The evening was cool with wind whipping the trees. Jaswinder shivered and looked around the quiet neighbourhood. Things weren’t always what they seemed, she reminded herself.
"I don't know if you should have asked her those questions, Jaswinder. You might get in trouble, you know."
"Maybe. But it was worth it. I had no idea the sedation machine was in there. That's probably what killed him. I didn't dare ask Mrs. H. if she noticed what the dial was set at. But if you look at the console there's a dial that you switch from low to high, left to right. The dose is given according to the patient's weight. Too much can be lethal. The far right of the dial is red and you'd only use that with a five hundred pound patient; we don't get too many of those. Mr. Plinsky was smaller than you, Jovan."
"So the scalpel didn't kill him?"
"Probably not."
"So why would anyone do that; it's kind of gruesome."
"I think, Jovan, it's the kind of thing you do to someone you hate."
"Or maybe the guy is just crazy in the head. Have you thought of that?"
"Let's not talk about it anymore. Why don't we go grab a hot chocolate somewhere and talk about something different. I'd better make sure I'm not home late, though. My parents are still anxious.”
Chapter 10
Jaswinder felt some trepidation heading back to work on Monday. From the outside everything looked as usual. The yellow tape was gone and there was no sign of their resident protester. Today, however, Jaswinder wasn't the first to arrive. Dr. Parker was in already and had unlocked the front door. The front door key was lying by her computer. Detective Osborne had returned it, she assumed.
Dr. Parker peered around the corner after about five minutes and said hello. Jaswinder considered for a moment asking him about the sedation machine but decided against it. Then she would have to tell him about her visit to Mrs. Harrington. She made up her mind to wait and see if he asked about Herbie. Likely he'd forgotten all about the dog. Who could blame him? But why had he kept quiet about the sedation machine? He could hardly have missed seeing it.
Jaswinder went around to her chair after hanging up her coat and tried to pretend it was just another Monday. Should she offer to clean in Operatory 4? It looked like the cleaners, who usually came in on Friday evening, had been cancelled. The wastebaskets were still full and the floors hadn't been washed. The whole place needed cleaning. If she offered to clean up in Operatory four it would give her a chance to look things over but could she really face going in there. Remember, Jas, the body is long gone. She had just decided to mention the cleaning issue to her boss when Dr. Parker came walking down the hall towards reception.
"Good morning, Jaswinder, thanks for coming in. How was your weekend?"
"Oh, fine, the same, really."
I hope your parents weren't too upset. I presume they watched the news."
"Yeah, well they were, a bit. I mean, it was a shock for them. But they thought right away it was the protester who did it. I'd told them about him before, that was okay, wasn't it?"
Dr. Parker shrugged his shoulders. "I need to tell you that Marnie has given her notice and won't be working here anymore. She didn't want to work the usual two weeks notice and I couldn't really blame her. She said that she has to think of her son."
Jaswinder’s heart sank. Marnie was her main work friend; Cheryl just wasn't the same. This was so unfair. Why hadn't Mr. Plinsky died somewhere else?
"I've got a call into a temp agency and I'll advertise and try to start interviewing for a permanent replacement as soon as possible. I know this won't be easy for you and I really appreciate your support. Oh, and don't worry, the cleaners are coming in tonight. You probably noticed it wasn't cleaned Friday evening."
He looked worn out, Jaswinder thought, somehow even more noticeably today. It had probably a big thing for him, starting his own practice after working at the mall clinic for someone else. He didn't deserve to have things turn out this way.
Jaswinder decided she'd lost interest in cleaning Operatory 4 and would ignore it unless asked. She looked at her own garbage can. Her half-eaten sandwich was sitting on top along with Cheryl's gloves. Mr. Plinsky had dropped his cigarette butt in there earlier. She decided that the police might want to examine something for fingerprints or DNA. She would keep it for them. Jaswinder dumped the trash into a plastic shopping bag and tossed it into the bottom drawer in Bev's filing cabinet. She doesn't use that one. I can ask Detective Osborne if he wants to look through it if he calls again.
That job done, she sat back down in her chair glumly and wondered when the temp would be in. It would be difficult to manage without Marnie. She checked the answering machine. Two of the day's patient's had cancelled; one was the first appointment at 9:30 and then the 3:00 p.m appointment. Neither gave a reason and strictly speaking they should be charged for the late cancellation. Dr. Parker wouldn't do that, not in the circumstances.
During the next forty-five minutes Jaswinder had a couple of calls from patients wanting to know what was going on, ostensibly checking if the clinic was still open in case they needed to come in for some reason. Feeble excuse, Jasmine thought, as they pumped her for information, only slightly diplomatically. When she said that the police had told her not to discuss the case, they shut up.
Jaswinder called Dr. Parker on the inter-office phone and let him know the first patient had cancelled so there wouldn't be anyone coming in until 10:00 a.m. "That's Fred Clendenning for the night guard pick up and fitting."
