“Was there an autopsy?”

“No. I didn’t want that done to his body.”

“Even if it would give you answers about what happened to him?”

“What does it matter what happened? My only child is gone forever. That’s the only detail that matters.”

“Was he friends with Richard Day, the restaurant manager?”

“He couldn’t stand that guy.”

“What if I told you we have evidence that his death might’ve been a crime?”

“What evidence do you have?” she asked warily.

“Several young, healthy people have died in recent weeks. We believe their deaths might be tied to laced pills purchased illegally on the streets.”

“My Angelo would never buy illegal drugs.”

“Maybe he didn’t buy them. Maybe someone gave them to him and told him they were regular headache pills or something. Anything could’ve happened, but without an autopsy, we can’t say for sure that Angelo is one of our victims.”

“He’s already been buried.”

“We have several things we’ll need to do to decide whether he was one of our victims.”

“What things?”

“We’d like to search your home to see if the pills he might’ve taken are still here. If they are, they’re highly toxic and would be a danger to you and anyone else who might encounter them.”

“What else?”

“We’d like to examine his phone, and if none of that gives us the information we need, we might ask you if we can exhume his body and have him tested to determine if he’s one of our victims.”

Evelyn recoiled. “I’ll never allow that. His resting place is sacred.”

“I understand that, but if someone is responsible for his death, don’t you want them brought to justice?”

“What would it matter? My son is still dead. I’ll never give consent to have him exhumed.”

“Are you aware that another of his coworkers also died suddenly around the same time Angelo did?”

“I am,” she said sadly. “He went to her funeral two days before he died.”

“We believe their deaths might be connected.”

Evelyn looked shocked. “How can that be?”

“It’s possible that someone gave them both laced pills that killed them. We want to get that person off the streets before this tragedy happens to another family. You and Angelo could help us do that if you allow us to fully investigate his death.”

“It goes against everything I believe in to disturb his final resting place.”

“I understand and apologize for asking you for such a thing. I hope it won’t come to that.”

“If I agree to this, will everything be done with the utmost care and respect?”

“You have my word.”

Tearfully, she said, “All right, then.”

“May we take his phone for examination?”

Sighing, Evelyn got up to get it. “This is very precious to me, as you might imagine.”

“We’ll get it back to you the minute we’re finished with it. Do you have the code?”

“It’s eight-one-eight-zero. Please don’t make me regret helping you.”

“I promise you won’t.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”