Try Fear - By James Scott Bell Page 0,27

if you’re going to the hoop.”

“So look, I…” I kicked at some grass like a shy little kid. “I wonder if you think we can still work together.”

She paused, then said, “I don’t know.”

“I value your input.”

She nodded.

“And I want you to know,” I said, “I can act appropriately.”

“Can you?”

“If I don’t, feel free to slap me.”

“Sometimes I want to slap you anyway.” She smiled, then added, “But don’t worry. I can handle myself appropriately, too.”

A little voice inside told me to say no. This wasn’t a good idea. That everything would get jumbled if I worked with Sister Mary too closely. Think about it, the voice said.

But I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to analyze anything. She was back and I wanted her to help me.

“Deal,” I said.

39

ON TUESDAY I drove to the coroner’s office on Mission Road and picked up the autopsy report on Carl Richess.

It was dated February 3, and signed by a deputy medical examiner named Lyle Schneuder. Hollywood Division Detectives Zebker and Stevenson were listed as witnesses.

I scanned the summary.

AUTOPSY:

The body is that of an adult Caucasian male, consistent with the age of 33 years. The normocephalic head is covered with brown hair. Eyes are brown. There is a tattoo on the left upper quadrant of the chest. See attached diagram.

FINDINGS:

Entry gunshot wound of mouth (posterior pharynx) with exit of mid-occipital skull:

A. Disruption of sphenoid body, base of skull and occipital and parietal bones of skull.

B. Aspiration of blood.

Evidence of gunshot injury is found in the base of skull and posterior palate. There is a pyramidal shaped defect of the palate beginning 2/3 of the distance between the alveolare and the posterior edge of the bony palate. A perforating defect is found through the sphenoid body which is internally beveled. The track is traced from anterior to posterior, inferior to superior through the regions occupied by the rostral pons, posterior corpus callosum and cerebellar vermis as well as the medial occipital lobes of the brain, impacting the skull in the upper occipital area at the juncture of the sagittal and lamboid structures.

Toxicological Test Results

BLOOD ETHANOL POS 00.09

URINE ETHANOL POS 00.08

BLOOD AMPHETAMINE NEG

BLOOD COCAINE ETS NEG

BLOOD CANNABISNOIDS ETS NEG

Gunshot Residue Kit Results

The chemical elements Barium, Antimony and Lead are elements of virtually all primer mixes. Trace amounts of Antimony were found on the anterior o f decedent’s right hand. See attached.

What it all added up to was strong evidence that Carl had shot himself. The traces of ethanol, even accounting for time lapse, indicated he’d been drinking heavily just before he died.

I drove to Kate’s house to deliver the news personally.

40

“I KNEW HE was upset about something,” Kate said. We were sitting in her living room. She’d made some coffee and it tasted good. “I could tell.”

“Do you have any idea what it could be?”

“He was lonely. Is that enough to make somebody kill himself?”

“I think it can be.” I remembered how I felt in the weeks after Jacqueline died. Like I wanted to step in front of the bus. Just to make the pain stop.

“But he had his work. He got a break and got out of that DUI. I just don’t understand.”

She teared up. I sat with her in silence.

“If there’s anything you need, Kate, call me. Help with funeral arrangements or paper work, or if you just want to talk. Okay?”

“Thank you, Ty.” She took a labored breath, then said, “Why do you do this?”

“Do what?”

“These little cases. I know you used to be with a big law firm and all.”

I thought about it. “You probably smashed more than a few skaters in your Derby days, am I right?”

She smiled. “Oh yes. I was the enforcer.”

“Well, that was sort of what I did at my old firm. My job was to lay out the opposition in any way I could. I played all the legal games. And then one day it didn’t seem worth it anymore. I’m sort of rethinking what the law is supposed to be about. For me, at least.”

She put her hand on mine. “I think that’s a wonderful thing, Ty. A very wonderful thing.”

It felt nice, her saying that. As comforting as warm biscuits, the kind my mom used to make from scratch.

My cell sang out.

“Go ahead and answer,” Kate said. “I’ll top off your coffee.”

I flipped the phone open.

“Ty, it’s Kimberly. I just heard about Carl Richess.”

“How?”

“There was an autopsy. Somebody thought I should know, Richess being my dismissed deuce and all. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.