written from a sarcastic, mocking point of view. It cast equal aspersion
on the police department and the medical examiner’s office. It said the
whole sordid affair was just another glowing example of the gross
incompetence of both organizations.
Laurie breezed into the room and interrupted Jack. As she removed her
coat, she told him that she hoped he felt better than she.
‘Probably not,’ Jack admitted. ‘It was that cheap wine I brought over.
I’m sorry.’
‘It was also the five hours of sleep,’ Laurie said. ‘I had a terrible
time hauling myself out of bed.’ She put her coat down on a chair. ‘Good
morning, Vinnie,’ she called out.
Vinnie stayed silent behind his sports page.
‘He’s pouting because I violated his paper,’ Jack said. Jack got up so
Laurie could sit down at the scheduling desk. It was Laurie’s week to
divvy up the cases for autopsy among the staff. ‘The headlines and cover
story are about the Franconi incident.’
‘I wouldn’t wonder,’ Laurie said. ‘It was all over the local news, and I
heard it announced that Bingham will be on Good Morning America to
attempt damage control.’
‘He’s got his hands full,’ Jack said.
‘Have you looked at today’s cases?’ Laurie asked, as she started
glancing through the twenty or so folders.
‘I just got here myself,’ Jack admitted. He continued reading the
article.
‘Oh, this is good!’ Jack commented after a moment’s silence. ‘They’re
alleging that there is some kind of conspiracy between us and the police
department. They suggest we might have deliberately disposed of the body
for their benefit. Can you imagine! These media people are so paranoid
that they see conspiracy in everything!’
‘It’s the public who is paranoid,’ Laurie said. ‘The media likes to give
them what they want. But that kind of wild theory is exactly why I’m
going to find out how that body disappeared. The public has to know we
are impartial.’
‘I was hoping you’d have a change of heart and given up on that quest
after a night’s sleep,’ Jack mumbled while continuing to read.
‘Not a chance,’ Laurie said.
‘This is crazy!’ Jack said, slapping the page of newsprint. ‘First they
suggest we here at the ME office were responsible for the body
disappearing, and now they say the mob undoubtedly buried the remains in
the wilds of Westchester so they will never be found.’
‘The last part is probably correct,’ Laurie said. ‘Unless the body turns
up in the spring thaw. With the frost it’s hard to dig more than a foot
below the surface.’
‘Gads, what trash!’ Jack commented as he finished the article. ‘Here,
you want to read it?’ He offered the front pages of the paper to Laurie.
Laurie waved them off. ‘Thanks, but I already read the version in the
Times,’ she said. ‘It was caustic enough. I don’t need the New York
Post’s point of view.’
Jack went back over to Vinnie and quipped that he was willing to return
his paper to its virginal state. Vinnie took the pages without comment.
‘You are awfully sensitive today,’ Jack said to the tech.
‘Just leave me alone,’ Vinnie snapped.
‘Whoa, watch out, Laurie!’ Jack said. ‘I think Vinnie has pre-mental
tension. He’s probably planning on doing some thinking and it’s got his
hormones all out of whack.’
‘Uh-oh!’ Laurie called out. ‘Here’s that floater that Mike Passano
mentioned last night. Who should I assign it to? Trouble is I don’t
think I’m mad at anyone and to forestall guilt I’ll probably end up
doing it myself.’
‘Give it to me,’ Jack said.
‘You don’t care?’ Laurie asked. She hated floaters, especially those
which had been in the water for a long time. Such autopsies were
unpleasant and often difficult jobs.
‘Nah,’ Jack said. ‘Once you get past the smell, you got it licked.’
‘Please!’ Laurie murmured. ‘That’s disgusting.’
‘Seriously,’ Jack said. ‘They can be a challenge. I like them better
than gunshot wounds.’
‘This one is both,’ Laurie commented, as she put Jack down for the
floater.
‘How delightful!’ Jack commented. He walked back to the scheduling desk
and looked over Laurie’s shoulder.
‘There’s a presumptive, close range shotgun blast to the upper-right