~ * ~
The elevator doors slid open, and Kathryn stepped out into the hall. The morgue was lit up. When she pressed her remote, and the doors opened, she heard Beethoven playing over the speakers. It let Kathryn know Doc had performed an autopsy at some point during the night.
A body came in last night or early this morning. I wonder why Doc didn’t call me. Maybe it was a routine autopsy from a hospital death. Maybe it was Christopher, and they called Doc to the scene. I need to see the paperwork, but I have to change first.
She hurried into the locker room and changed. She rushed back to her desk to check the computer for the body info.
Doc strolled out of his office and said, “We had another one last night.”
“Another one?” she questioned.
“Murder. They called me at four. My wife is tired of the middle of the night calls.” He poured a cup of coffee. “Want a cup?”
“No thanks, just had one. Sorry, your wife is losing sleep over all of this. What happened this time?” She turned her desk chair so she could see him better.
“Seems to be our killer, but this one was shot three times.” He sat in the chair near her desk.
“Three? That seems a bit extreme. Do they think it’s the same person?” She leaned forward and placed her arms across her thighs and leaned forward to listen.
“Most likely. Damn mushrooming bullets make it difficult. Jackson thinks maybe the guy was fighting back or saw it coming. He was hit in the stomach, chest, and one tore through his carotid artery and ended up in a chair. The bullet hit the frame and looked pretty useless. Best they have so far is the bullets are most likely from the same gun, just not exactly sure what kind. One tech believes it might be an old police pistol.” He sipped his coffee and leaned back.
“I heard Beethoven playing so I assume you completed the autopsy. Do you agree that maybe the guy was fighting back or is the killer getting nastier?”
Doc said, “Jackson said his best guess was the guy was coming toward the killer and the killer rapidly fired three times without taking careful aim.”
“It’s an awful situation, sir. I hope it was quick and whoever is doing this isn’t making them suffer more than needed to kill them.”
Doc shrugged. “I asked Jackson the same thing, but he said if they were making them suffer first, they’d hit them in the knee or genitals.”
“Oh my God,” Kathryn blurted. “I’m almost sorry I asked, but it’s how I learn.”
Doc nodded.
“Each kill seems to be as clean as possible without any evidence of additional pain inflicted. Plus, that note with the last victim mentioned the executioner. Nothing about vengeance or torture. Just an execution and that is the way they appear.”
“Do you know exactly what killed him?”
“One bullet nicked the liver, so he bled internally. A second hit the lung and tore it up pretty bad. The one that I believe ended his life quickly was the artery tear. The bullet entered the front and moved to the back essentially tearing it nearly in half. It didn’t take him long to bleed out. What’s wrong, Kathryn? You look a little upset.”
“I just thought that I learn so much here and the knowledge and work doesn’t bother me unless there’s a child involved. The murders upset me just because of the cause of death, but not the work. It might, however, bother others. I think I understand why Nick’s mom didn’t like my job and me. I think she was right, and I shouldn’t have left the dinner table.” She dropped her head and fought tears.
“Kathryn, I don’t ever want you to doubt yourself again. Nick’s mother made a decision based on your job. There are a lot of jobs worse than ours. She attacked you personally. You’re so much more than this job. The job hasn’t changed who you are. If she can’t accept you, it’s her problem. Do you understand me?” He was staring right at her when she lifted her head.
“Yes, I do. I usually believe that, but sometimes I begin to doubt myself. I’m still in love with Nick and my heart and head battle over feelings at times.” She quickly wiped a few loose tears on her cheek.
“You’ll be okay. It takes time. Please remember this is his mom’s problem, not yours. If you’re comfortable with who you are, life will work itself out.”
She smiled, “Thanks, Doc. You always know what to say.”
“Thanks, but would you explain that to my wife. She would disagree with you.” He laughed.
“Sure thing, next time I see her.” She laughed with him.
Doc stood and added, “I better get back to my paperwork.”
