indicate before changing lanes, overtaking a slow-moving mobile home. ‘Nice work back there, by the way. I hadn’t noticed the nasal cavity.’
‘You would have if you hadn’t been so mad at Hicks.’
‘Being mad at Hicks is an occupational hazard. I should be used to it by now.’ His smile faded as he saw my face. ‘OK, out with it. What’s bothering you?’
I hadn’t planned on bringing it up, but there was no point ducking the issue any longer. ‘I don’t think my coming here was such a good idea. I appreciate what you’re doing, but… Well, let’s face it, it isn’t working out. I think I should go back.’
Until that moment I hadn’t even been aware I’d made the decision. Now it seemed as though all my doubts had crystallized, forcing me to accept what I’d been avoiding so far. Yet part of me felt shocked at the admission, knowing there was something irrevocable about it. If I left now I wouldn’t be simply cutting my trip short.
I’d be giving up.
Tom was silent for a while. ‘This isn’t only about what happened at the cabin, is it?’
‘That’s part of it, but no.’ I shrugged, struggling to put it into words. ‘I just feel this was a mistake. I don’t know, perhaps it was too soon.’
‘Your wound’s healed, hasn’t it?’
‘I didn’t mean that.’
‘I know.’ He sighed. ‘Can I be frank?’
I nodded; I didn’t trust myself to speak.
‘You tried running away once before and it didn’t work. What makes you think it’ll be any better this time?’
I felt my cheeks burn. Running away? Was that how he saw it? ‘If you mean when Kara and Alice died, then yes, I suppose I did run away,’ I said, my voice harsh. ‘But this is different. It’s like something’s missing, and I don’t know what.’
‘So it’s a crisis of confidence.’
‘If you like, yes.’
‘Then I’ll ask you again: exactly how is running away going to help?’
This time it was my turn to fall silent.
Tom didn’t take his gaze from the road. ‘I’m not going to insult you by giving you a pep talk, David. If it’s what you really feel you should do, then leave by all means. I think you’d regret it, but it’s your choice. But will you do something for me first?’
‘Of course.’
Tom adjusted his glasses. ‘I haven’t told anyone this except Mary and Paul. But I’ll be retiring at the end of the summer.’
I looked at him in surprise. I’d thought he was staying on till the end of the year. ‘Is this because of your health?’
‘Let’s just say I’ve promised Mary. The point is you were one of my best students, and this is the last chance we’re going to have to work together. I’d consider it a great favour if you gave it another week.’
I sat there for a moment, admiring how neatly he’d trapped me. ‘I walked into that, didn’t I?’
He smiled. ‘Yes, you did. But you can hardly break your word to an old man, can you?’
I had to laugh. Oddly enough, I felt lighter than I had done in ages. ‘OK, then. A week.’
Tom gave a satisfied nod. He tapped his fingers in time to the trumpet coming from the car speakers.
‘So what do you think of Dan’s new helper?’
I looked through the window. ‘Jacobsen? She seems keen enough.’
‘Mm.’ The fingers continued to beat out a gentle tattoo on the steering wheel. ‘Attractive, wouldn’t you say?’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ Tom said nothing. I felt my face start to burn. ‘What?’
‘Nothing,’ he said, grinning.
Tom had called ahead to warn the morgue that the exhumed remains were on their way. They’d have to be examined in a separate autopsy suite in order to avoid cross-contamination with the body from the cabin. Just the possibility of that could cause an evidentiary nightmare when the killer was caught.
Assuming he was.
Kyle was talking to two other assistants in the corridor when we arrived. He broke off to take us to the suite he’d prepared, glancing behind us as though expecting—or hoping—to see someone else. He looked crestfallen when he realized there was no one there.
‘Is Summer coming in today?’
The attempt at nonchalance wasn’t successful. ‘Oh, I dare say she’ll be stopping by later,’ Tom told him.
‘Right. I just wondered.’
Tom kept a straight face until Kyle had left the autopsy suite. ‘Must be spring,’ he said with a smile. ‘Gets the sap rising in everyone.’
The casket from Steeple Hill was brought in just as we’d finished changing into scrubs and rubber aprons. It had been transported in a box-like aluminium container; one coffin nestling inside another like Russian dolls. Before anything else the body had to be X-rayed, so Kyle wheeled the whole thing into the radiography room on a trolley.
‘Need a hand with this?’ he asked.
‘No, thanks, we’ll manage.’
‘Tom…’ I said. The remains would have to be lifted from the casket to be X-rayed. Decomposition had reduced the body mass, but I didn’t want him exerting himself.
He gave an exasperated sigh, knowing what I was thinking. ‘We can wait till Summer gets here. I’ve already gotten Kyle in trouble once.’
‘Oh, it’s all right. Martin and Jason can cover for me.’ Kyle had perked up at the mention of Summer. He gave a shy grin. ‘Besides, Dr Hicks isn’t here right now.’
Tom reluctantly conceded. ‘Well, OK, then. You can help David lift the body out once we’ve taken photographs.’ Just then his phone rang. He looked at its display. ‘It’s Dan. I better take it.’
While Tom went into the corridor to speak to Gardner, Kyle and I unsnapped the big clips that held the aluminium lid in place.
‘So you’re British, huh?’ he asked. ‘From London?’
‘That’s right.’
‘Wow. So what’s Europe like?’
I took a moment to wonder how to answer that as I wrestled with a difficult clip. ‘Well, it’s pretty varied, really.’
‘Yeah? I’d like to go someday. See the Eiffel Tower, places like that. I’ve travelled around the States, but I’ve always wanted to go somewhere foreign.’
‘You should try it.’
‘Not on my pay.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘So… is Summer going to be a forensic anthro like Dr Lieberman?’
‘I imagine that’s the plan.’
He kept his attention on unfastening the clips, trying to seem unconcerned. ‘Does that mean she’ll be staying in Tennessee?’
‘Why don’t you ask her?’
The look he gave me was terrified. He quickly dropped his gaze. ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t. I just, you know. Wondered.’
I managed not to smile. ‘I expect she’ll be here for a while yet, anyway.’
‘Right.’
He nodded, furiously, burying his head in his work. His shyness was painful to see. I’d no idea if Summer would welcome his attention, but I hoped he found the courage to find out.
We were about to lift off the aluminium lid from the container when Tom returned. His expression was