"Okay, okay, thanks, Jas." His voice was subdued. He definitely sounds glum, Jaswinder thought. If Dr. Parker went back to working at the mall clinic that would be the end of my job here. I'd better sound more positive when the next patients call.
The rest of the day dragged. Cheryl came in, followed by Carl. Both of them said a brief 'Hi' and then went to their own rooms. Jaswinder started on the appointment reminders for the following week. She made herself sound as normal as possible, and fortunately, except for one patient who said they had the 'flu, everyone else confirmed. When she finished the calls she worked on the insurance billing from the previous week.
Two patients came for their hygiene appointments with Cheryl and Fred Clendenning came and went. Jaswinder was grateful that he said nothing about the murder when he paid his bill. It was possible that some people didn't watch the news. She made her usual herbal tea and then decided to walk down to Dr. Parker's office in a brief lull and let him know that every patient but one had confirmed for the week. That should cheer him up.
After talking to Dr. Parker, Jaswinder decided to keep walking down the hallway in the same direction, looking at her surroundings more carefully than usual. She walked quietly passed Carl's lab. Door closed as usual. She tried the back door, unlocked, as it was supposed to be when they were open. Some fire department rule about two exits. Around the corner, there was the sedation machine, back in the recess where it belonged. Jas eyed it as she walked past; it looked the same as always. To think it was used to kill someone. She shivered at the thought.
Cheryl's door was wide open and she was bent over her patient, flossing his teeth. She didn't look up as Jaswinder walked past. Operatory four's door was closed; Jaswinder wondered when, if ever, they would start using it again. If patients knew what had happened in it they'd probably refuse to be treated there. Completing the circuit she headed back to reception as the front door buzzed and opened.
"Hello, Ms. Randall. Do you want to take off your coat? I'll let Dr. Parker know you're here." A young woman walked in right behind Edna Randall. Must be the temp; it isn't anyone I recognize. Couldn't be another cop, could it? She took Ms. Randall down to the first operatory, saying 'I'll be right with you,' to the temp. She decided to set the patient up; she knew how to do that even thought she seldom using that training. In a pinch Jas knew she could assist chairside but there were certain things she was not permitted to do since was wasn't a certified dental assistant.
The rain outside got
heavier as the afternoon went on. It suited Jaswinder's mood. The temp, it had been the temp that came through the door after Edna Randall, was called Alice and seemed to know what she was doing. Dr. Parker would probably ask her to stay on until he hired someone to take Marnie's place.
Jaswinder found her thoughts kept returning to Thursday, reliving the events. Knowing the sedation machine had been used to kill Mr. Plinsky hadn't really help solve the crime. Everyone in the office, except maybe Bev, knew how to run it, at least enough to kill someone. It was obvious really. The mask was strapped around the patient's head while they breathed in. The problem was that once they were under, the patient wouldn't even know that the dial had been turned to the lethal dose. The scalpel in the eye would have been the last thing done. There would have been no problem by that time with Mr. Plinsky fighting back or even noticing it.
I really need to get into Carl's lab and check out his files, Jaswinder decided. Maybe she could stay after everyone went home and have a good look. She'd have to come up with a good excuse. Maybe she could tell Dr. Parker that she was going to show Alice around and then get rid of her quickly. Alice was quiet but efficient and she had agreed to stay on for a couple of weeks. Jaswinder wondered it she knew about the murder. It was worth a try.
Halfway through the afternoon she asked Alice if she wanted to stay for ten minutes after the last patient just to go over procedures. She agreed willingly enough. She checked that with Dr. Parker who looked pleased at Jaswinder's initiative. She felt guilty for a minute but then reminded herself that what she was doing was also to help him.
Alice was an experienced CDA temp, it turned out, and had done the work for almost ten years while her kids had been in school. She wasn't looking for a full-time position. Carl went home just after four and Cheryl's last patient left shortly after. She followed within ten minutes. Dr. Parker had said that Detective Osborne had asked him to stop by the police station on his way home and he left also. Ten minutes was long enough to brief Alice. She was appreciative, most places didn't do it, she said.
Jaswinder felt didn't feel too bad using Alice this way, let's call it dual-purpose, she decided. After Alice left, Jaswinder was careful to lock the front door behind her. It was a little creepy she decided, being here alone in the clinic in the late afternoon. The mornings were different somehow when it was completely light outside. Now the afternoon was almost gone and it was dusk. She checked the back door. Dr. Parker must have locked it. Good. She had previously tried her key in Carl's office and knew it worked. Jaswinder had been in there before, bringing down delivered packages that Carl was waiting for.
There wasn't really much that was interesting to see: a long counter with some equipment on it. A trimmer on a back counter with the hose attached to the faucet. It was used to trim stone models of teeth. Some large cardboard boxes were bunched on the floor. One of them was open and there was white powder in it. Someone might think it was cocaine, Jaswinder tried to joke to herself. It was dusty in the room from the dental plaster that was used for the moulds. The sink was filled with some dark green rubber bowls and spatulas waiting to be washed. A filing cabinet was against the back wall.
