Operatory of Death: A Jaswinder Mystery

by Cynthia Washburn

  “Can I get some coffee?” Cheryl looked shaky.

  “Sure, better make a full pot while you're at it; we'll be here for a while”

  Chapter 5

  From behind the reception counter Jaswinder stole a glance at Marnie, who had started calling the next day's patients. She looked miserable. Fortunately, with most patients having given cell phones numbers to the clinic, they'd been able to get hold of the afternoon's patients, except for old Mr. Peters. He had no cell phone. Marnie told her that she remembered that he came by bus so had probably already left home for his 1:15 appointment. They'd just have to grab him when he showed up outside and make some kind of explanation.

  “Marnie,” she whispered. “I'm going to call Jovan. He was going to meet me here after work but I want him to come early. I think I'm going to throw up.”

  “Now?”

  “I just feel sick to my stomach.”

  Marnie pushed the wastebasket in Jaswinder's direction. “Here. Better not let Dr. P. hear you. Call, I mean.”

  “He won't know.”

  “Okay, I'll try to cover for you.”

  They looked up as the detective backed away from the entrance to the waiting room and included Marnie and Jaswinder in his directions. “I'm going to call for another detective to canvass the area. Meantime, spread yourselves out in the clinic so you're out of conversation range with each other. Sorry, but it's protocol.” He fixed his glance on Jaswinder and Marnie. “I understand you two ladies are cancelling appointments. You can carry on with that. I'll start with you, Dr. Parker. What's that whining sound?”

  “It's a dog.”

  “At the dentist?”

  “It's a long story,” Marnie offered.

  “Should I try to put him back in his bag now, Dr. Parker?”

  Dr. Parker glanced at Detective Osborne briefly and nodded. “Yes, try that, but whatever you do, don't let him get loose.”

  Marnie scooted past the others into the waiting room and grabbed the bright blue tote bag. Jaswinder waited for her by the washroom door.

  “How about if we fasten the top with a big paperclip so the sneaky dog can't scratch it open with his paws. I think that must have been what happened.”

  Marnie nodded. “I’ll stand behind you and you open the door slowly. Don't open it too much, okay?”

  Jaswinder opened the door a crack and peeked in. The dog seemed subdued, crouched at the back by the toilet, but she wasn't taking any chances. “Pass me the bag,” she whispered. She fit herself into the small opening and tugged the bag in after her. Marnie closed the door. There was a small scuffle but the dog seemed to have lost his urge to wander. Jaswinder noticed a small puddle under the sink. Who would be delegated to clean that up, she wondered. She fastened the paper clip around the zipper and the handle and held it fast with one hand, exiting the washroom door. “He left a present behind.”

  Marnie grimaced. “Let's ask Carl, ha, ha.”

  They walked back to the waiting room as Dr. Parker was speaking to Detective Osborne. “This is the staff's usual lunch break. I wonder if I could order in some sandwiches for them.”

  “Sure, by all means. But have it delivered.” He looked out the door to where a small crowd was gathering on the other side of the police tape.

  “Of course.”

  “So, are you ladies finished cancelling appointments?” Detective Osborne enquired.

  “There's tomorrow afternoon left.”

  “Well, one of you stay to deal with that. Now, for the others; Cheryl is it? You can stay there in the waiting room. Carl, you can wait in your lab.” He looked down at his notebook. “Marnie, you can sit in one of the treatment chairs after you finish with the dog.”

  “You mean operatories.”

  “Okay, whatever.”

  “Dr. Parker, you have an office, I presume.”

  The dentist nodded.

  “I'd like to use that for the interviews, if you don't mind.”

  “Certainly.”

  “I'll come and get the next person after I've talked to you and then Carl. Everybody got that?” He smiled but only his lips turned up.

  Cheryl made a face at her co-workers at the front and stalked to the furthest corner of the waiting room. She grabbed a magazine and began to page through it. Marnie stood watching the back of Detective Osborne disappear towards Dr. Parker’s small office. Carl followed. Dr. Parker looked over them all and took a deep breath. “Okay, everyone. I know this has been a shock to us all. It certainly has been to me. I'd never even seen the man before.”

  “I don't think you're supposed to talk about it.” Cheryl looked up from her magazine.

  “Right. As I was saying, I know this is distressing but somehow we're going to have to get through this. We need to think of our patients, if this practice is going to survive this scandal, and we're all going to keep our jobs.” He stopped for a minute. “Including me.” Marnie leaned against the wall and Jaswinder put Herbie in a far corner of the Reception work area. “First of all, can you order some sandwiches and drinks for us all, Jaswinder? Soft drinks or juice. Just call the place across the street and order plenty. Don't forget the vegetarian ones for Cheryl.”

  ‘Thanks for remembering.” Cheryl looked up from her magazine. Jaswinder didn't think she looked grateful, just annoyed.

  “I know I'd prefer a drink right now, and I don't mean a Coke but let's keep our minds clear and our senses . . . cool. As best we can anyway. Any questions?”

  “I haven't been able to get Mr. Peters on the phone,” Marnie said. “You know he doesn't have a cell phone, Dr. P. He should be here in ten minutes or so.”

