Silver Lining - A Carpelli Adventure: Sequel To The Bestselling Thriller Fatal Mistake (8 page)

“Is there another way out of here? Someway other than the one I came in?” I inquired.

“No, not from in here, why? It’s not likely anyone noticed you when you came in and they won’t notice you going out, either.” she dismissed me and my concerns out of hand and I had to admit maybe I was being a bit paranoid.

But no sooner than we had walked back to the Autopsy Theater, than my paranoia proved to be well founded. As we entered the last big room behind the Theater, we heard someone rattling around in the metal trays filled with her surgical instruments. The doc she pointed to the left front corner of the room where there was a gurney covered in a surgical drape.

“Get behind it,” she whispered and stepped towards the door. I didn’t have any choice really, so I dutifully obeyed. Once I was set, she stepped through the door.

As she entered the room I heard her say, “I believe that door was locked when I left this room. It’s a serious felony offense to desecrate a body.” She smiled at them with all the warmth of an Alberta clipper in January. “What do you two want now?” I heard her ask snidely.

“When did you decide not to answer your pager, doc? Are you trying to hurt our feelings?” A man questioned her. At first, I didn’t recognize the voice, having only heard it once before.

“Sometimes in these old buildings, they don’t get very good reception.” She explained casually. Maybe too casually, because the next thing the guy asked was,

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you, Doc?”

“In a heartbeat and twice on Sunday.” She spat. I had snuck up to the door as soon as Doctor Anne had stepped through it and stole a peek through the small window in it. Kelly and Washington, the dirty detectives, were standing in front and behind Doctor Anne in an obvious move to intimidate her.

Kelly glanced at the door I was hiding behind and nodded to Smith. He turned towards the door and I jumped back. Hastily, I searched for somewhere to disappear to. It only took Washington four or five seconds to step over to the door and look inside. He switched on the overhead light and glanced about, but nothing seemed out of place. There was nothing in here accept the gurney. Washington stepped over to it and checked behind it as well as under the drape. Nothing. He glanced about one last time before he stepped back into the other room, shutting off the light as he went. While Washington had been checking the other room, the Doc skipped up next to Kelly and whispered in his ear.

“We got trouble in the other room. Some private eye who apparently was working with Holston. He’s here asking for my help in proving he didn’t kill Holston.” The Doc shared.

“We just framed him. How the hell did he figure he could come to you for help?” Kelly asked.

“I think, other than Holston, I’m the only one in town he knows.”

“So what does he want you to do for him?”

“I’ve already done it. A GSR test, Gun Shot Residue and finger prints to match against those on the cartridges and clip.” The Doc continued to share.

“So isn’t helping him beat the frame, sort of working at cross purposes?” Kelly asked.

“No, not at all. It’ll give him a false sense of hope and make it easier for you to corner him with an even bigger frame when the time comes to eliminate our competitors.” The Doc explained.

“Like Nolan and Mrs, Carmel.” Kelly stated as he grinned wickedly.

“So you and Washington, play up the intimidation game and threaten my son a lot.” The Doc told him.

“Threaten your son? Doc, he died over a year ago.”

“Yes, we know that but, he doesn’t, so we can use him to do some digging into Nolan’s connections just like we were looking out for Mrs. Carmel’s interests. I have it all worked out. No worries. Okay, here he comes.” The Doc stated. Kelly quickly walked across the room to meet his partner and whisper instructions as they continued to walk over to the Doc.

Once I was sure Washington had gone back into the other room, I slipped out of the old cold chamber that I had taken refuse in. Luckily, they had removed all of the latches so I wasn’t trapped once I had slipped inside. That was as close to a casket, I ever wanted to get while alive. Being claustrophobic, it took all my will power to get in there and to remain there quiet. I quickly slipped up next to the door to listen, as Washington explained he’d found nothing. Kelly took that as his clue to start the intimidation game, while Washington drifted to the door to watch for intruders.

“Doc, you shouldn’t play games with us. If you’re not nice to us, we can hurt your boy,” Kelly stated without even a hint of hesitancy.

“You could save us all a lot of trouble and just refuse to sell him anything.” Doctor Anne suggested.

“Where is the profit in that, Doc? Besides we like having a reason to come see you. I bet you keep that old husband just panting around the house.” Kelly tried to flirt with her but she ignored him.

