Anil's Ghost

Anil and Sarath track down Palipana’s recommended painter, Ananda Udugama. They have heard he drinks excessively, and Anil is nervous about handing over Sailor’s skull to him. Nevertheless, he is really their only choice, and he accepts the job. Some soldiers, whose allegiances are ambiguous, stop them on the road and search their vehicle, taking all their batteries. The three arrive at Sarath’s old family estate, where they will endeavor to identify Sailor. Ananda will reconstruct the head, while Anil will continue her study on the rest of the skeleton. She will try to determine his occupation by looking for physical markers. Sarath must return to Colombo on a regular basis to avoid suspicion about their project. While he is away, Anil focuses on Sailor. She is still skeptical about Ananda’s part in their process, but witnesses him approaching the skeleton one night after work. He does not disturb Anil’s workspace, but tenderly investigates the man’s remains.

Anil has a breakthrough watching Ananda work in a peculiar sort of crouch. When Ananda says that he worked this way in the mines, Anil recognizes that posture would cause wear like that in Sailor’s bones: strong upper torso with sedentary legs. She concludes that Sailor must have been a miner, as well.