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Authors: J. A. Jance
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it, eventually reaching the part where we had been questioning Machiko outside her daughter's presence.
"Did you know that your father talked to your mother by phone yesterday morning?
Kimiko shook her head.
"It must have been close to the same time he talked to you, I continued. "He didn't happen to mention to you where he was calling from, did he?
There was no immediate response. I glanced back to see if Kimi was listening and found her frowning in concentration. "He said something, but I can't recall exactly what. I remember asking him if I could check with the people at work and call him back. He said no, that he was out of his office and wherever he was, he wouldn't be there long. Port something. Port Townsend, maybe. Port Angeles. Something like that.
"And he didn't give you any idea what he was doing there?
"None whatsoever.
We made good time crossing Lake Washington. Big Al wheeled the car into a police vehicle parking place outside the medical examiner's office at the south end of Harborview Hospital. I got out, held the door open for Kimiko, and reached inside to help her out of the car. Once upright, she still clung to my hand. Her whole body was shaking.
"Am I going to have to identify him? she asked, her voice small and tremulous.
"No, I said. "George Yamamoto already gave us a positive ID. That won't be necessary. All you'll need to do is sign the papers.
She sighed with obvious relief. I thanked George Yamamoto for sparing her that. After nine years of not speaking, it would have been a tough way to see her father again.
Doc Baker's receptionist ushered us straight into the medical examiner's messy private office. His chipped blue vase, half filled with paper clips, sat in the window, but for once he didn't spend the entire interview trying to make baskets. He was solicitous and concerned as he shoved one piece of paper after another across his desk for Kimiko Kurobashi to sign.
"Have you scheduled the autopsy? I asked when she finished.
He nodded, taking the last of the sheaf of papers and straightening the edge by bouncing it sharply several times on the hard surface of the desk. "This afternoon. Four o'clock.
"You've told George?
"I've left word for him.
"Is an autopsy really necessary? Kimiko asked.
Doc Baker peered at her, dropping his chin so he could see her through the part of his glasses where the bifocals weren't. "Yes, it's necessary, miss. In cases like this, the law demands it.
She flushed. "Will we have to pay for it?
"No.
She nodded, relieved again. "And my mother wanted me to ask you about the sword. What will happen to that?
"It's in the crime lab right now, being examined. It will be kept in the property room pending a determination of whether or not it needs to be held as evidence.
"But it will be returned to her? Kimi insisted.
"Yes, Baker replied. "Eventually. Assuming she's the rightful owner, of course. And you'll have to handle that through the police department. They're the ones who are in charge of physical evidence. I understand you know Mr. Yamamoto over at the Crime Lab.
"Yes, she replied. "He was a friend of my father's.
"I see. Talk to him about it then. He can help you work your way through the bureaucracy, but you can plan on it taking quite a while. The wheels grind wondrous slow around here at times. He paused long enough to check through the papers before placing them in a manila file folder.
"This is all in order, then, he continued. "We'll release the body directly to the mortuary when the time comes. You should stop by and see them too, as long as you're over here. They may require full payment in advance, but I suppose you already knew that.
Kimi shook her head. "I didn't know, but I'll take care of it, she said, rising. The muscle in her cheek tightened over her narrow jawline. "Is that all?
"Yes, Miss Kurobashi.
"And will we hear from you about what you find—in the autopsy, I mean?
"The detectives here will keep in touch. You can ask
"Did you know that your father talked to your mother by phone yesterday morning?
Kimiko shook her head.
"It must have been close to the same time he talked to you, I continued. "He didn't happen to mention to you where he was calling from, did he?
There was no immediate response. I glanced back to see if Kimi was listening and found her frowning in concentration. "He said something, but I can't recall exactly what. I remember asking him if I could check with the people at work and call him back. He said no, that he was out of his office and wherever he was, he wouldn't be there long. Port something. Port Townsend, maybe. Port Angeles. Something like that.
"And he didn't give you any idea what he was doing there?
"None whatsoever.
We made good time crossing Lake Washington. Big Al wheeled the car into a police vehicle parking place outside the medical examiner's office at the south end of Harborview Hospital. I got out, held the door open for Kimiko, and reached inside to help her out of the car. Once upright, she still clung to my hand. Her whole body was shaking.
"Am I going to have to identify him? she asked, her voice small and tremulous.
"No, I said. "George Yamamoto already gave us a positive ID. That won't be necessary. All you'll need to do is sign the papers.
She sighed with obvious relief. I thanked George Yamamoto for sparing her that. After nine years of not speaking, it would have been a tough way to see her father again.
Doc Baker's receptionist ushered us straight into the medical examiner's messy private office. His chipped blue vase, half filled with paper clips, sat in the window, but for once he didn't spend the entire interview trying to make baskets. He was solicitous and concerned as he shoved one piece of paper after another across his desk for Kimiko Kurobashi to sign.
"Have you scheduled the autopsy? I asked when she finished.
He nodded, taking the last of the sheaf of papers and straightening the edge by bouncing it sharply several times on the hard surface of the desk. "This afternoon. Four o'clock.
"You've told George?
"I've left word for him.
"Is an autopsy really necessary? Kimiko asked.
Doc Baker peered at her, dropping his chin so he could see her through the part of his glasses where the bifocals weren't. "Yes, it's necessary, miss. In cases like this, the law demands it.
She flushed. "Will we have to pay for it?
"No.
She nodded, relieved again. "And my mother wanted me to ask you about the sword. What will happen to that?
"It's in the crime lab right now, being examined. It will be kept in the property room pending a determination of whether or not it needs to be held as evidence.
"But it will be returned to her? Kimi insisted.
"Yes, Baker replied. "Eventually. Assuming she's the rightful owner, of course. And you'll have to handle that through the police department. They're the ones who are in charge of physical evidence. I understand you know Mr. Yamamoto over at the Crime Lab.
"Yes, she replied. "He was a friend of my father's.
"I see. Talk to him about it then. He can help you work your way through the bureaucracy, but you can plan on it taking quite a while. The wheels grind wondrous slow around here at times. He paused long enough to check through the papers before placing them in a manila file folder.
"This is all in order, then, he continued. "We'll release the body directly to the mortuary when the time comes. You should stop by and see them too, as long as you're over here. They may require full payment in advance, but I suppose you already knew that.
Kimi shook her head. "I didn't know, but I'll take care of it, she said, rising. The muscle in her cheek tightened over her narrow jawline. "Is that all?
"Yes, Miss Kurobashi.
"And will we hear from you about what you find—in the autopsy, I mean?
"The detectives here will keep in touch. You can ask
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