Page 31 of Forgotten Path
“He was the county medical examiner down in the Florida Keys. You know what that is? It’s the coroner. He autopsied dead bodies and determined the cause of death,” Vaugh explained.
“Doc Ashland?” Craig felt his jaw hinge open and shut it in a hurry.
Todd turned to his colleagues. “Well, that answers that question. His position as ME isn’t widely known up here.”
Arnetti jutted his jaw at Craig. “Saddle up, Paul Revere. Go spread the word.”
Craig knew when he’d been dismissed. “Good seeing you, Stone.” He gave Todd a short nod and walked over to his grandmother’s table.
Gran looked up as he approached. “Craig, there you are. Pull a chair over.”
He did as she instructed, and then she introduced him around. “Patty, this is my grandson, Craig. Craig, Patty is a 9-1-1 operator. This is Lucinda; she’s Chief Rodman’s secretary. And this is Iris. Iris is a clerk at the District Fourteen Medical Examiner and Coroner’s Office.”
The three women smiled at him.
“That’s what Doc did,” he blurted.
“What’s what Doc did?” Gran countered.
“He was the medical examiner down in the Keys. Did you know that?”
Gran shook her head. “No, I sure didn’t. Those police officers tell you that?” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder.
“Yeah.”
“Well, it fits,” she said, addressing the three women.
“Sure does,” Lucinda agreed. “That explains why that detective from the Florida Keys called to talk to the chief. Lord, but her panties were in a bunch.”
“That’s probably also why those investigators are here. They work up in Panama City like I do.” Iris gestured toward the FDLE officers.
All eyes turned to Patty, whose forehead was scrunched up like she was trying to solve a riddle. She twitched her lips to the side and looked at Iris. “Is there a Bodhi King in your office?”
“What’s a Bodhi King?” Iris retorted.
Patty clucked her tongue. “The 9-1-1 call came in from a man who identified himself as Bodhi King. The way he reported Doc’s death was … odd. He used technical words. He was completely calm. Very professional. I asked him if he was a doctor, and he said yes.”
The four women threw around puzzled glances, making it clear that none of them knew a Dr. Bodhi King.
Gran eyed Craig, who shrugged. “Don’t look at me. Never heard of him.”
“What made you ask if he worked in my office?” Iris asked Patty.
“Well, it’s such an unusual name, you know? So I did an Internet search, and there’s a Dr. Bodhi King who’s some kind of famous forensic pathologist.”
Iris snorted. “Huh, well, he doesn’t work in Panama City. I can tell you that much.”
“What on earth is he doing here?” Gran demanded.
Nobody had an answer.
CHAPTERTWENTY
As the uniformed officer lifted the crime scene tape and ushered Bodhi inside the houseboat, he wondered what, exactly, Felicia had told the assorted law enforcement agencies about him. Her text had been brief and borderline cryptic:V. busy. Will call you later. Local PD and FDLE instructed to provide support. You’re my eyes and ears. Gave county ME your number. She’ll reach out.
In his experience, the usual division of responsibility and hierarchy of a death investigation didn’t entail departments with jurisdiction ceding control to an outside consultant. Usually, Bodhi provided the support, not the other way around.
But this was very much not a usual death, he reminded himself. This was Joel. His friend, and Felicia’s friend and colleague. So, as unsuited as he was to the role of taking command, he’d do it.
