them.
Disillusionment had come swiftly.
Savannah glanced at the log. No, Dr. Liu hadn’t signed out yet. Good.
She left the rookie, guarding his post like a pit bull with a ham bone, and walked down the hall toward the examination room.
The door stood open a crack, so she knocked twice, then stuck her head inside.
“Jennifer?”
The deputy coroner sat on a high stool at one of the stainless-steel tables, her head cocked sideways as she peered into a microscope. “Savannah ... did you bring me a hamburger and a chocolate shake?”
“Didn’t know you wanted one.”
Jennifer looked up and sighed, running her hand along the back of her neck. “The hamburger was just a whim,” she said, “but the chocolate shake is mandatory. You know, a PMS thing.”
Savannah laughed, enjoying a rare moment of female camaraderie. PMS wasn’t a subject that was open for discussion with the male sector of the department. Those members of the masculine persuasion were far too quick to blame any female opinion they didn’t support on Premenstrual Syndrome. More than once Savannah had told them that the initials stood for “Putting up with Men’s Shit.”
“Hey, I know what you mean,” she said as she slid onto a stool beside the doctor. “During that last week if it wasn’t for naps and double Dutch chocolate ice cream, life wouldn’t be worth living.”
Reaching into her purse, Savannah pulled out an enormous Snickers bar and handed it to Dr. Liu. Three seconds later the candy had been unwrapped and the first section devoured.
“Thanks,” she said, closing her eyes in ecstasy as she chewed. “You saved my life.”
Savannah shrugged. “Ah... you’d do it for me.”
“Don’t be so sure.” The doctor laughed. “Chocolate cravings and water retention don’t exactly bring out the best in my character.”
Nodding toward the corpse, which still lay on the metal table, covered with a sheet, Savannah said, “So, what have you got for me so far?”
“He got popped in the morning... probably around fourish. Other than that, I don’t have much yet. Don’t rush me. I’m a lady who takes her time and does it right.” Jennifer lifted one delicate eyebrow suggestively. If anyone else had said the same thing with that gleam in her eye, Savannah would have thought she was attempting to be risque. But Dr. Liu seemed so... intelligent... so elegant... so unsullied by anything so mundane as a roll in the hay.
Pointing to a plastic tray at the end of the long table, the doctor said, “I’m finishing up with the clothing and personal effects now. You can fondle those, if you want.”
Savannah gave her a curious sideways glance. Yep, no doubt about it: Dr. Liu was being feisty. Hmm-m-m ... she’d have to think about what that might mean... later.
“Pretty tattered stuff,” Savannah said as she walked to the tray and studied its blood-and flesh-stained contents: Winston’s clothing, gaudy jewelry, snakeskin wallet, and grossly overburdened money clip. The motive had definitely not been robbery.
“Hey, this could be helpful,” she said when she saw the credit card-sized personal organizer. A device like this often contained a wealth of information about its owner, including telephone numbers, addresses, important dates and appointments.
Jennifer, who had returned her attention to the microscope, glanced up and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m afraid it bit the dust along with Mr. Winston.”
“Damn.” Savannah punched the On button with the predicted lack of response. “New-fangled gadgets... they’re a bite in the ass. There’s not even a broken clock face that can show us the exact moment it was shot.”
She picked up the diamond-studded Rolex from the tray. In keeping with every other irritating element of her day, it was ticking away happily, efficient as ever. Only the spattering of blood suggested that it had been present during the crime. In all the years she had worked homicide, only once
Disillusionment had come swiftly.
Savannah glanced at the log. No, Dr. Liu hadn’t signed out yet. Good.
She left the rookie, guarding his post like a pit bull with a ham bone, and walked down the hall toward the examination room.
The door stood open a crack, so she knocked twice, then stuck her head inside.
“Jennifer?”
The deputy coroner sat on a high stool at one of the stainless-steel tables, her head cocked sideways as she peered into a microscope. “Savannah ... did you bring me a hamburger and a chocolate shake?”
“Didn’t know you wanted one.”
Jennifer looked up and sighed, running her hand along the back of her neck. “The hamburger was just a whim,” she said, “but the chocolate shake is mandatory. You know, a PMS thing.”
Savannah laughed, enjoying a rare moment of female camaraderie. PMS wasn’t a subject that was open for discussion with the male sector of the department. Those members of the masculine persuasion were far too quick to blame any female opinion they didn’t support on Premenstrual Syndrome. More than once Savannah had told them that the initials stood for “Putting up with Men’s Shit.”
“Hey, I know what you mean,” she said as she slid onto a stool beside the doctor. “During that last week if it wasn’t for naps and double Dutch chocolate ice cream, life wouldn’t be worth living.”
Reaching into her purse, Savannah pulled out an enormous Snickers bar and handed it to Dr. Liu. Three seconds later the candy had been unwrapped and the first section devoured.
“Thanks,” she said, closing her eyes in ecstasy as she chewed. “You saved my life.”
Savannah shrugged. “Ah... you’d do it for me.”
“Don’t be so sure.” The doctor laughed. “Chocolate cravings and water retention don’t exactly bring out the best in my character.”
Nodding toward the corpse, which still lay on the metal table, covered with a sheet, Savannah said, “So, what have you got for me so far?”
“He got popped in the morning... probably around fourish. Other than that, I don’t have much yet. Don’t rush me. I’m a lady who takes her time and does it right.” Jennifer lifted one delicate eyebrow suggestively. If anyone else had said the same thing with that gleam in her eye, Savannah would have thought she was attempting to be risque. But Dr. Liu seemed so... intelligent... so elegant... so unsullied by anything so mundane as a roll in the hay.
Pointing to a plastic tray at the end of the long table, the doctor said, “I’m finishing up with the clothing and personal effects now. You can fondle those, if you want.”
Savannah gave her a curious sideways glance. Yep, no doubt about it: Dr. Liu was being feisty. Hmm-m-m ... she’d have to think about what that might mean... later.
“Pretty tattered stuff,” Savannah said as she walked to the tray and studied its blood-and flesh-stained contents: Winston’s clothing, gaudy jewelry, snakeskin wallet, and grossly overburdened money clip. The motive had definitely not been robbery.
“Hey, this could be helpful,” she said when she saw the credit card-sized personal organizer. A device like this often contained a wealth of information about its owner, including telephone numbers, addresses, important dates and appointments.
Jennifer, who had returned her attention to the microscope, glanced up and shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’m afraid it bit the dust along with Mr. Winston.”
“Damn.” Savannah punched the On button with the predicted lack of response. “New-fangled gadgets... they’re a bite in the ass. There’s not even a broken clock face that can show us the exact moment it was shot.”
She picked up the diamond-studded Rolex from the tray. In keeping with every other irritating element of her day, it was ticking away happily, efficient as ever. Only the spattering of blood suggested that it had been present during the crime. In all the years she had worked homicide, only once
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