Superstalker: A Lady G Thriller

Chapter 9 - No Chance

Agnes Marselli was an Emergency Room nurse who'd worked years ago with Doc Granith when he was an orthopedic surgeon on call at Roosevelt, the West Side hospital a couple blocks uptown from the house we both lived in now. Him and Agnes had kept in touch after he had his medical license yanked, Roosevelt being close by and her still on staff. 

"We meet for coffee at Khave's now and then," Doc said, pointing me to a chair in his attic room where he'd asked me to come up. "You know, shoot the breeze, war stories. She's the only one who kept in touch. Of course, there aren't that many of the old crew left now." 

I'd never been up here, was surprised how neat it was. No sign of the booze bottles I knew must be around somewhere, just a tidy little living area — dormer window with a slim view of the river between buildings, a kitchenette and a few pieces of furniture, not too different from my place in the basement except for the view. 

"She could just as well have been a nun," Doc said, "which down deep I think was why she had trouble doing what they asked her." 

"Which was what?" 

He started filling me in while he put water on to boil for coffee on his little two-ring stove. "I only found out about it when she called me yesterday, after Szu's service, which she knew about from the papers." He leaned back against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest. "You remember that your sister was brought into Roosevelt, that they did the autopsy there?" 

"I do." 

"You ever wonder why that particular place?" 

"I guess because it was closest to where they found her." 

"That would make sense. Except almost all autopsies for a killing that violent are done at Bellevue." 

"So?" 

He went on to tell me that Agnes had been on duty when they'd brought Tanya's body in with her throat and tongue all knifed up. Agnes had autopsy creds and was asked to assist in Tanya's. She knew Tanya was from the house here, which was why she eventually called Doc. Told him that early in the procedure, a fetus was taken out of Tanya. 

"Agnes said it was almost as if they knew it would be there." 

"Who did, the cops?" 

"An assistant medical examiner would have been doing the actual autopsy, but he'd have been taking direction."   

"Was it alive, the fetus?" 

Before Doc could answer, there was a knock at the door. 

"I'll let Agnes tell you," he said, and went over to let her in. 

One of the girls from the house had showed Agnes the way up. Doc thanked the girl, who looked over and gave me a little wave. He stood aside for Agnes to come in and closed the door. 

I stood up and Doc introduced us. 

"I'm sorry for your loss," Agnes said. 

"Thank you, I appreciate the thought." 

She was a nice-looking woman in her fifties, maybe ten or so years younger than Doc. She was carrying a small cardboard box that she held in her lap after she took a seat on the hide-a-bed sofa. 

"Coffee?" Doc asked her. 

"Only if you are." 

The water had boiled and he made instant for the three of us. Put the cups on a tray with milk and sugar, brought it over and set it down on the beat-up coffee table, took a seat on the sofa with Agnes.