Nodding, Gordon disassembled the device and lifted out the needle, displaying it to everyone. Resembling a thin shish kebab skewer, about three inches long, it had a ring on one end. The other end contained a cluster of tiny metal rods soldered or welded together. They ended in sharp points.

‘See how they’re joined together, in a star-shaped pattern? I make ’em myself. Most serious artists do. But we have to buy blanks and combine ’em. There’re two types of needles: those for lining – outlining the image – and then those for filling or shading. The dude needed to get a lot of poison into her body fast. That means he had to use filling needles after he was done with the bloodline. But these wouldn’t work, I don’t think. They wouldn’t go deep enough. But this kind of needle would.’ He reached into his bag once more and extracted a small plastic jar. He shook out two rods of metal, similar to his needles but longer. ‘They’re from an old-time rotary machine – the new ones, like mine, are two-coil, oscillation models. Was it a portable machine?’

‘Had to be. There was no electric source,’ Sachs told him.

Pulaski said, ‘I’ve been looking for portable guns … machines. But there’re a lot of them.’

Gordon thought for a moment. Then said, ‘I’m guessing it would have to be an American Eagle model. Goes way back. One of the first to run off battery power. It comes from the days when tattooing wasn’t very scientific. The artist could adjust the stroke of the needles. He could make them go real deep. I’d look for somebody who’s got an Eagle.’

Sellitto asked, ‘Are they sold here? In supply stores?’

‘I’ve never seen any. They’re not made anymore. You could get them online, I’d guess. That’d be the only way to find them.’

‘No, he’s not going to be buying anything that way, too traceable,’ Rhyme pointed out. ‘He probably picked it up where he lives. Or maybe he’s had it for years or inherited it.’

‘Needles’re a different story. You might be able to find somebody who’s sold needles for American Eagles. Anybody who bought those recently could be he.’

‘What’d you say?’ Rhyme asked.

‘What did I say?’ The slim man frowned. ‘When, now? Whoever’s buying needles for an American Eagle machine, it could be your perp. Don’t you say that? They do on NCIS.’

The criminalist laughed. ‘No. I was noting the proper use of the pronoun. Nominative case.’

Rhyme noted Pulaski roll his eyes.