Read Online Blood Passage by Michael J. McCann - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael J. McCann
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Memories of a violent death would be particularly vivid, and it may be possible that these traumatic memories play themselves out in the new mind, while still in the womb, in such a way that wounds are reproduced as birthmarks just as burns or blisters can be produced through hypnosis, by the mind acting on the body in ways we don’t completely understand. Dr. Tucker refers to this as trauma transfer, the carrying over of traumatic emotion from one life to the next and the manifestation of that emotion in certain physical characteristics.”
Hank shrugged. “Pretty far-fetched. What does this have to do with Taylor Chan? Are you telling me he has a birthmark that matches the gunshot wound of Martin Liu?”
Josh turned the laptop around so that Hank could see the screen. “These are two pics of birthmarks that Taylor has on his left thigh. The one on the left is from the front; the one on the right is from the back. The one on the left looks like a round puncture wound, like an entrance wound, and the one on the right, on the back of his leg, is larger and more ragged, like a severe exit wound. Is this where Martin Liu was shot?”
Hank stared at the screen.
“ See, that’s what I was originally supposed to do today, come down and see you guys.”
“ See us guys?”
“ Yeah, the police. To request access to Martin Liu’s autopsy report. It’s something we try to do in each case where there’s some kind of physical defect or birthmark. To match them up. Can I do that?”
“ I’ll see what I can do,” Hank said after a moment. “Can I get copies of these pictures?”
“ Sure,” Josh said. He leaned down, dragged over his computer bag and removed a small photo printer not much bigger than his hand. He set it up on the table and plugged it into the laptop.
“ You guys must have some budget,” Hank said.
“ Oh, it’s just a little direct printer that runs off a USB port.”
“ Right, you can also use them with digital cameras.”
“ Yeah. This only prints four by six. I hope that’s okay.”
“ No problem.”
The printer came to life and began printing the first photo.
“ So when do you think I’ll be able to see the autopsy report on Martin Liu?”
Hank took the first photo from the printer and examined it as the second one began to print. “I think maybe we should do this in a particular order, Josh. First comes the active homicide investigation under the jurisdiction of the police and then afterwards a research case into reincarnation once all the shooting and assaulting and fun and games are cleared away. All right?”
Josh’s eyes fell. “Sure. I understand.”
“ Once the dust settles you can see whatever’s in the file that’s relevant to your research.”
“ Thanks.”
Hank nodded. “All right, then.” He tucked the photos into his manila envelope and stood up. “Do me a favor and stay put for a while. Order room service for your meals. I’m not exactly sure what those guys have in mind, but I think it’s better that they not find you again.”
“ Okay,” Josh agreed fervently. “I’m all for that. I have absolutely no desire to run into them again. I have a bunch of stuff to catch up on anyway, e-mails, updates to my reports, check in with Dr. Walsh. I’ll be busy.”
Hank left him in the hotel room. Waiting for the elevator, he pulled out his cell phone and called Karen.
“ You free?”
“ Yeah,” she replied in a disgusted tone. “Bastards kept me waiting while they had some fuckin’ meeting or other, then treated me like a droolin’ imbecile for wasting time cuz I waited around for them. Bottom line, I’m done.”
“ Great. Come pick me up at the Ramada. We’ll go talk to some people.”
“ Be there in ten.”
“ You’re a jewel,” Hank said, and closed his phone.
6
Peter Mah sat by himself at a small table in the back corner of the Bright Spot Restaurant near the swinging doors that led into the kitchen. It was a beat-up dump on
Hank shrugged. “Pretty far-fetched. What does this have to do with Taylor Chan? Are you telling me he has a birthmark that matches the gunshot wound of Martin Liu?”
Josh turned the laptop around so that Hank could see the screen. “These are two pics of birthmarks that Taylor has on his left thigh. The one on the left is from the front; the one on the right is from the back. The one on the left looks like a round puncture wound, like an entrance wound, and the one on the right, on the back of his leg, is larger and more ragged, like a severe exit wound. Is this where Martin Liu was shot?”
Hank stared at the screen.
“ See, that’s what I was originally supposed to do today, come down and see you guys.”
“ See us guys?”
“ Yeah, the police. To request access to Martin Liu’s autopsy report. It’s something we try to do in each case where there’s some kind of physical defect or birthmark. To match them up. Can I do that?”
“ I’ll see what I can do,” Hank said after a moment. “Can I get copies of these pictures?”
“ Sure,” Josh said. He leaned down, dragged over his computer bag and removed a small photo printer not much bigger than his hand. He set it up on the table and plugged it into the laptop.
“ You guys must have some budget,” Hank said.
“ Oh, it’s just a little direct printer that runs off a USB port.”
“ Right, you can also use them with digital cameras.”
“ Yeah. This only prints four by six. I hope that’s okay.”
“ No problem.”
The printer came to life and began printing the first photo.
“ So when do you think I’ll be able to see the autopsy report on Martin Liu?”
Hank took the first photo from the printer and examined it as the second one began to print. “I think maybe we should do this in a particular order, Josh. First comes the active homicide investigation under the jurisdiction of the police and then afterwards a research case into reincarnation once all the shooting and assaulting and fun and games are cleared away. All right?”
Josh’s eyes fell. “Sure. I understand.”
“ Once the dust settles you can see whatever’s in the file that’s relevant to your research.”
“ Thanks.”
Hank nodded. “All right, then.” He tucked the photos into his manila envelope and stood up. “Do me a favor and stay put for a while. Order room service for your meals. I’m not exactly sure what those guys have in mind, but I think it’s better that they not find you again.”
“ Okay,” Josh agreed fervently. “I’m all for that. I have absolutely no desire to run into them again. I have a bunch of stuff to catch up on anyway, e-mails, updates to my reports, check in with Dr. Walsh. I’ll be busy.”
Hank left him in the hotel room. Waiting for the elevator, he pulled out his cell phone and called Karen.
“ You free?”
“ Yeah,” she replied in a disgusted tone. “Bastards kept me waiting while they had some fuckin’ meeting or other, then treated me like a droolin’ imbecile for wasting time cuz I waited around for them. Bottom line, I’m done.”
“ Great. Come pick me up at the Ramada. We’ll go talk to some people.”
“ Be there in ten.”
“ You’re a jewel,” Hank said, and closed his phone.
6
Peter Mah sat by himself at a small table in the back corner of the Bright Spot Restaurant near the swinging doors that led into the kitchen. It was a beat-up dump on
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