After changing into her street clothes, Laurie was on her way up to her office when she caught sight of Marvin in the mortuary office. He’d just come on duty and was busy putting the office in order after the tumult of a normal day. Laurie made a detour and stuck her head in the door.

“We found Franconi’s X rays,” she said. “And it turned out that floater that came in the other night was our missing man.”

“I saw it in the paper,” Marvin said. “Far out.”

“The X rays made the identification,” Laurie said. “So I’m extra glad you took them.”

“It’s my job,” Marvin said.

“I wanted to apologize again for suggesting you didn’t take them,” Laurie said.

“No problem,” Marvin said.

Laurie got about four steps away, when she turned around and returned to the mortuary office. This time she entered and closed the door behind her.

Marvin looked at her questioningly.

“Would you mind if I asked you a question just between you and me?” Laurie asked.

“I guess not,” Marvin said warily.

“Obviously, I’ve been interested in how Franconi’s body was stolen from here,” Laurie said. “That’s why I talked to you the afternoon before last. Remember?”

“Of course,” Marvin said.

“I also came in that night and talked with Mike Passano,” Laurie said.

“So I heard,” Marvin said.

“I bet you did,” Laurie said. “But believe me I wasn’t accusing Mike of anything.”

“I hear you,” Marvin said. “He can be sensitive now and then.”

“I can’t figure out how the body was stolen,” Laurie said. “Between Mike and security, there was always someone here.”

Marvin shrugged. “I don’t know, either,” he said. “Believe me.”

“I understand,” Laurie said. “I’m sure you would have said something to me if you had any suspicions. But that’s not what I wanted to ask. My feeling at this point is that there had to be some help from inside. Is there any employee here at the morgue that you think might have been involved in this somehow? That’s my question.”

Marvin thought for a minute and then shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“It had to have happened on Mike’s shift,” Laurie said. “The two drivers, Pete and Jeff, do you know them very well?”

“Nope,” Marvin said. “I mean, I’ve seen them around and even talked with them a few times, but since we’re on different shifts, we don’t have a lot of contact.”

“But you don’t have any reason to suspect them?”

“Nope, no more than anybody else,” Marvin said.

“Thanks,” Laurie said. “I hope my question didn’t make you feel uncomfortable.”

“No problem,” Marvin said.

Laurie thought for a minute, while she absently chewed on her lower lip. She knew she was missing something. “I have an idea,” she said suddenly. “Maybe you should describe to me the exact sequence you go through when a body leaves here.”

“You mean everything that happens?” Marvin said.

“Please,” Laurie said. “I mean, I have a general idea, but I don’t know the specifics.”