After leaving the toxicology lab, Jack took the stairs to the fifth floor. He was feeling considerably better. With a spring to his step he ducked into histology. He found Maureen O’Conner, the supervisor, with her coat on in preparation for leaving.

“Just my luck!” Maureen said in her quaint Irish brogue. “I’m late for a pathology conference and Mr. Right walks in looking chipper and eager.”

Laughter resonated around the room.

Jack and his officemate, Chet, were the only two unmarried male medical examiners on staff, and Maureen and her team of woman histology assistants got great enjoyment out of teasing both of them. They had plenty of opportunity, since their office was just down the hall.

“I don’t have any conference to go to,” one of the other women offered. “I’m available.” More laughter erupted.

Jack opened his satchel and took out the bottle with the ellipse of Connie’s skin.

“Oh, drat,” Maureen moaned. “It doesn’t look like a social call.”

Jack smiled. “On this visit all I’m looking for are some slides from this skin sample, but tomorrow is another day.”

“Hear that, girls?” Maureen called out.

A chorus of enthusiastic “yeses” rang out.

Maureen took Jack’s sample bottle and handed it off to the nearest technician. “Consider it done,” she said to Jack. “What kind of stains?”

“Just the usual,” Jack said. “I want to make sure the pathology is trauma, not infection.”

“When do you need it?”

“The sooner the better,” Jack said.

“Why do I bother asking?” Maureen said while tilting her head back as if talking to God.

Jack left the histology lab and started down the corridor. As he approached Laurie’s office, he could see that her light was on. Veering into her doorway, he stopped. Seated inside were Laurie and Lou. Neither was talking, but rather they were staring off in different directions. The atmosphere was tense.

“Is this a wake?” Jack asked.

Laurie and Lou looked up. Laurie was plainly irritated. Lou was obviously contrite.

“Partners in crime, I hear,” Laurie snapped when she caught sight of Jack.

Jack raised his hands. “I surrender. What’s the crime?”

“I told her about Paul Sutherland’s sheet,” Lou confessed. “And I told her that you knew.”

“I see,” Jack said. “And as we feared the messenger is getting blamed.”

“Now don’t you start supporting him,” Laurie said. “He wasn’t supposed to be snooping like that. I certainly didn’t ask him to.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Jack said. “But under the circumstances, I think you should know your future husband’s line of work.”

“What do you mean, ‘line of work’?” Laurie questioned with renewed anger. “What on earth are you implying?”

“I only told her about the cocaine possession,” Lou explained.

“Uh oh,” Jack said. He swallowed uncomfortably.

“Paul does not deal in drugs,” Laurie said indignantly. “If that’s what you are implying.”