not going to work at this hour? I mean, you’re not even on call.’
‘I just want to question the night mortuary tech and security,’ Laurie
said, as she went to the hall closet for their coats.
‘What on earth for?’ Jack asked.
‘I want to figure out how Franconi’s body disappeared,’ Laurie said. She
handed Jack his bomber jacket. ‘I talked to the evening crew when they
came on this afternoon.’
‘And what did they tell you?’
‘Not a whole bunch,’ Laurie said. ‘The body came in around eight
forty-five with an entourage of police and media. Apparently it was a
circus. I guess that’s why the X ray was overlooked. Identification was
made by the mother–a very emotional scene by all reports. By ten
forty-five the body was placed in the fridge in compartment one eleven.
So I think it’s pretty clear the abduction occurred during the night
shift from eleven to seven.’
‘Why are you worrying yourself about this?’ Jack said. ‘This is the
front office’s problem.’
Laurie pulled on her coat and got her keys. ‘Let’s just say that I’ve
taken a personal interest in the case.’
Jack rolled his eyes as they exited into the hall. ‘Laurie!’ he intoned.
‘You’re going to get yourself in trouble over this. Mark my word.’
Laurie pushed the elevator button then glared at Mrs. Engler, who’d
cracked her door as usual.
‘That woman drives me crazy,’ Laurie said as they boarded the elevator.
‘You’re not listening to me,’ Jack said.
‘I’m listening,’ Laurie said. ‘But I’m still going to look into this.
Between this stunt and my run-in with Franconi’s predecessor, it irks me
that these two-bit mobsters think they can do whatever they please. They
think laws are for other people. Pauli Cerino, the man Lou mentioned
this morning, had people killed so that he didn’t have to wait too long
to have corneal transplants. That gives you an idea of their ethics. I
don’t like the idea that they think they can just come into our morgue
and walk off with the body of a man they just killed.’
They emerged onto Nineteenth Street and walked toward First Avenue.
Laurie put up her collar. There was a breeze off the East River, and it
was only in the twenties.
‘What makes you think the mobsters are behind this?’ Jack asked.
‘You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to assume as much,’ Laurie
said. She put up her hand as a cab approached, but it zoomed past
without slowing. ‘Franconi was going to testify as part of a plea
bargain. The higher-ups of the Vaccarro organization got angry or scared
or both. It’s an old story.’
‘So they killed him,’ Jack said. ‘Why take the body?’
Laurie shrugged. ‘I’m not going to pretend I can put my mind into a
mobster’s,’ she said. ‘I don’t know why they wanted the body. Maybe to
deny him a proper burial. Maybe they’re afraid an autopsy would provide
a clue to the killer’s identity. Hell, I don’t know. But ultimately it
doesn’t matter why.’
‘I have a sense the `why’ might be important,’ Jack said. ‘I think by
getting involved you’ll be skating on thin ice.’
‘Maybe so,’ Laurie said. She shrugged again. ‘I get caught up in things
like this. I suppose part of the problem is that at the moment my main
focus in life is my job.’
‘Here comes a free cab,’ Jack said, deliberately avoiding having to
respond to Laurie’s last comment. He sensed the implications and was
reluctant to get drawn into a more personal discussion.
It was a short cab ride down to the corner of First Avenue and Thirtieth
Street. Laurie climbed out and was surprised when Jack did the same.
‘You don’t have to come,’ Laurie said.
‘I know,’ Jack said. ‘But I’m coming anyway. In case you haven’t
guessed, you have me concerned.’
Jack leaned back inside the cab and paid the driver.
Laurie was still insisting that Jack’s presence was not needed as they
walked between the Health and Hospital’s mortuary vans. They entered the
morgue through the Thirtieth Street entrance. ‘I thought you told me
your bed was beckoning?’
‘It can wait,’ Jack said. ‘After Lou’s story about your getting carted