Hanging up on the wall were at least thirty metal trays used for taking impressions of patient’s teeth. On a shelf below were some hardened plaster impressions; must be patients he's currently working on. Not very promising. Hopefully, the filing cabinet is not locked. No, it was open.
Would there be anything in there? Jaswinder rifled through the different files. There was a lot of promotional material from dental supply companies. Why did Carl bother keeping that? Patient files. A file labelled 'Immigration'; that might have something. Jaswinder wasn't sure what she was looking for but she felt she had to keep going. Maybe it was snooping but it was necessary.
She took the Immigration file over to the counter and started to page through it. Quite a few letters back and forth from the Immigration Department to Carl. A copy of an application form, several pages. She glanced down it. The name of his University, in Chechnya -- that was the name of the country. Where he had worked in Chechnya. Jaswinder flipped through some more pages. This was interesting: a letter from Immigration enquiring about his brother, Ivan, and the circumstances of his death. Carl must have told them that he'd been shot in some war or battle or something; no wait, the letter asked if Carl had a copy of the police report of the sniper incident. Sniper. That meant someone had shot his brother from a car or a rooftop or something like that. Why?
There was a copy of a letter from Dr. Atkinson, confirming that Carl was being offered a permanent position as a dental lab technician. Was that all he was being paid? That was really taking advantage of Carl's situation. Then behind that, a letter from Dr. Parker confirming that he was taking over the employment sponsorship from Dr. Atkinson. Oh, he was paying him more, although not much more. There was a letter from a restaurant, Restaurant Chatya, stating that Carl Weber worked there four nights a week as a waiter. He did? Carl had never mentioned that. But Carl didn't talk much about his private life.
There didn't seem to be anything else worth studying in the lab and Jaswinder looked around to make sure she had put everything back as it had been before she closed the door behind her, turning out the light first. Should she go look in at Operatory four before she left? This might be a good opportunity, if only she felt brave enough.
Jaswinder continued up the hallway past the x-ray darkroom, more like a closet, really. That was where Cheryl had been developing x-rays just before Mrs. Harrington screamed. Wasn't that what she had said? Whose x-rays was it she was developing? Think, Jaswinder! Maybe I should think about this tomorrow. No, she hadn’t said.
Had Cheryl said she was cleaning her room? No x-rays had been taken for Mrs. Harrington nor for the girl getting her braces adjusted. Cheryl had come to the front wearing gloves. Blue non-latex gloves. And she'd dropped them in Jaswinder's wastebasket. Why? How long had it been from the time Jaswinder had seated Mr. Plinsky in the Operatory four chair and the time Mrs. Harrington screamed? Where was Cheryl during that time; it must have been at least a few minutes. Maybe getting another coffee!
Jaswinder walked back to Reception and grabbed her coat on the way, thinking things over and then she was out the front door, locking it behind her.
Chapter 11
That evening Jaswinder decided to take a look at the restaurant where Carl worked. She told her parents at dinner that she was going to the library to get some books so she stopped in first at the library near home and grabbed the first books she saw. 'Tree Pruning for Beginners' and 'North to Alaska'. Well, it wasn't like she had to read them. She hated lying to her parents but she didn't want them to worry. It wasn't really lying because she had gone to the library. Jaswinder had noticed her mother watching her closely sometimes, looking to see if she was traumatized, no doubt. She'd thought of asking Manisha to accompany her but her friend could get the giggles in tense situations. Jaswinder reminded herself to be careful and make sure Carl didn't see her.
Hopefully the restaurant had glass windows she could peek into. If it was one of those hidden away places with no outside windows she would have to decide what to do once she got there. Jaswinder had written down the address for Restaurant Chatya; it was over in a part of town she rarely went to.
Another drizzly night obscured the windshield. Jaswinder drove slowly down the unfamiliar streets. The restaurant sign was not illuminated but it did have glass windows. She parked a half block away and got out of the car, putting up the hood of her jacket. No one would think that unusual in this weather.
Jaswinder decided to walk past once as though she was headed somewhere else and look out the corner of her eye as she passed. Hopefully she would see Carl and he wouldn't see her. Restaurant Chatya had a corner location so the windows were on two streets with the front door facing the intersection. Jaswinder decided to maintain a moderate pace, not brisk and rushing but not a dawdling stroll either.
Success!
It couldn't have been better. The restaurant was about a third full. Carl was there, in black pants and a white shirt standing at a table of two diners, a man and a woman. Their table was near the back of the restaurant. It was quite dark inside with small candles on each table the main illumination. There was a bar at the back which was quite illuminated and behind that the kitchen was fully bright but the light from that didn't extend beyond the bar.
Jaswinder studied Carl carefully, slowing her pace. He looked taller and slimmer in the black pants and white shirt that waiters always seemed to wear. His black hair was combed in a different way. He seemed to know the customers and as she turned the corner and could see him from another angle his face seemed almost animated. Nothing like how he was at the dental clinic. The man must have said something amusing because Carl put his head back and laughed and the woman raised a wine glass to her companion.
Operatory of Death: A Jaswinder Mystery Page 7