Read Online Critical by Robin Cook - Free Book Online Page A

each representing a different case. She nodded and smiled a greeting at Jack and Laurie. There were two other individuals in the room, both sitting in vinyl club chairs and concealed behind newspapers, with steaming mugs of coffee within arm’s reach. Laurie and Jack knew who was behind the Daily News. It had to be Vinnie Amendola, the mortuary tech who had to come in prior to the other techs to help in the transition from the night shift to the day shift. Frequently, he worked with Jack because Jack also liked to get a jump on the day down in the pit.
    Neither Jack or Laurie knew who was hiding behind The New York Times, but they soon learned, when Jack’s crutches clattered to the bare wooden floor as he tried to lean them up against one of the other two club chairs in the room. The noise was sharp, not too dissimilar from the sound of a gunshot. The New York Times dropped and exposed the surprised, tense, and chronically sleep-deprived face of Detective Lieutenant Lou Soldano. By reflex, the detective’s right hand shot inside the lapel of his rumpled jacket. With his gravy-stained tie loosened and the top button of his wrinkled shirt unbuttoned, he had a decidedly disheveled appearance.
    â€œDon’t shoot!” Jack said, holding up his hand in mock surrender.
    â€œJesus,” Lou complained as he visually relaxed. As was often the case, he sported a heavy five-o’clock shadow. It was apparent he’d not been to bed that night.
    â€œConsidering the reporters out in reception, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised to see you,” Jack said. “How the hell are you, Lou?”
    â€œAs good as can be expected after spending most of the night out in the harbor. It’s not something I’d recommend.”
    Lou had been Laurie’s friend initially. Laurie and Lou had even dated after solving a case together, but their brief romance hadn’t worked out. When Jack had come on the scene and ended up dating Laurie, Lou had been a strong advocate of their relationship. He’d even been part of their wedding the previous June. They were all good friends.
    Laurie went to Lou and briefly touched cheeks before heading to the coffeepot.
    Jack sat in a club chair next to Lou’s and elevated his bum leg on the corner of the desk. Laurie called out to ask if Jack wanted any coffee. Jack gave her a thumbs-up sign.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Jack asked Lou. Since Lou had become a strong advocate of the contribution medical forensics played in homicide cases, he was a frequent visitor to the morgue, although he hadn’t been there for more than a month. From experience, Jack knew that when he did come, there was a high probability it would be an interesting case. The previous day, Jack had had three routine autopsies, two natural deaths and one accidental. There’d been little challenge. Lou’s presence augured that things might be different.
    â€œIt’s been a busy night,” Lou said. “There are three homicides I need help with. From my perspective, the most important one is a floater that we hauled out of the Hudson River.”
    â€œDo you have an ID on the victim?” Jack asked. Laurie came over and put Jack’s coffee mug down. He mouthed a thank-you.
    â€œNope, not a clue, at least so far.”
    â€œAre you sure it was a homicide?”
    â€œAbsolutely. He was shot in the back of the head at close range with a small-caliber bullet.”
    â€œSounds straightforward from a medical forensics point of view,” Jack said with some disappointment.
    â€œBut not from mine,” Lou said. “The body is that of a well-dressed Asian man, not some street person. What scares me is that this might be an organized crime–related hit. We know there’s been some friction between the established crime syndicates and some up-and-coming Asian, Russian, and Hispanic gangs, particularly in regard to recreational drugs. If some kind of crime