Jacob

After I wake up from my nap, I check my cell phone. I see messages from my mother. Oh no. I don't want to talk to her, not about this at least. I suppose I'll have to call her because she might hear about this from someone. News travels fast, especially among Aspies.

I reach over and grab my cell phone. Sure enough, there are 7 missed calls. I'm sure they are all from Mom.

"Hi, Jacob. It's Mom. Hope you're doing well."

"Hi, Jacob. Where are you? I'm worried."

"Jacob, pick up your phone!"

"Jacob, answer your phone!"

"Jacob, it's Oliver. Hope your trip to Candyville is going well. Call me."

"Jacob, it's Theo. Mom's really worried. Call us."

"Jacob, it's Oliver again. Your mom called me and told me you're not answering your cell phone. Please call me. We're all worried."

At that moment, Annabell knocks and asks if she can come in. She wants to talk about what happened over the past few days. After our conversation in which she apologizes for not telling me about her seizures sooner, we move to the living room.

"Are we done talking? Can I teach you about forensics now?"

Annabell laughs. "Yes, we're done for now. But don't expect any miracles. I'm no Henry Lee."

I gather the materials to teach her about dusting for prints.

"Latent prints are the hardest prints to see so that's why cops dust for prints using this type of material. In order to dust for good prints, you will need a soft brush, clear tape, colored paper, and a dusting powder. Since we're not real CSI's, we can use cocoa powder. You'll need to be able to see the print that's on the paper when the process is complete."

Annabell gathers the materials. She's not sure she has the right kind of brush, but we'll see if it works. The brush she shows me is a soft brush used to apply makeup. I look at the bristles and tell her that this is the right kind of brush.

"Let's start with a drinking glass. You'll get a much better print if your fingers are oily." Annabell brings the glass and a bottle of vegetable oil. I show her how to place a print on the glass and then how to use the cocoa powder to dust for the same print.

"Jacob, I'm really sorry, I can't see the prints on the paper. I believe you when you tell me they are there, but they are too small for me to locate. Maybe if we did this on a high contrast paper, it would be better. Unfortunately, I don't have any dark paper to try it with."

I shouldn't be surprised because she told me on Wednesday night that she wouldn't be able to see the Galton ridges on fingerprints. I thought maybe if they were on a piece of paper, it would be better.

"Well, Jacob, you got me," Annabell says. "I guess if I'm ever caught at a crime scene, I'll know what's going through the CSI's mind and can do things that won't leave prints."

"That won't work. CSI's use chemicals to process prints. The first step in the process is placing a small drop of ninhydrin on the area they want to process for prints. Ninhydrin reacts with the amino acids present in skin. Finally, the CSI will use a particle reagent."

"Oh darn! I thought having this lesson in fingerprint analysis would help me become a better criminal." Annabell is laughing as she's saying this. "I guess I need to take chemistry classes because I have no clue what ninhydrin is."

"Ninhydrin is a chemical used to detect amino acids. It turns purple when it comes into contact with amino acids."

"Jacob, you amaze me with your knowledge! I think you should become a CSI."

I smile as she says this because that's exactly what I want to do.