  “Okay, Marnie. I'll handle that. Just buzz me when you see him and I'll come up. Unless I'm still back with the detective, then, then . . . we'll have to think of something. Anything else?”

  “I'll go clean up from the dog and then I'll be in Op 2.” Marnie turned and headed into the washroom.

  “Oh. . . oh, thanks for that. I guess I'll go to my office now.”

  Jaswinder looked through her junk drawer for the menu from the little cafe across the street that had a take-out menu. Best to keep busy. If I start to think about this, I'll scream. Unless it was that protester, or Mrs. Harrington, ha!, one of us here did this. Could someone sneak in the back door.? Is that possible? It's always unlocked when we're open. Her head spun. Stop! Stop! Let the police figure this out; that's their job. All I know is, it wasn't me. Will that detective think I was closest to No. 4 Operatory? Was I? No, I was by the washroom. Ohhh, that is the closest, depending on where Cheryl was.

  Where was she? By the pan x-ray, right? That's at the end. By the back door. Maybe she was outside? She has said that she's stopped smoking but I'm not so sure. Maybe she went out for a cigarette. She does smell of smoke sometimes, but she has said her roommate smokes. There's that menu. Okay I'd better make a list. And remember the vegetarian ones. Jaswinder got out a notepad and started writing down the order.

  It was something to do to stop thinking. She looked around; no one was near her at the front. Cheryl looked engrossed in the magazine. Maybe she could call Jovan without anyone noticing. She picked up the phone and dialed, keeping the menu in one hand.

  “Hello?”

  “Jovan, it's me.”

  “Why are you whispering, Jas?”

  “Something terrible has happened; I'm so upset..”

  “What, what? Were you fired?”

  “Is that all you can say? No it's nothing to do with me. Well, it is. No, it's here at the clinic. Someone's been killed.” She felt her throat choke up as she said the words.

  “Killed? What happened? Somebody bleed to death or something?”

  “No, no, I'm not supposed to talk about it. The police told us . . . “

  “The police?” His voice went up a few decibels.

  “Shh. Keep your voice down. I'm not supposed to call anyone. Look, I have to go. Someone was murdered and the clinic is crawling with cops.”

  “
Okay, I'm coming right over. I can skip the next class.”

  “No, no, I don't think you should. Call my mother, no, don't, she always get hysterical. Somebody's coming, I've got to go.”

  She put the phone down and picked up the food list in one hand the pen in the other. Detective Osborne came around the corner. “Say, would you order a corned beef on rye for me? And a Coke. I'll pay for my own; just give me the bill.” He looked at her more closely. “You haven't ordered yet, have you?”

  “No, I was just . . . I had the wrong number.” She laughed nervously. “My fingers are a little shaky, I think.”

  “Fine, fine. Don't get nervous.” He walked towards the waiting room where Cheryl was sitting with the magazine, still on the same page. “You'll be next, Miss, after I finish with Carl.”

  Phew, that was close. Quick thinking, for once, Jas. She added a corned beef on rye and two more Cokes to the order and picked up the telephone to make the call. When she hung up, she noticed old Mr. Peters standing on the other side of the yellow tape, trying to get her attention. Should she go get Dr. Parker? Maybe he would appreciate if she took care of it.

  Mr. Peters wanted to know what was going on, of course. His hearing wasn't so good, it turned out, so she had to repeat everything twice and he still didn't understand. When Jaswinder tried to say she wasn't allowed to give any details he got annoyed and even started banging his cane.

  After ten minutes outside in the cold, with the telephone probably piling up with calls (at least she'd remembered to turn off the ringer) Mr. Peters insisted he had to come in and sit down before he turned around and went back home. Plus his bus wouldn't be here for another twenty minutes. He did look a little shaky; how old was he, anyway?

  The officer that had put up the tape seemed to have disappeared. Or maybe he'd gone back to Operatory 4; there'd been so many of them going back and forth. While Jaswinder was talking to Mr. Peters, the deliveryman with the sandwiches arrived. She let him in and Mr. Peters trailed along behind, ducking under the yellow tape. After the delivery guy was paid and tipped at the front counter out of the petty cash, Jaswinder led Mr. Peters to the waiting room. “Just wait here, Mr. Peters but don't go out of the waiting room, okay?”

  Carl strode by looking like thunder. “I'm finished here!” He tossed his coat over his shoulders. “Whatever else that cop says, I'm done! Who does he think he is? I don't have to account for my whole life to him.”

  “Okay, okay, Carl. What about your lunch?”

  “I don't give a damn. Give it to that guy.” He jerked his head at Mr. Peters and disappeared out the door.

  “Do you want a ham sandwich, Mr. Peters?” It seemed the older man did and Jaswinder gave it to him as well as a soft drink. “Just let yourself out when you're finished, Mr. Peters, okay?”

