“Why? No one knows us here. There’s no way for someone to benefit.”

“I’ve no clue, I’m afraid. But tomorrow night two forensic pathologists who are friends of mine are arriving. They are going to help me with my grandmother. I could ask them to check your husband’s case, too.” Jennifer knew she was going out on a limb offering Laurie and Jack’s services without consulting them, but she thought they’d be willing to help. Jennifer also knew that in trying to solve a conspiracy, the more cases there were, the more chances of success.

Jennifer could hear Rita blow her nose before coming back on the line. There were catches in her breathing as she tried to control her grief.

“Please, Mrs. Lucas. Don’t let them destroy any potential evidence. We owe it to our loved ones. Also, you could ask whoever found your husband if he was blue. Both my granny and Mr. Benfatti were blue.”

“How would that help?” she demanded, fighting tears.

“I don’t know. In this kind of situation, if what I fear is true, there’s no predicting what facts might solve the mystery. I’ve learned that studying medicine and trying to make a diagnosis. You just don’t know what’s going to be important.”

“Are you a doctor?”

“Not yet. I’m in my last year of medical school. I’ll graduate in June of ’08.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded, although with considerably less acrimony.

“I didn’t think it mattered,” Jennifer said, although when she thought about it, she had experienced episodes where people seemed inappropriately to give her opinion more credence, even about issues unrelated to medicine, when they found out she was a medical student.

“I’m not going to promise anything,” Rita said. “But I’m on my way to the hospital now, and I’ll think about what you said. I will call you in the morning.”

“Fair enough,” Jennifer said.

The fact that Rita went on to say good-bye gave Jennifer reason to be optimistic. The woman would not only get back in touch with her but would also cooperate. But as Jennifer thought about this third death in so many nights and its implications, it reminded her of a famous Shakespearean quote: “Something is rotten in the State of Denmark.” At the same time, it did cross her mind that she could be using this conspiracy idea as another way of blocking the real impact of her grandmother’s passing.

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

OCTOBER 17, 2007
WEDNESDAY, 10:11 P.M.
NEW DELHI, INDIA