Fishtown: A Jack Regan/Izzy Ichowitz Novel
Page 28
Delgado and his assistant completed the autopsy using the standard Y-Shaped incision and block method to remove and inspect the internal organs and then removed the crown of his skull to examine the brain. After noting the internal injuries all of the organs were returned and the incisions were sutured.
After Delgado had completed the autopsy, they sat in his office. For several minutes no one spoke. The ordeal of the autopsy had been emotionally draining for everyone involved. Delgado placed three paper cups on his desk, took a bottle of Makers Mark from the bottom drawer and poured a generous portion in each of the cups. He handed Jack and Larry Jackson a drink and raised his cup, “To Izzy, may he rest in peace.”
“L’Chiam,” Jack responded with Izzy’s customary toast.
“L’Chiam.” Jackson and Delgado replied and they all drank the whiskey.
Delgado smiled at Regan, “I remember the last time you came to the morgue with Izzy.”
Jack could feel the heat of his blush.
“So you remember too. The two of you witnessed the Megan Larson autopsy.”
Jack nodded. Megan Larson was the young woman whose body was found in a Manayunk condominium nine years ago. The condo belonged to Ari Nooris who turned out to be the head of a gang of former Mossad agents who robbed half the masterpieces from the Barnes Museum, and faked a terrorist attack on a medals presentation at the Independence Mall that was supposed to be a loud but harmless diversion for the robbery that went horribly wrong.
“As I recall, you didn’t make it all the way through the procedure.”
“No, I lost my breakfast when you discovered Megan Larson was pregnant.”
“You and Izzy were never able to solve that case were you?”
“No… No we weren’t.”
“Louie, I’m assuming since the initial knife wound was to his abdomen, the absence of defensive wounds on Izzy’s hands and arms means the killer must have been someone Izzy knew,” Jackson commented.
Delgado nodded, “Yeah, assuming there was only one attacker, I don’t think Izz would have let a stranger get that close to him without a fight.”
“Can you tell anything from the depth of the wounds?”
He took a moment to consider his response, “My guess is the knife had a blade that was at least 4 inches long. From the ragged skin around the entry and exit wounds, and the damage to the internal organs, there had to be some serration on the blade.”
“Any chance of residue?”
He shrugged.
“Anything else?”
“The killer was left handed.”
“How do you know that?” Jack asked.
“He slit Izzy’s throat from right to left. From the angle and the degree of penetration, the killer must have moved behind him and ripped the knife across his throat. Like this,” and he demonstrated the motion.
Jack shook his head and exhaled.
They sat in silence as they contemplated the brutality of the murder.
“So what are you guys going to do to get the fucker who did this to our friend?” Delgado asked as he poured them another round.