“It’s as good a way as any,” Bat said. “Especially since I now have my own club.”
“I’m sure Mr Floto is not all that thrilled about that.”
“Well,” Bat said, “that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”
At that moment the door opened and Dr Ford came walking out, clad in her white spattered gown.
“Well,” she said, “it’s the same.”
“Damn it,” House said. “This is too strange.”
“Doctor,” Bat said, “did you find anything at all that might explain what’s going on?”
“I have found something,” she said. “It’s on all three women, but I don’t know that I can explain it.”
“Anything would help,” Inspector House said.
“There is an incision, a very small incision, on their left side.”
“All three?” Bat asked.
“Yes.”
“And that’s all?”
“Yes.”
“Could the organs have been removed through that?” Bat asked.
“It doesn’t seem possible, but…”
“But what, Doctor?” Bat asked. “If you’ve got an idea, don’t hold back.”
“That’s all it is,” she said, “an idea. Just something I remember from medical school. If I could have some time-”
“Give us an idea of what you’re talking about,” Bat suggested, “and then take the time you need.”
“Well, I’m thinking about… mummification.”
“Mummi-what’s that?” House asked.
“Mummies?” Bat asked. “You mean like, in ancient Egypt?”
“Yes.”
“Egypt?” House asked, still looking confused.
“When they mummified their dead,” Dr Ford explained, “part of the ritual was to remove all the internal organs.”
“But… through a small incision like the one you described?”
“I seem to remember… something about a small incision, but I don’t recall how it was done. I can do some research at the museum, talk to the Egyptian expert there.”
“Can that be done today?” Bat asked.
“I don’t see why not?”
“Then I’ll take you there, Doctor.”
“I don’t need to be taken, Mr Masterson-”
“Sorry, Ma’am,” Bat responded, “what I meant was, I’ll go with you, if you’ll allow me to.”
“Well… why not?”
“Just let me walk the Inspector out and I’ll have a cab waiting when you’re ready.”
“Very well.”
Outside the hospital Bat said to House, “You go and tell Flaherty what I’m doing. After the doctor and I go to the museum I’ll come and find you.”
“What the hell, Bat-” House said. “I can’t go back to the Chief with this.”
“This could be the only explanation we have for what seems to be impossible,” Bat said.
“Ancient Egypt? Mummies? Do you believe all that?”
“Don’t you ever do any reading, son,” Bat said. “We’re talking about history.”
“Still,” House said, as they headed down the hall, “It’s hard to believe.”
“Yes, it is.”
5
“Who do we ask for?” Bat asked, as they entered the Denver Museum of History, located on Broadway.
“The Egyptology expert,” Dr Ford said.
“I’ll let you start to do the talking.”
“Shouldn’t Inspector House be with us?” she asked. “After all, he’s the policeman.”
“Inspector House had something else to do,” Bat said. “Don’t worry, we have official standing.”
They walked down a long hall until they encountered a man standing at a desk.
“Can I help you?”
“My name is Doctor Ford,” she said, “and this is Bat Masterson, the, urn, columnist. We are hoping to speak to whoever is your expert on Egyptology?”
“Bat Masterson?” the man asked. He was a small man roughly Bat’s age, but he stared at the frontier legend with a little boy’s enthusiasm. “Really?”
“Yes,” Bat said, “I’m afraid so. Do you have an expert in, urn, Egyptology?”
“Ooh, yes, we do,” the man said. “You want Mr Vartan. I’ll get him for you.”
“Thank you,” Doctor Ford said.
“Doctor, how many of these experts could there be in Denver?” Bat asked while they waited.
“I would think only one.”
“And would he know how to do this, how to… what? Mummify?”
“I know what you mean, and I don’t know,” she said. “I suppose we’ll have to ask him.”
They waited in silence, and after a few minutes had past the doctor looked at Bat curiously. “Did you mean that you… suspect this man, even though you haven’t met him yet?”
“No,” he said, “of course not. I just thought if he’s the only expert that maybe the killer had come to see him, just like we have.”
“Oh, I see.”
But now that she mentioned it, why couldn’t the one man in Denver who had the know how be a suspect in the crime? Bat decided he would give this jasper a real close going over and watch him carefully.
They heard footsteps coking towards them and saw the small man returning with a very tall, dark-skinned man wearing a suit and tie.
“This is Mr Vartan,” the small man said.
“I am Michael Vartan. I understand you were looking for me?” Vartan asked. “Sam said one of you is a doctor?”
“I am Dr Ford,” Justina Ford said.
Vartan looked at her in complete surprise.
“I did not know we had any black doctors in Denver, let alone a woman. How fascinating.”
“Mr Vartan?” Bat said. “My name is Bat Masterson. We would like to ask you some questions about-”
“The famous killer?” Vartan asked.
Bat closed his mouth and glared at the man.
“I am a columnist for the newspaper
“Ah, but surely you are the famous Bat Masterson,” Vartan said. “There could not be two men with such a name.”
“I am perhaps famous,” Bat said, “but not as a killer.”
“I am so sorry,” Vartan said. “I have offended you.”
“Mr Masterson has been many things, Mr Vartan,” Dr Ford said, “among them a lawman.”
“And now a writer,” Vartan said. “How commendable. I apologize again. You have some questions concerning what?”
“The process of mummification,” Dr Ford said.
Vartan stared at them for a few moments, then said, “I have an office. Would you follow me, please?”
He led them through hallways of the museum, so that they never saw any displays except through doorways as they passed. Eventually they came to a room with a desk and a few chairs. He invited them in to sit, and closed the