“Me, too, sir,” Kathryn smiled. “You could have called me last night, too and I noticed you cleaned up. I could have come in and taken care of it.”
“I was here and awake. No sense in both of us losing sleep.” He finished his coffee, poured another cup, and walked into his office.
~ * ~
Kathryn finished her paperwork on Christopher’s autopsy and scanned the police report attached to the paper copy Doc had brought back. His brother found his body when he didn’t show up for work or answer his phone. Since he was identified at the scene, the funeral home would be around to collect the remains sometime before noon.
As if on cue, Kathryn’s phone rang. It was the service entry guard asking her if she was expecting a representative from Robbins Funeral Home.
“Yes, please send them down,” she said.
She met the two young men at the service elevator.
A pleasant young man with a broader smile than Kathryn expected from a funeral home employee greeted her before he stepped off the elevator.
“Hi, I’m Tom and this is Rick from Robbins. We’re here for the remains of a Mr. Christopher Kemeran.” He held a clipboard in one hand and held onto the front of a gurney with the other.
“Sure, follow me.” Kathryn turned and headed back to the morgue. She could hear the squeaky sounds of rubber-soled shoes on the tile floor and gurney wheels behind her.
She unlocked the doors, and the two men followed her inside. She opened the cooler, and they removed Christopher’s body and wrapped it in a medium gray bag without a zipper. Kathryn had seen this often enough, and some funeral homes used loop and hook closures and some used magnets. Both were preferable over the sound of a zipper on a body bag. She signed the proper paperwork and kept her copies. They in turn signed the morgue’s forms and left.
Dr. Graydor walked out of his office and said, “You don’t need me at all.”
Kathryn blushed and retorted, “Oh yes I do, there is no way I can do an autopsy. I don’t want to either if that matters.”
Doc laughed. “It takes some time, but it isn’t much different than surgery. Didn’t you have a semester of surgical nurse training before you left?”
“Yes, it was my last semester and I don’t think I would have become a surgical nurse. At that time, I wanted to work on a general floor to help as many different types of patients as possible. After mom…well…I didn’t think I could give them what they needed. Illness scared me for a while. It’s better now. I finally realized cancer took my mom; I didn’t do anything to make it worse.” She shifted her weight from one foot to another.
“Have you thought about going back to school?”
“Not seriously until I began to help Nick study for his last exam and realized it isn’t for me. I belong here. I feel useful here. Am I crazy?” She bit her lip waiting for an answer.
“Only if I’m crazy for being a coroner.”
“You’re the most stable person I know,” she quipped.
“Okay then, we’re both normal. I guess. It’s nearly noon. We don’t have anything going on right now. Why don’t you take lunch?”
“Okay,” she grabbed her purse and headed for the locker room and then the cafeteria.
~ * ~
The hot turkey open-faced sandwich was on special, and it was one of Kathryn’s favorites. She set her plate and a bottled iced tea on a table near the window and sat down. The cafeteria wasn’t crowded,
and Kathryn was able to enjoy her lunch while watching birds flit from tree to tree outside the window.
Ready to head back to work, she crumpled her napkin and looked up. She saw Nick staring at her from across the room. Her heart skipped a beat. He stood there staring and not moving. Was he going to say something to her? Not sure what to do, she smiled in his direction.
Nick began to walk toward her flexing and relaxing his fingers as he walked. When he reached her, he bent over and placed his palms flat on the table.
She smiled up at him again hoping he wanted to talk.
“Would you like to sit down?” Kathryn asked.
“I can talk standing up.” He glared at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“You slept with Joey Coyle,” he spat.
“I did not,” Kathryn stammered and threw her hands over her face.
Damn Joey. He promised. One more friend lying to me? Why is this happening? Her mind raced.
“I had to come in to work early. I passed Coyle’s house.”
Kathryn’s heart sank.
“I saw you leaving at daybreak. You hair was a mess, and your clothes were crumpled. Joey was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. He looked like he slept in them.” His thumbs gripped the edge of the table.
