The first was a corner grocery — one of those essential NYC establishments where a tiny box of cereal can be had for $8.99. There he spoke briefly to the people who ran the place. To humans, they would’ve looked like a middle-aged Southeast Asian couple, immigrants from India or Pakistan, maybe. But they were using half-workings, so I could see their real appearance, as well. They were human, but were much stockier than their disguises — barrel-chested and muscular — with paler skin and heavy features.

I wondered if they were Neanderthals. Cordus had told me once that many hominid species persisted in the other world, so it seemed like a real possibility. I was fascinated and had to force myself not to stare.

Then we went to Central Park. That was nice. The early October weather was lovely: still sunny but with a hint of chill in the air. Yellin settled us on the bleachers on the third-base side of an unused softball field. He started scanning the nearby trees.

I got out my phone and went to the New York Post site. After a minute of searching, I was pretty sure I’d found the article Sturluson had shown Yellin. It was short and horrifying.

BROOKLYN BOY’S DEATH REMAINS MYSTERY
By Claudia Kazzan

The Police Department is releasing no information on the cause of death of a five-year-old boy, Thomas Kaits, whose remains were discovered last Wednesday in an abandoned building on the 500 block of New Lots Avenue.

A source familiar with the coroner’s report stated the remains were highly unusual and cause of death had not been determined.

The boy’s mother, Catherine Kaits, 27, of Brooklyn, has been pressing the department to release the coroner’s findings.

“Why won’t they tell me how he died? I just want to know what happened to my baby,” Kaits said when reached for comment late yesterday.

The source familiar with the coroner’s report described the remains as “an organic slurry” from which DNA could not be recovered. According to the source, Thomas Kaits was identified by personal belongings found with his remains.

Two similar sets of remains were reported in Hell’s Kitchen last week. Both were identified by the coroner as animal in origin. The police asked local residents to be on the watch for possible illegal chemical dumping in connection with those findings.

When asked about a potential connection, a police department spokesperson declined to comment.

Yellin rose suddenly and headed across the diamond toward some trees on the left. I sat there watching him go, feeling a little ill.

What was Helen Sturluson, exactly? A walking vat of lye, sneaking around the city dissolving people and animals? Or maybe just people — if they hadn’t been able to recover any DNA, who’s to say the earlier remains weren’t human too?

Yellin paused to look back impatiently.

“Do come along, Miss Ryder.”

“Sorry.”