  Chapter 6

  Jaswinder noticed Jovan parking his small car. Oh, no, he had decided to come, after all. He walked towards the tape and stood there for a moment until Jaswinder gave a little wave to show she had seen him. She looked around. Marnie was hanging out in Op 2, waiting her turn for the interrogation. Cheryl had gone in to see the Detective, taking her sandwich and drink with her; no thanks had been given for the vegetarian one. Police people were still going back and forth but no one seemed to be paying much attention to her. The dog. That would be her excuse. She got Herbie out of the tote bag. Amazing, he hadn't started howling. Right, no drilling was going on. Just grilling. She laughed silently at her own sick joke.

  “Excuse me, I have to take the dog out to go to the bathroom.” She held up Herbie to one of the police in the area, the lady officer.

  The lady officer looked at the dog, looked at her and looked outside. “Okay, but come back in when you've finished. You haven't talked to Detective Osborne yet, have you?”

  “No, I think I must be next.” Jas had found a leash in a pocket of the tote bag. “I'll come back in as soon as he's done. I don't want him to make a mess or start barking or anything.” The officer nodded and turned back to her case of police supplies. Was she going to watch her go out? No, she picked up some bags and headed into Operatory 4.

  Jaswinder took Herbie through the door and put him down outside. She nodded at Jovan and indicated to the right with her head, walking that way with Herbie, who stopped to sniff the planter. Jovan took the hint and sauntered around the corner ahead of her.

  “What's up, baby? This is crazy. What happened?”

  Jaswinder felt a prickling behind her eyes. This day really had been crazy, terrible even. “Oh, Jovan, it's awful. I'm not supposed to talk about it. Somebody was killed in operatory 4. On purpose, I mean. With a scalpel! In his eye! And Mrs. Harrington found him and had a heart attack or maybe she just fainted. They took her off in an ambulance. It was terrible.” She looked over her shoulder; no one was watching her, except maybe the few people still gathered over by the fried chicken place. Didn't people have anything else to do? The dog was now peeing on the side of the building. She threw her arms around Jovan and leaned on his shoulder.

  “Holy cow, you're kidding! Who did it? I know it wasn't you, even if the patients do drive you crazy sometimes. Just joking, just joking.”

  Jas looked accusingly at him. “It's not funny!” Jovan squeezed her hand. “I'll just go a little farther with Herbie. Poor guy, he's been in a bag all day. Maybe you can take him home, Jovan. I don't think Mrs. H. is coming back today.”

  “Me, a dog? I don't know, Jas.”

  “Look, Jovan, I just can't cope with everything. The clinic is crawling with cops and Carl was almost shouting at me and Cheryl's not speaking to anyone. I don't know what to do with the dog. Just take him, okay. And feed him.” She looked sternly at Jovan. He better at least do this for me.

  “All right, all right, maybe my mom knows what to do.”

  “Look, I'd better get back. They probably won't notice when I don't bring Herbie back in.”

  “How much longer are they going to keep you here? They need a warrant or something, don't they?”

  “I think we get to go after we're questioned. I'll call you when I get home. You can come over and get Herbie's tote bag and then you can help me figure this out. I don't care what they say about not discussing things - that's ridiculous. How do they expect us to say nothing when someone is murdered ten feet away from where a person is sitting?”

  She walked back in after handing the leash to the reluctant Jovan. She was right; nobody noticed Herbie's disappearance. Some detectives, she thought.

  A half hour later the clinic was more full than Jas had ever seen it. Not with patients but with various law enforcement types in different clothes and with different explanations to her who they were as they walked past her. The Ident squad, something called Ihit, the Medical Examiner, and two more detectives. Finally, a couple of paramedic types came with a stretcher and removed Mr. Viktor in a black bag. Jas couldn't stop herself from checking if she saw anything sticking out of his head through the bag. No, nothing.

  Her sandwich tasted like cardboard but she forced some of it down. Detective Osborne was finally ready for her and Marnie took over at the front. She was the last to be questioned. Was there a reason for that? Anyway, the answering machine had long since been put on, with a message that the office was closed for the rest of the day and tomorrow. No reason was given in the message. People could watch the news tonight.

  Detective Osborne asked Jaswinder a lot of questions about how the appointment for Mr. Plinsky came to be made. Did someone refer him? Did any of the patients know him? Had any of them mentioned him? Had Dr. Parker talk to her about him previously? What did Mr. Plinsky say when he made the appointment? Like she remembered every phone call. A black tape recorder sat on the table between them and the detective had a small notebook that he scribbled something in from time to time.

  “Let me think.” Of course, she had already been thinking about the circumstances of Plinsky's appointment. He'd been a call two days prior. Or was it three? No, two. He’d been
referred to Dr. Parker by the Dental College. They kept a list of dentists accepting new patients and Dr. Parker was on that list and would be until he decided his practice was full.

  Viktor Plinsky had said he was in pain and had wanted to talk to Dr. Parker. The clinic never wanted to keep a patient in pain waiting long, even if it meant double booking. Jaswinder respected that. Even a new patient was supposed to be booked in within forty-eight hours if he was having pain. “He said he was in pain, his left jaw and lower molar. I wrote that in the appointment book.”

  “I’m going to need to look at that book.”

  “We need that appointment book every day.” No way she would be able to do her job without it.

  “You're closed tomorrow, right?”