“What do you want?” She asked curtly. “I’m extremely busy.”

“Well, I’m afraid you’ll be even busier in a few minutes. There’s a body coming in. A male around thirty, gunshot wound to the chest. You’ll need to find that the victim was shot at close range in fact you’ll find that he was shot by someone standing less than a foot away.” Kelly explained.

“And what do I get if I do?” She asked straight up no euphuisms for her.

“We keep young Daniel in drugs and living in LaLaLand instead of being slowly cut up or his becoming a live organ donor. How’s that for getting something good?” Washington snarled.

“Gee such a bargain.” She snarled back. “You got a name on the stiff you want me to lie about?” She inquired.

“Now Doc, we don’t think of it as lying. We think of it as the enhancing of an otherwise dull report.” Kelly snickered.

“The name?” Doctor Anne snarled.

“Yeah, it’s Edward Holston. Oh yeah, the shooter needs to be right handed, too. About six foot.” Kelly shared. “You can’t frame the man unless every detail matches him to a ‘T’.

“I can’t keep doctoring these autopsies for you. I will get caught and when I do, I’ll be sure to mention you two, right away.” Doctor Anne threatened them in return.

Washington raced across the room from his perch by the door, grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the floor by her neck. He held her face to face and snarled,” If you get caught, your son dies and you along with him. Do you understand?” he dropped her.

I’d pulled my gun and was about to storm in when three students walked in the hallway door. Washington instantly changed his outward appearance and demeanor. He reached out and gently touched her cheek in a seemingly more than friendly caress and stated loudly, “I understand, Doctor. We’ll do our best to help your son.” Then he and Kelly turned and walked out, as if they were a couple of saints.

“Sorry Doctor, we got the wrong room. One of the students stated and they turned and left just as quickly as they had arrived. When everyone was gone, I stepped into the theater and stood waiting for her to speak. She had turned away as I stepped in, I think to hide she was crying. When she’d gotten it under control again, she turned around and looked at me asking,

“Was that the man you were talking to, Edward Holston?”

“Yes, it was. They obviously watched the whole thing because they knew what side I was standing on and what hand I favor. But aside from that, we’ve got to get you some help. Real help to get these two off your back.”

“Oh, how do you think that can be accomplished? You gonna take them out?” she sarcastically snarled more at the situation than at me. “You’re being framed for murder by them. I doubt you can help me at all.”

“You’re wrong doc. I’m going to try two things to help you for helping me. One, I’ll go have a talk with the dealers who are selling to your son and help them to see the wisdom of not selling anything to your son again. Then I’m going to go see the Feds about helping you make a case against those two assholes and if that doesn’t work. I will do whatever is needed to end them and their reign of terror.”

“You really think you can do that?” she asked, hope in her eyes.

“Been there, done that, a few times. I need you to just play it cool and give me a little time to get things organized. I’ll call when I’ve arranged a meeting with the Feds. You’ll need to be flexible and attend whenever they decide to meet. It’s a deal breaker with the Feds. You meet on their time table and do as they say if you want their help.”

“I’m off Friday and I meant what I said about being up for going to the motel with you for the afternoon and early evening, just say the word.”

“I am looking forward to it. How many autopsies have they forced you to forge?” I asked.

“Four. It started last year.”

“Four, okay. You’ll need to get all of the papers together for each case. You didn’t by any chance happen to keep records of the actual causes of death did you?” I asked.

Doctor Anne looked around as if to be sure no one else was in the room. Then she went to the door, opened it and looked into the hallway. She hesitated a moment and then turned around and started walking towards the back room, nodding with her head for me to follow. Once in the back room, she pointed to an old file cabinet in the far back right corner of the room and whispered. “I’ve hidden the papers under the file cabinet. Just pull out the bottom drawer all the way and reach behind it. Don’t worry about rats, there aren’t any, this is the morgue. Surprisingly one of the cleanest places on the planet, plus we get sprayed weekly.”

“Okay, the papers will go with me. I think I have a safe place to hide them. If we involved the feds, once they’ve made their move, you’ll need to hide out; I’ll find someplace safe for you to go.”

“I can’t take a leave. I’ll lose my status. I’ll be low man on the totem pole when I get back. My son will be exposed and they will hurt him.” She protested but I knew better. It was the right thing to do. “Is it better to be dead, but be number one in seniority or to be alive and lowest man on the totem pole?” I asked her rhetorically. She just gave me a nasty look and a huge sigh.

