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Voices swirled around him. “Thought he’d gone bad. What a shame he got to take another woman with him.”
“How the hell did he get out of the cuffs?”
“Looks like they were expertly picked. Wait a minute, wasn’t she a cat burglar at one time?”
“Yeah, but why would she release him? He just killed her best friend.”
“Is that who he killed? Why would she consent to be his lawyer?”
“He must have talked her into it. Sad really. What a waste.”
Oh Nick, what the hell happened here? Bert had seen a lot of death in his time and felt hardened by it all, but the sight of two of his friends lying there needlessly in a spreading pool of blood brought him to his knees. Hands pulled him upright and he lurched towards them.
“You don’t want to do that,” warned one.
“Let him go.” Frank had come to investigate. “He knew them both. Then take the bodies down to the morgue and start the paperwork. Bert, when you’re ready come and talk to me.”
“He wouldn’t! He just wouldn’t!” Back in Frank’s office, Bert’s pacing had taken on a more frantic note.
Frank sighed. “You saw him. He was cold and he deliberately killed his own lawyer.” He glanced at the notes on his desk. “Another friend and a woman as well. He went bad, Bert. Something pushed him over the edge and he went bad.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
“It doesn’t have to. He’s dead. Case closed.” Frank sounded cold, and regretted it. “Look Bert, we’ll never know if he killed Ms Becker or not, but twelve cops saw him kill Ms Montrose. You saw it too.”
“I know, I know, but it still doesn’t make sense.” Bert patted his pocket with the vial of Nick’s blood. “I’m going to prove it wasn’t his fault. I’m gonna clear his name.”
“Fine. I can’t say I blame you.” Frank got up and walked around his desk. “I’m sorry Bert, but I’m not going to be able to put manpower on this, but I’ll give you everything we’ve already collected.”
“Could I see them before I leave?” Bert spoke slowly, his face contorted with pain.
“Sure Bert, it’s the least we can do. I’ll get someone to take you down.” Frank put a hand on Bert’s shoulder.
“I know the way. I’d appreciate some time alone with them.”
“Okay. I’ll let them know and authorize that. Again Bert, I’m sorry it ended this way.” He walked with Bert to the door. “I’ll keep in touch. Any information I get, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks Frank. You’ve been a help in this mess.” Bert shook his hand and walked down the hall to the elevator to the basement. There he walked down a long hallway which connected the police station to the hospital next door.
Once there, he knocked on the door to the morgue. The attendant answered, saying, “This is highly irregular, but Captain Horowitz authorized it, so you’ve got all the time you want. I’ve left them out for you.”
“What will happen to the bodies?”
The man shrugged. “We contact the next of kin and they arrange the disposal. No autopsies are required since everyone knows how they died and it’s the weekend now so staff will only come in if there’s a death. Listen, I’m going home now anyway. Just roll the bodies back into their lockers and turn out the lights when you leave; the door will lock itself.”
“Thank you.” Bert waited until the sound of the attendant’s footfalls diminished into silence until he approached the two opened lockers, with the two identically shrouded bodies. Taking a deep breath, he moved closer and reached for the sheet covering the smaller mound.
Amanda’s eyes flew open; she gasped for breath and twisted her neck. Bert could hear snapping as if bones were realigning. “You, you’re dead!” Bert’s face paled and he backed away.
“No I’m not. We’ll talk about it later. Is Nick back yet?” Amanda tossed off the sheet and hopped off the table. She found her shoes and put them on as Bert stared, open-mouthed.
As if on demand, a groan issued from the other body. Nick sat up, shaking his head, panting and gasping. “Damn, that hurts,” he said finally. “But my head feels better.”
“I told you.” Amanda looked smug, but she stomped over to Nick and with her hands on her hips, scowled at him. “It was not part of the plan to kill me!”
“It was necessary. Had to make sure they’d shoot and not just rush me and take me down. Cops hate dead hostages. Makes them antsy. We did want them to kill me right?” He stretched as the pain of reviving subsided. “Damn, I must have been drugged. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Bert sank down to sit against the far wall. “This…this…isn’t happening. I must have hit my head, or had a breakdown, or I’m dreaming the whole thing. Yeah, that’s it; I’m dreaming.” He closed his eyes firmly. “I think I’ll wake up soon.” He opened his eyes slowly seeing Amanda with blood on her suit, and Nick, still sitting on the gurney, the orange jumpsuit filled with bloody bullet holes.
Nick got down slowly. “We’ll explain it later. Do you have a car?”
“Someplace we can go? A safe house maybe? asked Amanda. “It’s better to stay here while we find Lucy’s killer.”
“Lucy,” said Nick, as if he just remembered. “So she’s not…” He looked at Amanda.
“No, darling, she’s not.” Amanda reached up and touched his cheek softly.
“My place is a safe house. You should know, Nick since you’ve been staying there since we arrived in town.” Bert was finding it difficult to enunciate.
“Really? I don’t remember. You’ll have to drive.” Nick rummaged through a cupboard and came up with some clean, if wrinkled scrubs. Divesting himself of the ruined jumpsuit, he donned the clean clothes quickly, but not before Bert could see the unmarked skin of his torso. He reached out a hand tentatively, but Nick had already covered up. “Let’s go.” He found a bag with his personal belongings and pocketed his wallet and watch before handing Amanda her purse.
“One minute.” Amanda rummaged through her handbag and put a paper on the desk. “This will keep them off our tail.” She took out a pen and scrawled on a second paper. “Nobody will check if these funeral homes really picked up the bodies or not. Not right away anyway.” She stopped and looked at Nick. “Do you have family left?”
“No. My parents died in a car accident before I met you. I haven’t seen my brother since their funeral. We didn’t really get along and I have no idea where he is.”
“So nobody will come looking for your body for a while. That gives us time.” Amanda arranged the papers neatly on the desk and closed the lockers with the sheets inside. “It’s all in the details,” she said to the two men.
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