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they
get to the fossil layer.’’
‘‘This is what I had in mind,’’ she said. ‘‘I like it.’’
‘‘I thought perhaps we could discuss it over dinner
sometime.’’
‘‘If the exhibit designer would like to, you don’t need
my permission. You can meet anywhere you want.’’
Mike grinned broadly. For a moment she thought
his teeth actually sparkled.
He leaned forward with his forearms on her desk.
‘‘That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.’’
‘‘No?’’
‘‘I thought you and I could discuss it.’’
‘‘I haven’t the time or the inclination to microma
nage the exhibits. Most of my people know their jobs.
I like to leave them alone.’’
‘‘All right, I can handle that. How about going cav
ing?’’
He
gave
her
a
one-sided
dimpled
smile
and
pulled
a
folded
paper
from
his
shirt
pocket
and
handed her a list. ‘‘These are some good caves to start
with.
Some
of
us
from
the
Bartram
Caving
Club’s
been to all of them.’’
Diane read the list. Blowing Cave, Climax Caverns,
Glory
Hole
Caverns,
Kingston
Saltpeter
Cave
Pre
serve. She cocked an eyebrow. ‘‘You’re kidding.’’
‘‘What?’’ He took the list and studied it for several
seconds before he burst out laughing. ‘‘I didn’t name
them.’’
‘‘Which one do you suggest we start with?’’
‘‘Glory Hole Cavern’s really beautiful but not a lot
of fun for someone who hasn’t had much experience.
Didn’t
you
say
one
of
your
crime
crew
wants
to
come along?’’
‘‘Neva Hurley. She’s visited caves as a tourist, and
a
few
as
an
explorer,
but
she
doesn’t
have
much
experience.’’
‘‘Climax is a good cave. Great geology. Lots of fos
sils. The front rooms are pretty easy. It gets harder
farther in.’’
‘‘Where is it?’’
‘‘Near the Florida border.’’
‘‘Anything closer?’’
‘‘There is a cave I’ve been interested in visiting.’’
He stuffed the list back in his pocket. ‘‘It’s not easy
to get the owner to allow people in. It’s a big cave
and
not
too
hard,
I’ve
heard.
Some
of
the
deeper
rooms and tunnels are for experienced cavers. It also
has some good geology. It’s only twenty miles from
here.’’
‘‘Do you think you could get permission?’’
‘‘Yeah, I think so. A guy in my caving club is tight
with the man who manages the property. We’ll have
to take him.’’
‘‘That’s fine. Do you know if it’s been mapped?’’
‘‘Some of the tunnels, but I haven’t seen the maps.
You thinking about mapping it?’’
‘‘If it’s an interesting cave and hasn’t been mapped,
yes. That’d be fun.’’
‘‘I’ll let you know something in a couple of days.’’
Mike
stood
up
and
started
for
the
door,
hesitated,
smiled, turned again and went out the door.
Diane looked through the papers Andie had left on
her desk. Nothing that couldn’t wait. She needed to
get back to the autopsies.

Chapter
8
    The
diener was placing another of Diane’s bodies on
the table when she reentered the autopsy containment
room,
suited,
masked
and
gloved,
her
hair
under
a
plastic cap. The rooms were cool now, the odors man
ageable, the way they should be.
    This
victim was called Green, after the color of cord
Diane had used to secure the ends of the cut hanging
rope. Green had hung fifteen feet from Blue.
    Lynn
and Raymond were chatting away about the
Braves as they cut away the clothing. The only part
of the conversation Diane understood was Raymond
saying, ‘‘Unh unh, ain’t no way.’’
    Lynn
looked up and nodded as Diane approached.
‘‘This one is about the same age as Blue,’’ she said.
‘‘I’d say in his early twenties, maybe late teens.’’
    ‘‘Too
young to die,’’ said Raymond.
‘‘We have some insect specimens for you from Blue.’’
Lynn motioned toward the counter where several jars sat.
‘‘We collected live larvae as well as dead husks. Raymond
enjoys that sort of thing, don’t you, Raymond?’’
‘‘You going to hatch