It then occurred to me that I’d made a choice today. I chose not to work with Holston and now that he had been murdered I’d chosen to expose and destroy those responsible. Was this the choice the Oracle was referring too? Was deciding to help Doctor Anne part of the choice? I hated this riddle inside an enigma stuff. Some people thrive on it, like the main character Brody Bains of the Nate Nevwas stories, but not me.

“Be ready to go at a moment’s notice.” I said as I start out the door. Then I remembered, “Oh yeah, one last thing, The Feds will want to you wear a wire and have you get Smith and Jones to tell you to forge the autopsy one more time. These guys aren’t dumb they will be very wary, if they have to come back and explain it to you a second time. We’ll need to come up with a really good excuse regarding why.”

“I know what I can do. The scheduler goes home in twenty minutes. Once she has left for the day, I’ll go on to her computer and schedule Holston to be done by my colleague Doctor Stiverton. He’s notoriously slow and he’s always on the golf course, when he isn’t working. It has cost him three wives, so far.” She shared her colleague’s personal issues.

“Now that’s someone who likes to play golf.” I quipped, trying to lighten the load.

“Stop babbling and go protect my son. Get the Feds to meet with us a.s.a.p. and I’ll stall Smith and Jones by telling them, Stiverton will have to file a recusal form so I can be assigned the case, otherwise they’ll have to talk with him about making the proper findings to frame you.”

“Be careful they may hurt the man,” I cautioned her.

“Whatever they do to him is less than he deserves, for all the crap he put his three wives through.” She stated callously.

“Even killing him?” I offered. She sighed heavily once more, then stated.

“Fine, I’ll do what I can to mitigate the situation.”

“Good Doctor,” I teased and walked out the door.

CHAPTER NINE

After collecting the files and getting a picture of Daniel, her son from her, I went in search of the local FBI office. It felt very strange, walking in through the front door. Back home, I’d only entered the building through the garage along with the other suspects. I knew a couple of agents back home fairly well and thought about dropping their names in the hope of getting better cooperation from this group. I dropped the idea though, after I realized the only way I knew them was because they had arrested me, along with two dozen high ranking Newark Police Department officers in a sting operation that went bad for them. It turned out, they had moved too quickly in arresting me and the other officers, after I had shook them down. I’d claimed to have had evidence that placed them at the top of a scheme to destroy evidence and get major criminals off, if they were arrested.

The Feds moved in before I had presented the evidence, which left them holding the bag, because without that evidence they only had circumstantial evidence. The Federal DA decided he’d sweat it out of me by threatening to charge me with the most serious of the crimes, the shake down of the department brass. But the department brass refused to play ball with the Federal DA, since it wasn’t in their best interest. To try and protect themselves, they came up with a story about how they were conducting a department wide sting to catch officers in the act of trying to force fellow officers into criminal endeavors. They went so far as to claim I had been the target of that investigation.  Everybody knew that without my evidence against them, the brass was going to walk and as long as they stuck to their story about an internal investigation. I would be the only one facing any charges.

Now the state and local DA’s didn’t see things in quiet the same way, as the Feds did. They wanted everybody from the chief down to pay, including the Detective First Class who tried to shake down the brass, just as they had done to the people on the outside.

In order to make a solid case though, one with real jail time and forfeited pensions, they needed the evidence I had collected. It really pissed off the Feds when the local DA made me a deal first, in conjunction with a Federal Judge to get the evidence to save the state’s case, while the Federal one disappeared and in the process making the Feds look bad. The failed case may still be a sore spot for some of the men and women involved, so I decided I’d try the concerned citizens’ approach. Hopefully, they wouldn’t look at me too closely and would judge the case on its own merits.

Along the way, I stopped at Staples and had five copies of the files made. I then mailed a copy to myself at my P.O. Box, sent the package containing the gun and finger print copies with the originals of the autopsies to the Oracle for safe keeping and stacked the rest in the back seat of my car. I’d give one package to the Feds and the other two would be just in case files.

I was sitting and watching the clock on the wall in a small conference room tick away the minutes and wondering why they’d kept me waiting for the last twenty minutes. I had brought them a major case. One that could make their careers and they didn’t seem to be in too big of a hurry to talk with me. It was just about five when finally, this kid in his late-twenties maybe early thirties at best, came in and sat down at the table across from me and asked.

