"Mission" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tilley Patrick)

'You got it,' said Miriam. 'Do you have any ideas about the cause of death?'
Wallis pulled on his cigarette and sniffed. 'From what I can see, I'd say respiratory failure. The beating helped, but from the rope marks under his arms it looks as if this guy has been strung up somewhere. A few hours of that is all it takes. My guess is that the stab wound was inflicted after death occurred, but you may have to open him up to check that out. It's up to you. Personally, I don't think any of us need bust our ass over this one but don't let me stop you being zealous.'
'Isn't that what practising medicine is all about?' said Lazzarotti. 'It is indeed,' replied Wallis. He closed up his bag and headed for the door.
Miriam called out to him. 'How many years?'
Wallis paused with his hand on the push plate. 'Years what?'
'How many years have you been married?'
'Twenty-seven,' replied Wallis. The doors closed behind him.
Miriam turned to me. 'You see? Some people do make it.'
'Don't rush me,' I said.
Lazzarotti, the intern, came out with another nauseous nugget. 'You know, I've been thinking. Maybe it was a bunch of religious
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maniacs that did this, Remember that news item about that guy England who had himself nailed to a cross on Hampstead Hea Right through the paln~ of his hands. The police arrived just bef his friends got to work on his feet. Happened about fifteen years

'You must have been a really creepy kid,'! said. 'What did you to keep under the bed - a Jack the Ripper scrapbook?'

Lazzarotri looked hurt. 'No. I just read about it. Thought it nil be relevant. After all, you never know.'
'That's right,' said Miriam. She eyed me then turned back to Lazzarotti. 'Paul, get me an ECG and EEG unit down here as fast as you can.'
'But - 'he began.
'Just do it, okay?' said Miriazp. 'Call me if there's any problem.!?. Now, for those of you who, like me, avoid watching open-h
Х surgery on TV, I should perhaps explain that ECG stands for electr cardiogram, and EEG for electro-encephalogram. The first monit heartbeats; the second, brain activity.
Miriam saw my punlщd frрwfi. 'You don't understand?'
'!can understand you wanting to get rid ofLazzarotti,'! said.' why send him for an ECGtnit? A pizza with saUsages and pe
would have been more useflul.' -
'We'll get to the pizza later,' she replied. 'Right now! want to rut couple of tests.'
'I still don't get it;'! replied. 'What can they prove that you don
Х knowatready?'
'Thai this man isn't dead.'
As you can imagine, that was a real jaw-topper. 'You've got to kidding,' ! said.
'No. Something happened just as Wallis went out of the door,' Miriam motioned to the guy's left hand which hung over the edge the slab. There was a quarter-sized top of blood on the tiled fi beneath. Another drop fell beside it. Then another. The stab wo had begun to bleed too.
turned to Miriam. 'You're the doctor, but ! have to ask -can a mistake like this happen? ! mean, my God - just think. i╪ WallS hadn't been in a hurry to get away from here, this poor best could have been sliced open froth his neck to his navel.' -. Miriam gave me one of those pitying looks doctors reserve for Iay.~ men. 'Leo, ! was one of the people who checked him over in Emer'J gency. He was dead. Believe me. Don't ask me to explain things. Alit
I
can tell you is he's alive now.' She plugged the bole in his side and bandaged his wrists and feet. When she'd finished, she looked at me with this odd kind of expression. 'This is going to sound a little crazy but since you haven't remarked upon it, I have to ask - doesn't lie remind you of somebody?'
The question made me smile. 'Is that why you sent Lazzarotti to
fetch that equipment?' -
'This is serious, Leo,' said Miriam. 'Answer the question.'
I cast my eyes dutifully over the bandaged body. 'Well, I know who
you mean, but it's only because of what's happened to him.'
'Take a look at his teeth. . .' Miriam opened up the man's mouth
and showed me. 'No fillings, or signs of any other dental work. He's
also never worn shoes.'
I shrugged. 'So he's a barefoot freak who doesn't eat candy. That's not so unusual. Especially if he came from somewhere like Spmalia, or the middle of Saudi Arabia. And in any case, the party you have in mind had his big moment two thousand years ago.'
'I know. But just suppose. . .' Miriam let it hang there. I could see
that she thought that what she had been about to say was as outrageous as! did.
'I'm way ahead of you. It's a great idea but - 'I shook my head.
'Forget it. Things like that just don't happen.'
The phone rang in the morgue at~endant'~ office. He leant backwards and stuck his head around thedoor without moving his butt off
the chair. 'Lazzarotti
Miriam went across to take the call.
I turned back towards the body on the slab and found him looking
at me. A chill shock-wave rippled up my spine and I was still quivering when I reached the attendant's office.