“He did sleep in them. He slept in his recliner, and I fell asleep on the couch.” Her face twisted in pain, and she bit her lip.
“At least you got your stories straight. He told me the same thing.”
“You talked to Joey? Then you know the truth.” She pleaded with him trying to see compassion of some sort in his eyes. His beautiful puppy dog eyes had turned to two dark, cold circles.
Nick laughed. “Right as if Joey tells the truth.”
“He did. Think about it. If I had slept with him, he would be bragging. I was only there to help him with a project to try and get his job back.” She thought she saw a moment of understanding before his cold eyes returned.
“He told me some lame story about writing apology letters. He would never get an idea that good.”
“It was my idea,” she said softly.
“Figures, you sleep with him and then help him. Good hearted Kathryn always there for people.” He laughed again.
“What is wrong with you? Why are you so nasty? I went to see him for advice about men to try and see how to get you back. I love you, Nick.” Her eyes pleaded with his for understanding.
He laughed again. “You know what? I finally figured it all out. We never had a relationship. You used me. I’m in nursing school, and you need a way back in. You think I’m your ticket. You want out of the morgue so badly you used me for your own purposes.”
“Are you insane? You know damn well I enjoy my job. You must have been drinking this morning,” Kathryn retorted.
“My mom said you would come up with a few lame excuses, but sleeping with Joey Coyle is worse than anything we could think of that you might do.”
“You spoke to Brenda about me?” her voice shaky.
“Damn straight, I told my mom everything. She still thinks you got kicked out of nursing school, and I believe her. She said you’re too messed up to be a nurse after what happened to you as a kid and a failed marriage.” He grinned at her, but it wasn’t his playful grin. It appeared smug and self-satisfying.
“Nick,” she said her voice barely above a whisper. “I told you all that so you would understand. I bared my soul to you. You said you understood. You promised we could work anything out. You promised always. You promised…,” her voice broke, and she shook her head.
He bent closer to her and whispered, “Always was your word. You used it to make me think you cared just like you used sex to try and control me. Funny thing is I got what I wanted. You’re a good lay, and I intend to let everyone know. I’ll be damned if I let anyone think you got the best of me. Coyle isn’t the only one who can brag about conquests. I used you Kathryn, and I got an A on my exam. Thanks for the study help.”
He stood straight, turned, and slowly walked toward the exit.
That wasn’t Nick talking that was Brenda. How dare she? She did her best to damage my ego at dinner, and now she’s convinced Nick he can do it at work. Calm down Kathryn.
Her anger grew as she watched him stroll through the cafeteria. She knew she had to count to ten or she would blow up. She made it to two.
She stood next to her table and yelled, “Nicholas Donnelly.”
He spun and yelled back, “What?”
“I have something to say before you leave.”
He began to walk toward her, and she put up her hands. “Stay where you are. I don’t need you closer.”
“You’re going to discuss things in front of these people?” His brow furrowed deeply.
Kathryn let her hands hang at her sides. “Yes, what I need to say I’ll say in front of God and all these witnesses.”
She glanced around the room and saw everyone was an adult, and most were hospital personnel.
Good, no kids. Here goes.
“Nicholas Donnelly, you stood here and accused me of some very ugly things. I am not now nor will I ever be looking to going back to nursing school. You know my mother’s death changed that for me and most people working here know that, too. That fact didn’t stop you from letting your mom, and now you decide that is why we were together. Nick, I was near the top of my class. If I want to go back to school, I could without your help. I like being a morgue assistant. I work for Dr. Graydor. He’s one of the most respected doctors in the hospital and the best coroner we’ve had in years. You stood here and accused me of sleeping with Joey Coyle. Anyone with any sense is going to know that is a lie. Then you said you used our relationship to get what you wanted. You told me you used me to help you get a good exam grade. You also had the nerve to tell me you used me for sex and are going to brag about it. Remember you’re the one that said ‘I love you’ first. If you breathe a word about our relationship, how I was an easy lay, or did you good helping you study, I will hear it through the hospital grapevine. Then I’ll march down to Human Services and file a sexual harassment grievance against you, and I’ll see my lawyer files a sexual harassment lawsuit against you. You’ll be happy to see that you’ll have a better rep than Joey Coyle. I will win, and then we’ll see what happens to Mama Donnelly’s boy. There isn’t an accredited hospital anywhere that will hire you.”