“So, Mr. Carnello, what can we do for you today?”

“It’s Carpelli, John Carpelli and I need to speak with someone about a criminal conspiracy involving the forging of autopsies and death certificates, designed to hide murders and the organized crime figures behind it.”

“Okay, I’m the person you can talk to.”

“No offense Agent…what’s your name?” I asked this kid sitting in front of me.

“Special Agent Merriam, James Merriam.”

“No offense, Special Agent Merriam, but I need to talk with someone who can make this happen fast. The other person with knowledge of this situation is in danger and longer it takes to set up something, the more dangerous this becomes for them.”

“I assure you, I am fully trained and capable of dealing with any situation that may come up.”

“Like I said, Agent Merriam, I need someone experienced in this sort of thing. How long have you been with the bureau?”

“A little over a year, during which I’ve been involved in eleven major cases, and I can assure you, I have some experience dealing with conspiracies. Prior to joining the FBI, I was in the Marine Corp as an MP and then with Homeland Security where I worked undercover investigating militias groups in Idaho and Montana. So stop wasting time and explain what it is you think you have and then I’ll tell you, if you’re right.” Agent Merriam explained.

I was hesitant, but like the Oracle said, I needed take somethings on faith, so I gave in and explained the situation Doctor Anne Harris, the Knox County Medical Examiner was in. I explained about her son and his drug habit. I then went on to explain what I knew about Detectives Kelly and Washington alias Smith and Jones. While I did so, I looked for any sign that he was involved with them. A telltale sign, that he was compromised. I’m not exactly sure what that might have been but I didn’t see it, so I decided to trust him and handed him a packet of the papers.

He took his time reading the papers over and then he had another older, obviously a more senior agent come in and read over the papers. This took time, a lot of time. When I glanced at the wall clock, I saw I was out of time. It was six thirty five already and I had a seven o’clock date.

“Gentlemen, I’ve got to go. I’ve a date at seven.” I stood and started for the door.

“Whoa, hold on Sport,” The older agent called out. I say older, but he’s probably my age, forty and yet he called me sport. I stopped and turned towards him and retorted,

“Gee dude, I thought I made it clear. I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch tomorrow. If you’re lucky we can get these scumbags on tape tomorrow afternoon. So I’ll call in at about ten. I can introduce you to the doctor, once I’m sure you’re not compromised.”

“We don’t need your permission to go see the doctor, Mr. Carpelli. Plus, you can’t just leave. We’ve got questions. There’s strategy to plan,” the old agent who wasn’t introduced practically whined at me.

“Study the papers guys and figure out how you’re going to record these guys. I’d suggest bugging the morgue myself, but then that’s just me.

I left even though I knew they were right, because I had a date. I changed shirts in the car and used my emergency freshen up supplies to get ready and then I drove over to the vicinity of the Sapphire Club and parked. I managed to arrive right at seven and found Betty standing in front of the club waiting patiently for me to arrive. There was already a short line to get in.

“Good Evening, Gorgeous,” I greeted Betty as I walked up. She smiled and turned towards the door. As I drew even with her, she said.

“I told the maître to have bucket of ice water near our table in case you get over excited.”

“That’s a good thing. ‘Cause I have been known to spontaneously burst into nearly uncontrollable lust for my dates, if the music is good and the food is good plus the lighting is just right.” I took a moment to allow her to respond verbally but she just looked at me with that sideways glance all women have and so after a moment of awkward silenced I added. “And my date is as incredibly beautiful as you are.”

“Okay, where’s the Maitre?” she grinned. “We haven’t even gotten in line yet and you’re about to combust.”

“I can’t help it. You are so hot and I’m just a man.” I squeezed her hand gently. “Shall we get in line?” I suggested and lead her over to the line. Her hand was soft and warm, yet firm. She was holding my hand in return and not letting me carry her hand that was as limp as a dead fish, as many women do. Our conversation lagged as we got in line so I pressed on with some mindless banter as we waited. “Now as far as my being unable to keep from becoming over wrought with excitement, when I’m around you. I’m sure you’re aware of the study in the New England Journal of Medicine that said the male of almost every species on earth is completely unable to control his emotions, when a beautiful female pays him any attention at all.”

“Oh really,” she wasn’t buying it, so I shoveled it faster and deeper.

