Part 26 (1/2)
”But the dental records . . .”
”I'm afraid that's not my department, Inspector. Can't two people have similar dental histories?”
”Identical? I've never heard of it.”
Osternak raised his eyebrows and held a prolonged shrug for a moment longer, and then placed his hands palms-down on his desk in a gesture of finality. ”Well, all I can suggest, Inspector, is that you take a leaf from the practice of science,” he said breezily.
”And what might that be, sir?”
”Hypotheses are built upon the best data available, but they are never inviolate. When incontrovertible facts are established which contradict the hypothesis, then the hypothesis must be revised. In this case, the hypothesis based on previous experience is that no two individuals have identical dent.i.tion. . . . I trust you take my point.”
”I see.” Wenkle rubbed his nose and seemed about to say something, then thought better of it. ”This will cause quite a sensation among forensic circles,” he remarked.
”Hmm? . . . Oh yes. Yes, I suppose it will.”
”Well, I suppose there's no need to take up any more of your time, Professor.”
”If you're sure I can be of no further help . . .”
”Oh, I think we've covered everything.” Wenkle began collecting his papers together. ”Where did you say Dr. Gorfmann went, again?”
”To Australia. He was a rather headstrong and unusually ambitious young man-very capable, mark you, but he thought he wasn't getting enough of an opportunity here. He resigned and went off to . . . oh, I forget the name of the place. One of those billabong-sounding, Aborigine words, out in the desert.”
”A bit abrupt, wasn't it?”
”Remarkably so. It caused us a few headaches, I can tell you. But he was very temperamental. Terrible, the lack of consideration among young people these days. Terrible.”
”It seems strange that he didn't wait to collect the insurance money.”
”Didn't need it. His family's dripping with money. They own gold mines or something out in Australia.
That's probably why he went there.”
”Why would he have bought a new car so recently if he was going abroad?”