“Could bruises develop post mortem? Is he still here?”
“In the big room. We can look,” said Dr. Fennell, getting up. “It would be unusual for post mortem bruises to develop on a clear, unblemished skin at autopsy,” he said, ambling to the wall that held the cold room door.
“Business is brisk,” said Delia, gazing at several occupied gurneys.
“Two additionals from unexpected murders make a difference. Were it not for Mr. Hall and Dr. Tinkerman, it would have been an average weekend intake. There was a shoot-out in Argyle Avenue, but the rest are just routine investigations requested by puzzled G.P.s.” He peeled away John Hall’s sheet.
Gloved, they examined the body together, front and back, from head to toes and in between.
“Not a sausage,” said Delia, stripping the rubber off her hands. “I had a funny feeling that would prove to be the case. His stepmother is accusing him of trying to rape her last Friday.”
“Shades of Phaedra and Hippolytus,” Gus said with a chuckle.
“You know your Greek mythology, sir.”
“Yes, but it’s an extremely rare woman willing to back up her accusation by killing herself, which is what Phaedra did. Perhaps your Phaedra killed this Hippolytus?”
“I wouldn’t put anything past her. Thank you, Gus dear.”
“So,” she said, reporting to Abe in his office, “I can assure you that if Mrs. Davina Tunbull tells you John Hall tried to rape her, she’s lying. I’ve had Gus Fennell add a post scriptum to the autopsy report stating specifically that the body bears no marks of teeth, nails, fists or feet. What an extraordinary case this is! People lying so blatantly you wonder about their mental competence. It’s been like that from the start, Abe. Were I Millie, I think I would have shrugged and not bothered to report the loss of the poison.”
A frown had gathered; Abe stared at Delia oddly. “That is very perceptive, Sergeant Carstairs. If she were anyone other than our Millie, my tortuous mind might have sniffed a plot, with her husband’s collusion.”
“That’s our downfall, Abe. Our minds are too tortuous. As Carmine says, the first impression is usually the most significant one. What was yours, since I wasn’t at the Tunbulls’?”
“That Dr. Jim did it. Gut instinct, nothing else.”
“It doesn’t add up, though, unless you want to make his mind tortuous enough to use the poison on John Hall as practice for the real event — poisoning Tinkerman.”
“You can look at it that way, Deels,” Abe said. “Or you can interpret the whole thing as an attempt to frame Dr. Jim.”
“Oh, I loathe frame crimes!” Delia cried. “It’s that extra layer of Saran wrap makes it impossible to get the pie out unbroken.”
“Good metaphor. Thanks, Delia — and for getting Gus to look at the body again too. I accept your opinion of Davina’s lies as well. It takes someone super smart to act super dumb.” Abe put a hand to the back of his pate, where the hair was thinning. “Anyone in the study could have administered the poison, though it would be a great help if we knew the instrument of delivery.”
“Are you considering Dr. Markoff a suspect?”
“Until I prove he had no motive, yes.”
“Who stands to benefit the most from John’s death?”
“Ivan, Val’s son. Baby Alexis cut him out, I guess, but a baby isn’t the same threat as a grown man. John, they all say, kept emphasizing that he wasn’t interested in Max’s business or money because his adopted father is very wealthy and had already endowed him. My research to date does indicate that this Wendover Hall owns half of Oregon.”
“Dig deeper into John himself,” Delia said.
“I will. I mean, our line of work teaches that people never seem to have enough money. John Hall could be heir to the Vanderbilts and still covet Max’s little bit.”
“Davina’s the one needs research in that house, opinionated skinny bitch that she is!”
Abe didn’t make the mistake of probing into Delia’s sudden detestation of Davina Tunbull; if his exquisitely sensitive nose whispered that it had to do with Delia’s apparel, that was even more reason to shut up. So he confined himself to generalities.
“The Yugoslav background?” he asked.
“No, the New York City modeling career. I smell a very dead rat, Abe — there was some sort of funny business involved. She’s also potty,” Delia said sternly. “She kept telling me things no one in their right mind would say without an attorney present, yet when I cautioned her a la Miranda, she ignored me. Whatever else you do or don’t do, make sure you have two witnesses present when you question her. Otherwise she’ll probably accuse you of raping her, and Uda will back her up.”