“They think it has to do with the natural selection process. When God, Aliens or Darwin,” she interrupted me here.

“Aliens? What about Big Foot?” she giggled.

“Shh… I’m on roll here and you’ll just love how it ends.”

“Oh, I bet I will.”

“Anyway, depending on who you personally feel created or developed mankind and all of the other creatures on the planet. When they got to the males of every species, they realized later, long after they finalized the design, in their enthusiasm to create a master hunter, they had created a creature with less than stellar emotions. In fact, genetically, we as males, have one less gene in our DNA makeup because there was no room left for it after the installation of the oversized hunter gene. Because we have one less gene then females do.” I looked around at the other patrons waiting to be seated, as if I was trying to keep this a secret and then whispered to her. “We as males are inferior and have no choice but to overreact when we see a beautiful woman. They proved this by using college students and men over forty in a study done by MIT. They first denied the test subjects, female stimulation through artificial means, I.E. a sporting event like a major football rivalry. The male test subjects became completely oblivious the moment the television was turned on, (I won’t go into it that subject here, as it is another study by another university all together). Anyway, they became oblivious to the female of the species other than for things like beer runs and making sandwiches. But upon reintroduction of the female’s attention at halftime or after the games conclusion, the female was once again able to dominate the males entire thought process, not just the subliminal range but the high function levels of thought in those areas like eating, farting and scratching one’s self. The conclusion the of male doctors conducting this study was that they too, wanted to go with the female and try to convince them that sex was in order since they’d already taken out the trash. So the female doctors had to finish the testing for themselves and they concluded all males, regardless of the species are just pigs and it’s a brave woman who spends anytime at all with men.”

“Well, that was quite the story, but it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know,” she retorted.

“Really, you knew that? Wow, that was my best shot too. Oh say, did I tell you how hot you are? How about how smart and sophisticated?” I laid it on a bit thick.

“Down boy, down boy. It’s just the first date and even though you’ve already earned a second date, I’m still not ready to throw caution to the wind and head for the nearest Motel Six.” She smiled and pointed at the waiter, who was trying to get our attention to seat us.

“Okay, I’m cooling off, officially cooling off and I‘ll expect you to bring on the ice water, if I start to lose control again, okay?”

“I promise to be a wet blanket on your parade all night long.” She stated with what I hoped was a mock stern look on her face.

“Oh hey, wait a minute, stop that face making, we’re here to enjoy each other’s company and to get to know each other. No grimaces, no frowns and absolutely no disparaging remarks. We are here to enjoy each other and hopefully prove to you, I’m not a serial killer, rapist or mentally deficient male that is more at home with the movie Deliverance than at dinner with a beautiful woman.” I stated authoritatively as we sat down.

“I take it back. We may need that Motel Six after all. I like a man who takes charge,” She stated.

“And I am a take charge kind of guy as long you’re okay with it.” I quipped and grinned.

“Oh, shut up and decide what you’re going to order,” she stated while rolling her eyes and grinning. I think I was about to be a big hit, when across the room I spotted, Michael Nolan again. Four days ago, I didn’t know the guy from Adam and now I’m seeing him practically everywhere I go. I was distracted for a moment and missed something Betty said, so I sat there looking sheepish for a moment and she picked right up on it.

“You weren’t listening were you?” She stated with that mock stern look on her face again.

“I don’t know what happened. I was all tuned into you and you alone. Then suddenly, it was like I was a sleep. I found myself staring at a spot on the wall and I had no idea why. I’m so sorry, I will try to never let it happen again.” I groveled and she reached out and patted my hand, then said.

“I hear that loss of mental acuity was a side effect of taking too many Viagra.” A smile, the brilliance of a super nova burst upon her face as she teased me.

“That’s funny.” I retorted. “The packaging doesn’t warn you about what might happen when you take four or more pills at once.” I teased back. “There’s only the warning about something lasting four hours after one pill. Does that mean since I took six pills, it’ll work for twenty-four hours straight?” I grinned.

“Six?” She asked with a pained look on her face. “You took six Viagra? How do you walk or even sit down?”

“I do it very carefully, but I‘m ready if and when some beautiful woman I’m having dinner with takes pity upon this poor soul and makes me an offer, I can’t refuse.”

“Well, you keep hopes up on that subject. I’m going to decide what I’m going to order.” She quickly shut down that childish subject.