Page 54 of Lost Hours
He averted his gaze from the two stainless steel tables in the middle of the space to take in a wall of stainless steel sinks and another one with large drawers used to hold bodies. He eased out a long breath and shifted to face the mayor lying on the closest table, his insides splayed open. The doctor stood over him.
Nolan’s stomach turned, and he wished he hadn’t eaten lunch. Not that he thought he was going to lose it, but his stomach roiled in queasy waves.
Mina strode right up to the table, and Nolan trailed behind her.
Dr. Osborne looked up. “Better late than never I guess.”
Mina apologized. “We got sidetracked in an update meeting for locating Becca.”
Dr. Osborne’s frustrated look melted into a soft expression. “Any luck in finding her?”
Mina shook her head.
He gave one of his hard nods that seemed designed to handle difficult news and turned his attention to the body. “I’ve completed my initial assessment. As you can see, he has various bruises on his head, but they were made post-mortem.”
“Could they have been made while moving the body to the locker?” Nolan asked.
“Most definitely,” Dr. Osborne said. “In fact, that was what I was going to suggest. I’ve also made the cut. There’s nothing under his nails and no broken nails either. No perimortem bruising or other marks on the body. So the man didn’t struggle or fight for his life.”
“That wouldn’t be unusual, though, right?” Mina asked. “Not when it appears as if he was shot from a distance.”
“I’m not sure where you’re getting the information that he was shot at a distance, but I can tell you from looking at the lack of stippling on the wound, that you’re correct.”
“We believe he was gunned down at Becca’s house from outside, through a window,” Mina said. “I’d say from about twenty-five feet.”
“That would be fitting for the size of the entry wound.” Dr. Osborne shifted on his feet.
“Any thoughts on ammo used?” Nolan asked.
Osborne nodded. “The wound and my experience as a field doctor suggests 9mm.”
Mina changed her focus to Nolan. “Dr. Osborne served in the Iraq war.”
Osborne frowned. “Army medical corps. I saw more bullet holes in bodies than you can imagine.” He stiffened his shoulders and peered at the body. “I’ve also confirmed that the bullet exited his back as we suspected when we retrieved him.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us at this point?” Nolan asked.
“I’ve reviewed his stomach contents.” He held up a bowl with sloshing liquid which brought Nolan closer to hurling than anything else. “His last meal consisted of salmon, coleslaw, and hush puppies.”
“He ate at the Rusty Hull.” Mina’s eyes sparked with the enthusiasm of a lead. “The only restaurant in town that serves hush puppies. And it’s the right time of year for fresh Chinook salmon from the Rogue.”
“My thoughts too,” Dr. Osborne said. “Based on food digestion I observed, he would’ve had lunch there.”
Mina’s mouth turned down. “They require reservations for dinner in every season but not lunch, so they won’t have a record of him dining there except for a credit card.”
“Sounds like you eat there often,” Nolan said.
“Best seafood in town, and mostly it’s takeout for me.” She gave him an awkward glance. “Hopefully, they’ll remember the mayor coming in and know who he dined with, if anyone.”
“That would be great,” Nolan said.
Osborne cleared his throat. “You should also know I ran a rapid drug test.”
Mina gaped at him. “For the mayor? Surely you’re not looking for illegal drugs.”
“Not exactly,” he said. “I run the test for anyone who dies under suspicious circumstances, and you don’t get more suspicious than a bullet to the heart.”
Nolan agreed. “But you didn’t find anything, right?”