Kathryn sat down, crossed her right leg over her left, picked up her tea and drank the rest. The cafeteria exploded in applause. Nick turned a putrid shade of green mixed with red, turned, and stormed out of the cafeteria.
The applause stopped, and Kathryn dropped her head to the table and sobbed. She heard a chair move closer to the table and Karla’s voice.
“Go ahead Kathryn, cry it out. You’ll feel better. I was just coming in after getting my smoothie and heard the whole thing. It was a hell of a speech. Hell of a speech my friend. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Nick runs home and tells mom what you did. That woman is a viper.”
Kathryn lifted her head, and Karla handed her a napkin. She wiped her tears.
“Thanks, Karla. You’re the best.” She tried to force a smile, but her lips wouldn’t work.
“That’s what they all say,” Karla quipped.
That comment brought Kathryn closer to a real smile.
They both looked toward the door when a young orderly ran in yelling. “I need ice. Nick just sucker punched Joey. His nose is bleeding, and he’s out cold.”
Karla jumped up mumbling, “A nurse’s job is never done.” She ran out into the hall to help while the orderly retrieved ice from the cafeteria.
A few minutes later Karla returned. “Joey’s coming around. I think his nose might be broken. Two guys put him on a gurney, and he’s off to the E.R.”
“You’re an OB/GYN Nurse. What could you do for Joey?” Kathryn smiled a real smile this time.
“Same thing I tell my patients in labor. Breathe, relax, and it’ll be okay. It worked except
he was babbling about how beautiful I was, but not as beautiful as Kat.” She shrugged.
“Joey told me he could never hit on me again because I’m the kind of girl a guy marries and he’s not looking for a wife.”
Karla laughed. “Aren’t you glad?”
She smiled and said, “Yes, but I think he’s learned his lesson.”
“Oh,” Karla said. “He dropped these. Do you know what they’re for?” She handed Kathryn several letters.
“He wrote letters to everyone he made angry in hopes he might get his job back sooner. He’s also worried about that lawsuit.” Kathryn said as she looked through the stack of letters.
Karla giggled, “It might have been better to write an open apology letter in the hospital newspaper.”
“Maybe,” Kathryn answered. “He wanted to prove he means it. I’ll take these down to E.R. He probably thinks Nick took them.”
“Okay,” Karla answered as she sucked the last of her bright pink smoothie from the glass. “I’ll catch you later. It was still a damn good speech. It might be all over the hospital, but I think it’ll keep Nick from spreading rumors.”
“I hope so,” Kathryn blew out a big breath and headed for the E.R.
Chapter Twenty-one
Kathryn walked into the E.R. and found it quieter than normal.
“Maybe they released all their patients before noon,” she muttered.
Walking up to the desk she was greeted by one of the nurses, “Hi Kathryn. What brings you upstairs? Are you hurt or feeling ill?”
“No,” Kathryn returned the smile. “I crept out of my cold, dark cave to see if Joey Coyle is still up here.”
“Yup, just got back from x-ray. He’s in 101. I think getting knocked out rattled him. He’s friendly and polite. He hasn’t hit on anyone even our newest nurse. We had warned her before she went in, but she came back saying he’s a sweetheart.” She shrugged and shook her head. “Did hell freeze over?”
“I don’t think so,” Kathryn answered. “I’ll go see what’s going on with him. He may have learned a hard lesson the past couple of weeks.”
“We can hope,” the nurse called after her as she made her way to exam room 101.
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