“Botox injections so his hands wouldn’t sweat,” she says.

“His father’s a plastic surgeon. You know that. Started giving them to him when he was performing. You know, piano recitals. So his fingers didn’t slip on the keys. Now he continues the Botox because he plays keyboard, is used to it.”

“And you believed that.”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“I suppose,” Win says. “Can’t say it would enter my mind, either. Unless I were already suspicious of the person. Not to mention, I’ve never heard of anybody doing that. Botox in their fingertips. Must hurt like hell.”

“Wouldn’t be foolproof,” Lamont says.

“Nothing is. But you walk into a bank, shove a note under the glass, and your hands are clean and dry. No prints on paper.”

Our serialisation of the Front is now concluded, and the extracts are offline. Click here to buy the book

For more information and background on the story go to Patricia Cornwell's website

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