They took the elevator down to the basement this time, taking the approved route. In daytime, there was slightly more activity than they had found on their visit the night before, when the place was presided over by the mortuary diener from central casting. The place itself had gained no luster. Without windows it could be day or night, still bleak and decrepit. There were several quite normal-looking men in their fifties whose job it was to handle the comings and goings of the corpses. They were helpful, seemingly appreciating a visit from live people. Pia and George asked them if they remembered handling Rothman’s and Yamamoto’s bodies. They did, because there had been quite a bit of fuss, including a warning about the possibility of typhoid and instructions about general precautions.

“We disinfected the body bags on the outside after the bodies were put inside,” the first man explained. “Of course we used full precautions the whole time.”

Pia and George could see no ID tags on the men and thought it prudent not to offer their own names.

“So which gurneys did you use? And were they treated afterward?”

“Sure they were treated,” the man said. “And they’re still where they were treated.”

“Do you mind if I take a look?”

The attendant took the two students to another old autopsy room. This one had a special ventilation system because it was used for “dirty,” or decomposing, cases. Pia proceeded to run the radiation detector around the gurneys, but she found nothing.

“What are you looking for, exactly?” the diener asked.

“One of the patients had had radioactive isotope therapy,” Pia said, thinking quickly. “We want to make sure there wasn’t any leakage. Which there hasn’t been, so thank you.”

As Pia and George made their way back to the elevator, George complimented Pia on her quick thinking in reference to the radioactive isotope idea.

“I had to come up with something. Maybe I’ll use the same story when I go to the ME’s office.” Then she added, “Nix that! I couldn’t get away with it with a medical examiner. From the autopsy they would already know neither of the men had cancer.”

Pia pondered again. “I know. I’ll say that Rothman and Yamamoto were using a radioactive alpha emitter in their research, and we want to be sure they didn’t contaminate themselves with it as well as contracting the salmonella. I’ll tell them that it’s a safety issue.”

“Sounds good,” said George.

By now they were inside the hospital lobby.

“I have to have something to eat before I go downtown. The ME’s office closes at five, I think, but I’m going to faint if I don’t eat something. I don’t even know if I ate anything yesterday. I know I haven’t today. How are you with time?”

“I’ve got a few more minutes before my lecture.”