Her bag wasn’t that big, a medium-sized duffel. I said, “You got everything you need there?”

“You think all this is going to take a long time?”

“No, it’s going to be over real soon.”

“So …”

I nodded. “Right.”

We got back into her car and back on the road. Then I felt the cleaner’s phone vibrate in my pocket. The one the killers had used to communicate with whoever it was gave them orders.

I pulled it out. A missed call. I had been underground. The screen said ‘Unknown Number’.

Chapter Thirty-Six

I asked Nazari, “How do they get an unknown number?”

“In France you can dial a blocking code. Three six five one.”

“You learn that studying for the investigations unit exam?”

“Yes I did.”

“You’re an exceptional student.”

“Thank you.”

I put my hand out the window and let the breeze pass over my skin. It felt good.

“Which reminds me. About the Afghan guy, Qayoumi, did they do an autopsy?”

Nazari said, “Because it was a murder the body is automatically referred to the medical examiner. So yes, he would be autopsied.”

“And?”

“And I don’t know.”

“Can you find out?”

She looked at me. “Actually I can, since I know the medical examiner personally.” She pulled out her phone and multi-tasked. “The advantage of small towns.”

From my point of view it was a one-sided conversation. Because all I heard was Nazari's voice. Which was a fine -sounding voice. Smooth and throaty, all at the same time. Neither high nor low, but right in the middle, flowing calmly, a good voice. She was apologizing. She was sorry for the hour, and for the call in general. But then she asked the question, and after that she was listening for a spell. The guy spoke and I heard crackling sounds from the speaker that was held up to her ear. She nodded and made the kind of sounds you make, so that the other guy knows you’re listening. Afterwards she thanked the guy and said good night.

“He was eating dinner with his family.”

“Sounded to me like he spoke a lot.”

“He was talkative. The guy loves his job. He said the Afghan was referred. He got Qayoumi on the table.”

“And found what?”

“Well that’s the thing, they only did an external examination. Cause of death was already determined so no reason to open up the body. That’s the law. No reason to do an internal if cause of death is determined prior.”

“What does external consist of?”

“Check the surface area. Anything on the skin gets bagged and examined. Hairs, paint, cosmetics, sand, jewelry. Whatever they find they examine. Then they do an ultra-violet scan for anything not visible to the human eye, which is a lot. You wouldn’t believe the stuff that exists that we can’t even see.”

“What happens to that stuff?”