confessed to killing. Since that time Eve had dedicated herself to finding other lost children, alive and dead. She had gone back to school, gotten a degree in fine arts from Georgia State, and become a top forensic sculptor. She had qualified in age progression and superimposition, earning a superior reputation in both.

"Why are you hesitating?" Quinn asked. "You know damn well she's the best."

Basil couldn't deny that. She had helped the department out on many occasions. "She carries a hell of a lot of baggage. The media will go--"

"I said I'd take care of it. Recommend her."

"I'll think about it."

Quinn shook his head. "Now."

"The department won't pay to fly her back."

"I'll do it. Just put through the recommendation."

"You're pushing, Quinn."

"It's one of my finest talents." His lips lifted in a sardonic smile. "But you won't even feel the bruise."

He wasn't so sure. "It's a waste of my time. Chief Maxwell will never go for it."

"She'll go for it. I'll tell her that I'll release your recommendation to the press if she doesn't. It will be a question of letting Eve work on the skull in privacy or have the media asking the chief why she's not doing everything possible to solve the little girl's murder."

"She'll can your ass."

"I'll risk it."

It was clear he'd risk anything to get his way in this matter. Basil shrugged. "Okay, I'll do it. It will be a pleasure to see you kicked out on your ear."

"Good." Quinn headed for the door. "I'll be back in an hour to pick up the recommendation."

"I'm going to lunch. Make it two hours." A minor victory, but he'd take anything he could get. "You think it's the Duncan kid, don't you?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"And you want her mother to work on the skull? You bastard. What if it is Bonnie Duncan? What the hell do you think that will do to her mother?"

The only answer was the door closing behind Quinn.