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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 20:47:40 GMT -5
Miriam sighed and swallowed hard. "It's... pretty hard to tell. But yeah... I think she might have. If I had to guess, I'd say she was at two months, maybe three. But--under these conditions--I could be off on that."
Sid's expression was black. "There's another motive for ya--'specially if it was Rizzo, or somebody else that wasn't a mutant. Wish I could get my hands on 'im myself..."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 21:17:59 GMT -5
"You and me both." Daws scowled. "Not that I didn't want to before . . . but it goes double now."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 21:39:20 GMT -5
"I can't comprehend something so callous," Henry said quietly. He watched as Miriam peeled off her gloves and went to the sink for a glass of water, apparently trying to recollect her nerves before she continued her unhappy work.
"Back in the M.E.'s office, nothing ever... hurt more than the last memories of a woman with an unborn child." Her voice trembled a little. "Of all the ways to die that I've had to see, nothing else comes with a fear like that."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 21:47:12 GMT -5
"It must've been tough for her even before . . . this." Daws mused quietly, "Wondering if it'd be a mutant, too . . . wondering who she could trust." She sighed and shook her head.
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 21:55:32 GMT -5
Looking pale, Miriam drained her glass of water, then sighed and pulled on a new pair of gloves.
"Well... I've just got some final samples to collect now. I don't think there should be any more surprises--at least unless Caddy finds something in his tests."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 22:01:58 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Sure. It'd be nice if he turned up something to help us identify her, but honestly I dunno. . ." she shrugged. "I guess it's worth trying, anyway."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 22:12:35 GMT -5
"I don't know that he could help with that." Miriam resignedly turned back to her task. "But he may be able to tell us if she had any chemicals in her system. I don't have any reason to believe she was drugged, but..." The pathologist shrugged wearily.
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 22:17:01 GMT -5
Daws sighed. "Yeah. At this point the things we don't know outweigh the things we do by quite a lot."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 22:28:15 GMT -5
"When d'ya figure on lookin' into this Doctor Pendergast?" Sid asked Daws.
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 22:35:02 GMT -5
"I thought I'd hit the library tomorrow, maybe take Joey along with me and see what we can dig up in the newspaper archives." Daws replied. "Suppose we'll try looking up the tailors who made the coat and the dress, too, but I dunno if we'll get much in the way of leads there. Anybody who worked there must be dead by now, or too old to remember customers."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 22:43:15 GMT -5
"Heavens, I should think so," Henry murmured.
Sid raised an eyebrow. "But ya know... we do know one guy who remembers back then."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 22:49:55 GMT -5
Daws' expression brightened suddenly. "Of course -- Proteus. He said he did a lot of traveling, but he must've been here some of the time -- and he's hinted at what New York was like in the old days. Sid, you're a genius."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 22:58:04 GMT -5
Still too somber to blush, Sid waved a hand. "I been thinkin' about it since we found that doctor's card last night. If the guy was a doc fer mutants, it figures Proteus might know about him--or his patients. 'Specially if Proteus was already lookin' out fer other mutants way back then."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 23:02:21 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "He might even have know this girl, or known of someone who knew her. At the very least he can give me an idea of where else to look for clues."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 23:22:32 GMT -5
"That's if you can get hold of him," Henry observed. "But you did say you were planning to do that anyway, for the meeting at Our Lady."
Miriam snapped a final sample container closed. "I think that's about all I can do. Daws, if you think a written report would help, I can try to write one up and give it to you at the meeting."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 23:30:36 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "I'd appreciate it, if it's not too much trouble. That way I can have Caddy look it over, too -- he might spot something I miss."
She sighed and glanced at the body. "I hope this tells us something. I hate the thought of the two of them going nameless . . . it's happened to too many of us."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 30, 2007 23:45:08 GMT -5
"I won't let it happen," Sid murmured. "She was in my place--she died there. I dunno... that means somethin'."
Henry pursed his lips. "That brings up the matter of the final arrangements for her--for them. Does anyone have anything specific to suggest? It would be easiest and most discreet to cremate them and scatter the ashes, of course... and it avoids the matter of having no name for a grave marker."
Sid flinched slightly. "Almost seems like a double shame, not even havin' somethin' ta show they were ever here. But I guess it's the safest way, if we don't want the cops in on it."
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Post by skybright on Aug 30, 2007 23:50:18 GMT -5
Daws nodded sadly. "We know they were here. I guess we'll have to be their markers, so to speak."
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Post by Jordanna on Aug 31, 2007 20:43:03 GMT -5
Henry reverently drew a sheet over the remains on the table. "I'll attend to the cremation in the next day or two. There's a sort of memorial garden at one of the cemeteries I often have to deal with; a nice quiet place, with flowers and trees, and a little lily pond. I think it would be the best place for the ashes."
While the undertaker was speaking, Miriam had finished solemnly arranging the sample vials in their partitioned box. She pushed it across the table toward Daws.
"There. They're all labeled, so I think Caddy should know what to do with them--if he knows anything at all about post-mortem analysis."
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Post by skybright on Sept 1, 2007 0:48:12 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "He'll take care of 'em, I'm sure. I might need your help deciphering the jargon if he finds out anything useful, though."
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