Bekka was one of the anthropologists at the museum. She was making a record of Helen Egan’s 114-year history and had spent a lot of time with her. Diane was sure she hated missing her funeral.
Diane herself was wishing she could escape as she listened to the voices expressing condolences and making light banter. Mr. Taggart kept going on about ancient Egypt and burning mummies for firewood, and did they really do that or was Mr. Twain pulling everyone’s leg.
“He was pulling our leg. He was the only one who ever mentioned that practice, I believe.” Diane had to remind herself that Mr. Taggart, as well as being a prominent humanitarian and businessman, was a major contributor to the museum, and that his enthusiasm was a good thing.
“And you, Mrs. Taggart, are you a fan of ancient Egypt?” asked Diane.
“The trinkets were lovely.” Rosemary Taggart’s voice had not lost any of its strength; it was smooth and strong, like her skin. Mrs. Taggart had good genes. “I enjoy the shells and the gems in the museum. Some of the other things are not to my taste.”
Diane smiled, wishing she hadn’t asked. She glanced at Vanessa, who was being approached by a man Diane suspected was from the governor’s office. Vanessa smiled and held out her hand, and the man took it in both of his. Vanessa turned her head slightly and looked toward Andie, Kendel and the other members of the museum group. Vanessa’s face froze.
Diane followed Vanessa’s gaze to the museum employees. They were all staring at Mike, who had a look of confusion and pain on his face. He fell to his knees.
Chapter 10
Diane pushed through the crowd of people hurrying over to Mike. A middle-aged man was trying to help him to his feet, but Mike was resisting. The whole scene looked odd, but she couldn’t see what was wrong.
“Mike, buddy,” she heard Korey say as he knelt beside him. “What’s the matter?”
Pain arced through Diane’s foot when someone stepped on it as she attempted to push through a clump of people. When “excuse me” didn’t work, she tried gently pushing the person away. She apparently had pulled a tricep muscle at the gym this morning climbing the rock wall, for she felt a twinge in her muscle.
“Move it, dammit,” she said, not meaning to say it as loud as she did, but it got the person’s attention. They muttered, “Sorry,” and moved.
Mike was still on his knees, leaning forward with a hand on the grass. The man-Diane thought she recognized him as a local businessman-was still trying to help Mike up, and Korey was arguing with him.
“Something’s wrong, man. Let him go.”
“He just fell, needs a little help up.”
“Mike?” Diane knelt beside him opposite Korey.
She put a hand on his back and immediately pulled it away. Her palm and fingers were bright red.
“He’s hurt,” said Diane. “Korey, help me get his coat off.”
The man let go of his arm. “Is that blood?”
Diane ignored him as she and Korey pulled off Mike’s dark suit coat. She heard several people gasp at the large wet red stain on his white shirt.
Korey looked wide-eyed. “Jesus, buddy, what happened?”
“I don’t know. I just feel funny,” whispered Mike.
The blood was near the right side of his waist and was seeping down into his pants. Diane carefully pulled up his shirt and looked at his wound.
“Someone call nine-one-one. Mike, I want you to lie down on the grass here and stay calm,” Diane said.
Diane heard Kendel giving directions. She must have already been calling.
“What is it?” asked Mike, as Diane helped him lie on his side.
“You’ve been stabbed.” Diane tried to keep her voice calm. All the organs and vessels in his lower back that could have been cut ran through her mind, and it frightened her.
“Stabbed? Jesus. How?”
“Just lie down. Help is coming.”
There was no blood on the front of his shirt, but she pulled it up just the same and checked him for any more wounds.
“Korey, stay with him.” She pulled a handkerchief from Mike’s suit coat and put it over the wound. “Put some pressure here. If the blood soaks through. .”
“Got it covered, Dr. F. I took the first-aid training for our department.”
Diane had sent all the docents and a staff member from each department to take courses in first aid. She was glad Korey was the one who had gone from the conservation lab.
“I’m going to talk to the chief of detectives,” she said, and Korey nodded.
“Take it easy, buddy; we have help coming,” said Korey.
Diane stood up. Andie and Kendel knelt beside Mike, covering him with his coat. Diane headed for the chief of detectives, stopping first next to Vanessa’s son when she saw little Alexis standing with her parents, looking scared. Vanessa’s son looked at her hand and gave her a handkerchief to wipe off the blood. Her hand shook as she took it.
“What happened to him?” he asked.
“He was stabbed.”
Vanessa sucked in her breath.
“Take Alexis and your family home,” continued Diane. “Don’t talk about this with one another. The police will want to ask you individually what you remember. But for now, get your family home.”
He nodded and began to collect his family.
Diane took a deep breath and tried to find the objectivity she had at any other crime scene. She took her cell from her pocket and dialed her crime scene lab as she scanned the crowd and the cemetery. David Goldstein, one of her crime scene specialists, answered, and Diane briefly explained what had happened.
“What? At the cemetery?” said David.
“I want you and Jin to come and take a look around. There’ve been a lot of people here, so I doubt you’ll find anything right around where Mike was standing, but look behind the trees and large monuments in the area. Someone may have been standing, waiting for an opportunity.”
“How is Mike?”
“I don’t know. He’s conscious.”
“What about Neva?”
“She’s not at the funeral. I think she’s at home. Would you call her?”
“Sure. You all right?”
“I’m trying to hold on. Come as quickly as you can.” Diane folded her phone and slipped it into the pocket of her jacket.
Douglas Garnett, the Rosewood chief of detectives, was asking all the people to go sit in their cars until someone could come talk to them. But news of what had happened was running through the crowd like an electric current, and people were already hurrying to leave. Andie and Kendel were making sure the exiting crowd gave Mike a wide berth.
“What can we do to help?” Diane heard Steve Taggart ask Garnett.
“Take your family to your car and wait for the police. Encourage others to do the same. Someone will come and interview you just as soon as we can get them there.” Garnett was looking out over the crowd of people leaving.
“Most of their names will be in the guest book,” said Diane. “But I doubt our perp signed it.”
“What kind of nut comes to a funeral and stabs someone?” said Garnett. “Does this guy-Mike-have enemies?”
“Not that I know of. It seems like only a nut would take a chance like this.”
