Page 10 of Identity Unknown
This is the first time Shannon and I have seen each other today, and she’s dressed in her usual vintage attire, none of it quite fitting or matching. The yellow paisley vest over her long emerald-green tunic, her voluminous pale blue skirt, black fishnet hose and red high-top sneakers are an unlikely ensemble. Not quite five feet tall, she’s fond of old bucket hats like the purple one she has on, her spikey hair tinted pink.
“It sounded like you were having an unfortunate phone conversation a few minutes ago.” Carrying in a pair of tactical boots, I sit down behind my desk. “I’m very sorry you’re being harassed, but not surprised based on what I witnessed inside the Briley house yesterday.”
“The father’s a real dirt bird, was effin’ a blue streak on the phone. I don’t care a tinker’s damn who he is or how bloody much money he has. I find him disgusting, and recorded our conversations while telling him I was doing it. He’ll keep calling, and I don’t recommend you talk to him directly, Doctor Scarpetta.”
“I’ll let the police deal with him from now on.” I pull on my boots, remembering how arrogant and contemptuous he was. “He and his wife were parked across from our building a few minutes ago. It appeared she was drinking a beer while they filmed employees driving in and out.”
“Well that figures. So, he’s parked a stone’s toss away while badgering me over the phone about viewing the body.” Shannon’s voice is tight with emotion.
“Never happening.”
“He demanded to see hisprecious little girlbefore the funeral home repairs yourbutcheryandwhatever treachery you’re up to with your political cronies,to quote him. I guess he thought he was going to drive right on through our gate and come inside, looking at whatever he pleases.”
“I’m sure you told him that for security and safety reasons we’re not permitted to have viewings or unofficial visitors.” I give her the party line. “The police certainly wouldn’t want him or his wife coming around when it’s uncertain who shot their daughter.”
“In his mind, he’s above the law, an exception to every rule,” Shannon says, her preoccupations heavy. “And if he’s heartbroken about his so-calledprecious little girl,you could have fooled me.”
“I’ve alerted Wyatt to be on the lookout in case they decide to come back.” I tie my boot laces as my secretary watches everything I do.
Her periwinkle-blue eyes are pinned to me curiously, and I sense questions and heartache unrelated to Luna Briley. I know how much Shannon admired Sal Giordano. I saw the way shelit up when his name was mentioned. It didn’t escape my notice that she was flirty when he’d call, no doubt hoping he’d ask her out. In recent months I’ve begun sensing she might be lonely.
A medical examiner’s office is the antithesis of the bustling courthouses where she was a fixture for decades. Shannon lives alone in Old Town, her daughter hours away in Richmond. The rest of her family is in Ireland or no longer alive. Benton and I have her over on occasion, but the underlying problem traces back to when the intruder broke into my building five months ago.
A lot of people could have been killed besides me, depending on who happened to be around and if things had turned out differently. Such thoughts have occurred to other employees besides Shannon, a few of them quitting to take jobs elsewhere. I can tell she feels vulnerable in a way I’ve not seen in the past.
“Well, you’re dressed for battle, going somewhere unpleasant, Doctor Scarpetta. Might you tell me what’s the story?” she says.
“How much do you already know from opening our connecting door while I was on the phone with Benton?” I’m not coy about it. “And just because you can hear something doesn’t mean you should listen. For your own good maybe you shouldn’t.”
“I was leaving a few things on your desk and could hear you talking inside the bathroom. By the sound of it, Sal Giordano went missing and has been found dead in that old Oz theme park near West Virginia,” she says, and when I don’t respond she reacts visibly, her face stricken, her eyes welling. “Oh dear, it’s true. How dreadful!”
“It’s beyond dreadful.” I get up from my desk, handing her a box of tissues as I steady myself.
“He’s always been so nice to me, never too busy to ask how I am.”
“That’s the way he was to everyone.” I clear my throat. “I know how fond of you he was.”
“And so humble. You’d never know he won a Nobel Prize.” She dabs her eyes. “I can’t imagine how you feel. There are no words.”
“Please be mindful that identity hasn’t been confirmed, the case is extremely confidential.” I focus on what’s important right now.
“If such a thing can happen to the likes of him?” Blinking back more tears. “When he’s been nothing but their biggest defender? Makes no sense and I don’t believe it for a minute. Something else must be to blame.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“Without intending to hear anything at all, I picked up references to a UFO.” Shannon confirms that she eavesdropped on Benton’s and my conversation.
“Again, not a word to anyone,” I reply with feeling. “We can’t afford for something like this to leak…”
“I find it most alarming since Doctor Giordano’s known for trying to communicate with aliens. Of course, we’re not supposed to call them that anymore. I guess the safest thing is to refer to them as theOthers. But I’d be shocked if they’d harm him or anyone unless the person had it coming.”
“We don’t know the facts yet. We don’t know much at all.”
“I’ve always believed that they would have destroyed us long ago if that’s their intention,” Shannon replies. “I’ve assumed it’s humans who are the danger.”
“That’s because we are.” I peek behind a window shade, making sure the white Escalade hasn’t come back.
CHAPTER 5