After a slightly awkward beat because of Pia’s lack of response, McGovern said, “Do you have any specific questions about the autopsies? If you do, I can call Jack and ask him directly. I know he’s still here.”

Chet McGovern would have liked nothing better than to have Pia indebted to him for his help. An hour earlier he’d learned his Friday-night plans had fallen through, and he hated spending the best night of the week on his own. He was about to ask her if she was free and if she might like to have a bite of dinner when he noticed she was lifting her bag up onto the desk. She then reached into it and pulled out a yellow instrument, a lead, and mike-like device attached. It took McGovern a minute but he recognized it as a Geiger counter.

“Well,” Pia said, “to be honest, what I’d really like to do is check if Rothman and Yamamoto might be emitting a small amount of radioactivity. I mean, if that would be all right.”

“I suppose,” McGovern said, not wanting to say “no” but confused by the strange request. There was obviously something she wasn’t telling him, but he decided to play along. “Why do you think they might be emitting radioactivity?”

Here was the thousand-dollar question. She still hadn’t decided how she was going to respond, even though she had been reasonably certain it would come up. She could go for broke and voice her suspicions or be more prudent and try to be obtuse about it. On the spot she decided on the latter.

“I’m involved in a project for a thesis involving radioisotopes used for research,” she said. Pia decided this wasn’t the time to raise suspicion about why she was really there at the OCME. She didn’t want to show her hand just yet. She didn’t want the OCME calling up the medical center and talking about her visit because it would reveal to whoever was involved in the conspiracy that she hadn’t stopped her meddling.

“I worked in Dr. Rothman’s lab for more than three years, and I know that certain isotopes were used in that period for various experiments. I just want to be sure there hasn’t been any contamination to the personnel. I checked Rothman’s lab and there was a very small amount of what we want to believe was rogue radiation in the office by his coffeemaker. I hope you can help. It’s for everyone’s peace of mind.”

Pia stopped. She knew what she had just said didn’t make total sense, but it sounded good. She smiled as pleasantly as she could. She hoped her smile didn’t look as fake as it felt. She could tell that McGovern was suspicious and hesitant, but that he hadn’t ruled out granting her request.

“Is that what you told Marlene downstairs?” he asked.