Read Online Predator by Janice Gable Bashman - Free Book Online

Bree as she sat. Her thighs brushed against his hands, sending a pleasant chill through her body.
    She forced her attention away from Liam and onto her dad. “So how do we extract the DNA?” she said, eager to get started.
    “First thing is to cut out a piece of bone from the hand,” her dad said. “Then we drill into the bone to produce bone powder. We treat the powder with chemicals and enzymes to digest the cellular components and proteins. Once that’s finished, we add silica. The DNA binds to it. Then we wash everything else away and we have pure DNA, which we then remove from the silica for further analysis.”
    Bree’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds complicated.”
    Conor stabilized the bone. “Not really, once you know what you’re doing.”
    Bree was both fascinated and grossed out. What did it feel like to cut into bone? Was it easy or hard? Why did the inside of bone look like it did? But she didn’t ask for fear she’d mess up her dad’s concentration and he’d ruin the hand.
    Her dad turned on the Dremel and cut a section from the bone; it sounded like drilling a tooth. He looked up from the table and said, “That should do it. Let’s get the rest of the process started. Then it’s just a painful matter of waiting for the results.” He shook his head. “When I came here to study bog bodies, I never, ever , expected something like this. If this really is a lycanthrope hand…” He smiled and the corners of his eyes wrinkled. “I can’t even begin to imagine the possibilities of what this discovery would mean for the scientific community, let alone my career.”
    Conor pushed off the stool and shot her dad a look; it was part amusement and part disbelief. “Since when are you worried about beefing up your career? You’re one of the most respected forensic geneticists in the world, and the only one with a duel specialty in forensic anthropology.”
    “Your career?” Bree said. “This would look great on my college applications.”
    “And it would definitely get me some scholarship money,” Liam said. “Or at least a paid research position at university.”
    Her dad shrugged. “What really concerns me is that if this turns out to be what we suspect, it’s going to turn into a circus around here—and Kelsi was just the beginning. We need to keep this under wraps. Only when we have evidence to present will our findings leave this room.” He looked at Conor. “I assume you told your wife.”
    “Yup, but she knows how important it is to keep it quiet. And I won’t tell her anything more.”
    “And you,” her dad said, turning to Bree and Liam, “you can’t tell any of your other friends. Not a word. You understand?”
    “You got it,” Liam said.
    Bree nodded, although she hated keeping secrets, especially good ones.
    And this was a biggie.
    But her dad was right. If word got out, they’d have a lot more than Kelsi to deal with; and worrying about Kelsi and whoever was following her was hard enough.

Chapter Nineteen
     
    Craic Carnival, Largheal, Ireland
     
    A dizzying display of colored lights surrounded Bree and Liam. Joyful screams mixed with laughter. Rides clanked and clanged. The sugary smell of candy floss and greasy burgers filled the air.
    They squeezed through the crowds past the Ferris wheel, skirted the bumper car line, and crossed the gaming section to a row of five tents. Mylar streamers fluttered atop the tent poles.
    “It’s over here,” Liam said as he led Bree to the right.
    She parted the canvas flaps and entered the tent. The carnival faded to the background. The air felt thicker inside: dim lights, strange music, and, near the door, a huge bucket of teeth.
    “There used to be a couple of gold ones in there, but you can’t trust carnie folk.”
    Liam turned. “Seamus?”
    A scrawny man threw a tattooed arm around Liam’s shoulder and hugged him hard. “Got another inch or two on ya, I see.”
    “And you’re as scrawny as ever. You fall asleep under a