Page 5 of Things We Do for Love and Science
“We’re ruining the casket, Gabe.”
“I suppose so, but the damage’s done now. We might as well finish the job.” He moved to the far side of the casket. This nut was looser, and he managed to twist it off without destroying the bolt. Two more to go.
At the opposite side of the coffin, bolt three and four broke at the merest touch of spanner to nut. Now to the most awful part.
He fished two face masks from the tool bag and handed one to Liam. “We’d better wear these. God knows what kind of fungi are growing in there. The body should be decomposed but...”
Liam made a face and donned the mask. “Better get it over with,” he said, his voice muffled.
Gabriel pulled the mask over his mouth and nose. “We should, you know, push the lid a little to the side to access the face. No need to see the whole corpse.”
Liam nodded and positioned himself beside Gabriel. “All right then.”
They applied their muscle, and the heavy walnut lid inched to the side, revealing a grayish skull. The smell wasn’t as bad as expected—musty and dusty but not breathtakingly foul.
Gabriel coughed. This was unpleasant business, but the faster he worked, the quicker this would be over. He took the pliers and broke off three teeth from his ancestor’s lower jaw. “Sorry Ed.” He dropped the teeth into a handkerchief, folded it, then put it into his pocket.
They moved to the opposite side of the casket and manhandled the lid back to its original position. Gabriel fastened the intact bolt. “That wasn’t too bad.” He straightened, took off the mask, gathered the tools, then dusted himself off.
“He’ll be haunting you every night, searching for his teeth.” Liam chuckled.
“I’ll tell him to take the case up with the University of Renwood, which he helped establish if I’m not mistaken.”
“Little did he know what they’d do to his remains a couple of centuries later. Scientists are an ungrateful lot.” Liam got up. “Gabe, let’s get out of here.”
“Sure.” Gabriel crossed the chamber, but this time, he paused in front of his parents’ urns. He stroked each ceramic vessel, one new, the other a decade old, then left the crypt behind Liam.
~ * ~
“Ihave the DNA samplefor you.” Gabriel, leaning against his walnut desk, offered Delia a smallish tin box in his outstretched hand.
Teeth. Good.“Wonderful.” She took it from him, careful not to touch his fingers. “And thanks for making it available to us.”
She popped it open to check its contents—three teeth still attached to a sliver of jawbone. He’d been thorough.
“With pleasure.” Silence fell, and it wasn’t of the comfortable sort.
She ran her fingers along the rim of the metal box and hesitated, pretty sure it would be callous to leave his office the minute she had what she’d come for. Should she sit? Probably best.
She sank into the nearest leather armchair. Gabriel, following her lead, took a seat opposite her. Some small talk was required. She glanced at him. “And how are you coping?”
“Not well.”
He fixed her with his cerulean-blue eyes, and she imagined the faint glitter of tears. Oh dear, she shouldn’t have asked. Pandora’s box was now wide open.
“Where’s Renoir?” A dog surely was a comfort in trying times.
“He’s outside with Liam, the caretaker.”
“Ah.” She drew in a breath and met his gaze. “Is there anything I can do? You’ve been so kind and supportive and...”
What an empty phrase. What would she be able to do for him? She wasn’t his therapist nor his friend and had never once met the dad he was grieving for.
“Oh, no.” He fell silent but didn’t make any move to end their meeting.
“Is there any activity that brings you joy, takes your mind off things? Gets you into the flow?” Show her a scientific article about genetics, and she’d forget the world around her in an instant.
“I paint.” Another pause. “Haven’t done it in years, though. I studied fine art but had to retrain as an accountant to help with the upkeep of Renwood Hall.”
