Chapter Seven

Coroner’s office, six weeks later.

“Hey Kristy, got another stiffie! Wanna give me a hand with it?”

“Frank, did you ever think that if you toned down your inappropriate jokes just a little bit you might get a promotion? Or would you rather be an entry level lab technician for the rest of your juvenile life?”

“Just trying to make the day go by a little faster Sweet Cheeks.”

“Oh I can’t tell you how much I will never be your “Sweet Cheeks.” Call me that again and I will do my best to convince HR that there needs to be a special position just for you taking care of the dirtiest jobs I can think of. At half your current pay with no possibility of advancement or a raise.”

“No need to get HR involved if you want me in a special, dirty position hun. You just have to ask.”

“Wipe that leer off your face and tell me what possessed you to ruin my day Frank. I have no patience left for your games.”

“Fine, Fine. Special request from a Detective Daniels. Got a suspected street lieutenant of the Malias family died under suspicious circumstances. That’s all I was told, apparently they don’t want you to have any preconceived notions as to what happened.”

Stepping out of her cubicle, Head Coroner Kristy donned her lab coat and latex gloves. “Ok, you get to make yourself useful and take down my notes. I’m serious Frank, no comments, no jokes, no innuendo. This sounds like one of those cases where you might actually learn something.”

“Aye aye Captain!” Frank said while mock saluting. At least he went over and got a fresh clipboard. Kristy cursed the council member who perpetually blocked her best attempts at getting this smarmy frat boy fired. His one redeeming quality was his ability to write in a legible shorthand.

“Ok, initial analysis: Subject is clad in pajama bottoms only. One oddly shaped bruise on the side of the neck, no patterns to it. No corresponding bruising on the opposite side, coupled with the lack of petechial hemorrhaging in the eyes rules out suffocation and ligatures. Several old scars, well healed on the chest and arms, concentrated on the knuckles suggest a rough life with multiple fist fights. Nothing recent, so either the subject didn’t fight back or was incapacitated. Considering the scars, I doubt the subject would not fight back. Malias family emblem tattooed on the left pectoral above the heart. Since he wasn’t methodically burned to death, I’m going to tentatively confirm Detective Daniels assumption that he was a part of the crime family. Rigor is nearly complete, but it was a rather warm night. I would say death occurred 8 to 12 hours ago. Removing the pants, no marks appear on the legs. The only visible wound is on the neck, lets focus on that area for now.” Closing her eyes to concentrate, Kristy’s hand hovered a few millimeters above the bruised skin. Frowning, she continued, “No damage to the muscle tissue, cause of death so far looks to be exsanguination.”

Frank chose that moment to break in. “Wait, you mean this guy bled to death without having a cut?”

With an exhasperated sigh, “Yes Frank, he bled to death. Back to the notes. There are two cuts in the carotid artery, approximately 3 mm long with smooth edges. The cuts are on opposite sides of the artery, as if a blade was inserted straight through. No damage to the surrounding musculature, no trace of poison. Frank, see if you can detect any trace of metal in the wound or surrounding area. Maybe we can get an idea of what could have caused this that way.”

Jerking back in surprise at the unusual request, Frank shakily extended a hand over the cadaver’s neck. “Uhhhh, I’m not the best at this but I can’t detect any metals at all. Sorry boss.”

“Don’t worry about it Frank, this looks like it will be one of those cases that either go unsolved or get published in a scientific journal. Let’s finish up here and get back with Detective Daniels, not that we have much to tell him. Definitely homicide, murder weapon unknown.”