“There’s no one else who can do what I can. Just so we’re clear. But I’d rather end this before it starts. If that’s what you want.”

“It’s not what I want.”

“Does he know my aunt’s here?”

“To use your aviation language, it seems I’m an air traffic controller at the moment,” Berger said. “Doing my best to keep things moving without people crashing into each other. My goal is strategic, gentle landings.”

“What you’re saying is he knows she’s here.”

“I’m not saying that. I haven’t talked to him about it, but that doesn’t mean others haven’t. Especially since he’s suddenly headline news. At least on the Internet. He may have known for a long time that Kay’s in and out of New York, but in light of their sullied past, it doesn’t surprise me he’s never mentioned anything about her to me.”

“And you’ve never said anything about her to him?” Lucy’s eyes were shadowed by anger. “Like, how’s Kay? How’s she like working for CNN? How’s married life treating her? Gee, I really should try to have coffee with her some time when she’s in the city.”

“Marino and I don’t chat. It’s never been my desire to be his new Scarpetta. I’m not Batman, and I don’t need a Robin. No insult toward Kay intended.”

“Lucky for you, now that you know what Robin did to Batman.”

“I’m not entirely sure what happened,” Berger said as her phone rang. “I believe your car’s here.”

Scarpetta peeled off the hardened silicone and placed it in plastic evidence bags. She opened a cabinet and found antiseptic wipes and antibacterial ointment, then untied Oscar’s gown in back and lowered it around his waist again.

“You’re sure it was a flex-cuff?” she asked.

“You see them on TV,” Oscar said. “The police, the military, use them to tie people up like bags of garbage.”

“This shouldn’t hurt.”

Oscar didn’t move as she began cleaning his wounds again and gently applying ointment.

“They had no right to touch her,” he said. “I was already holding her, so what difference did it make if it had been me who picked her up and put her on the stretcher? Instead of those assholes putting their hands all over her. They took the towel off her. I saw them. When they were making me leave the bathroom. They took the towel off her. Why? You know why. Because they wanted to see her.”

“They were looking for evidence. For injuries.”

She carefully pulled up his gown and tied it in back.