“Yeah, but this is irregular, to say the least,” Jack said. “The funeral director is not going to like it. You see, the way the system works is that the body is technically released to the next of kin, in this case the husband, even though the funeral home picks the body up. Nothing is supposed to happen to the body unless the husband says so. Obviously we don’t want them calling the husband, because if he’s guilty of what Flash suspects, he’d scream bloody murder.”

“Why not just say you’re from the Brooklyn office and there was a couple things you forgot to do.”

“The funeral director would be sure to call the Brooklyn office,” Jack said. “They’d wonder why they hadn’t gotten a call to bring the body back. Remember, they work with them all the time and know the MEs. For me to suddenly show up will be very irregular. Trust me!”

“So what do you propose?” Warren asked.

“I’m thinking,” Jack said. “Did you find it on the map?”

“I think so,” Flash said.

“Let’s go before I chicken out,” Jack said.

After driving a few blocks Jack got an idea. Taking out his cell phone, he placed a call to Bingham’s office. As expected, Cheryl Sanford answered with her honeyed voice. Jack identified himself and asked if the chief was within earshot.

“Hardly,” Cheryl said. “He’s over at the Commissioner of Health’s office for an impromptu meeting.”

“That’s even better,” Jack said. “Listen, I have a problem, and I need your help.”

“Is this going to get me into trouble?” Cheryl said warily. She knew Jack too well, given the number of times that he’d been on the carpet in Bingham’s office.

“It’s possible,” Jack admitted. “If it does, I’ll take full responsibility. But it’s for a good cause.”

Jack went on to explain about Flash’s loss, the dilemma about Connie’s body, and the discrepancy about the medical history suggesting foul play. Ultimately, Cheryl’s generous nature and sense of fairness won out. She agreed to at least hear what Jack had in mind.

Jack cleared his throat: “If you get a call from Strickland’s Funeral Home within the next half hour or so for the chief, tell them that he’s with the commissioner, which is true. But then add that Dr. Jack Stapleton has been authorized to take some body fluid samples from Connie Davydov.”

“Is that all?” Cheryl asked.

“That’s it,” Jack said. “If you want to get fancy, you can say that you’d meant to call earlier, but it had slipped your mind with the chief’s sudden need to see the commissioner.”

“You are devious,” Cheryl commented. “But it is a good cause, especially if a homicide is involved. Anyway, I’ll do it.”