“We’re starting to receive calls from medical examiners in the region. Jackson,
Tennessee and Tupelo. Each reported a death from aortic rupture.”
Meg waited for Eli to respond.
He said nothing.
“And a local hospital out in Cordova had two similar deaths, just last night.”
The voice of Ms. Conch gurgled over the intercom. “Dr. Daily? A Detective Lipsky from the police department called.”
Meg looked at Eli and pressed the button on the intercom. “What did he want?”
“He wanted to know if a Dr. Eli Branch had been here.”
Eli pointed at Vera’s body. “Lipsky’s the one conducting the investigation.”
Ms. Conch crackled back in. “When I didn’t answer him, he said he was coming over and hung up.”
“Look, Meg, I need to talk to you some more.” Eli quickly headed to the door. “I think we’re onto something big, whether we want to be or not.”
“I’ve got an hour before my next autopsy. Want me to come to your office?”
My office? If only she knew.
“No, I need to lie low away from the medical center for a while. Let’s meet later tonight,” Eli said, trying to think of a place off campus, somewhere no one would expect.
“Do you know Automatic Slim’s?”
“Automatic whose?” Meg asked.
“It’s called Automatic Slim’s Tonga Club. Downtown on Second. Got an Asian-Caribbean thing going on.”
“Sounds like a sexy place for a mother and her young child. We don’t get out much.”
Eli had forgotten about Margaret. His silence indicated this to Meg.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get a sitter,” she said. “There’s a nursing student who lives on my street who can stay with Margaret. What
time?”
“I need to visit an old friend first. Is nine o’clock too late?”
“That’s okay. See you then.”
Eli turned to leave, but Meg stopped him.
“I don’t know why, but I feel compelled to tell you.”
“What?”
“Be careful.”
