La Danza Morte' by Robert F. Clifton (ereader android txt) 📕

at the dressing table. After opening the pocketbook he removed a blue, imitation leather wallet. He set it aside then looked inside the handbag. He found a set of keys and from the look of them they were both house and automobile keys. One key had the General Motors letters. Next, he found a small address book. He thumbed through it, then set it aside. He removed a powder compact, nail file, tissues, lipstick,

And seeing a clear plastic container containing yellow pills he held the container with a pair of large tweezers he found on the dressing table. Then, moving it into the light read, “Gabriela Bunsdorff, Lanoxin, 0.25 mg. 40 tabs. Doctor Marvin Shecter.” Once again he set the item aside. Wallace reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and removed a small notebook. After glancing at his wristwatch he wrote the time, the date and then what he had found.

Picking up the wallet he removed several bills of different value. He counted the money and wrote the sum of one hundred and sixteen dollars in his notes. He then sat and recorded the denomination and serial number of each bill. He then placed the cash back in the billfold. Next, he removed a New York drivers license issued to Gabriela Bunsdorff, two credit cards and a library card. At the sound of the dressing room door opening Wallace turned to see Sergeant Ackerman entering the room. “Find anything of interest?” asked the Sergeant.

“Possibly”, Wallace answered holding up the plastic container with the pills with the large tweezers.

“Interesting. Lanoxin, a type of dioxin, the same thing found in the victims body at the hospital. I see she had a prescription,” said Ackerman.

“The container label reads forty tablets. I counted fifteen still inside of it.” Wallace replied.

“Right now we don't know the actual amount of the drug that they found in her body,” offered Ackerman.

“Or, if it came from her supply or that of someone else”, Wallace responded.

“True. Make it a point to meet with the Medical Examiner the first thing tomorrow morning,” Ackerman ordered.

“Yes sir”.

“Anything else?”

“Just clothing, pocketbook and wallet, one hundred and sixteen dollars in cash, keys, makeup compact. That's about it”.

“O.K. Unless you can think of anything else you can secure. Just remember to be at the hospital tomorrow,” said Ackerman looking at Wallace who seemed to be paying attention to something else.

“Hmm? Oh. Yes sir. Excuse me but I just noticed something”, said Wallace as he walked over to the small table that held the frosted drinking glass. He stopped in front of the table then bent down and picked up a small, clear glass shard.

“What's that,” asked the Sergeant.

“A piece of glass. It's clear and thin like the type that would make up a drinking glass. Strange. Because sitting right here on this table is a frosted glass,” said Wallace.

“What's so strange? Anyone can have and use more than one glass”, said Ackerman.

“I agree. However, the difference between clear and frosted is the fact that any residue from a dissolved yellow pill such as Lanoxin would be difficult to see if someone handed the frosted glass to you unless you looked directly down at what was in the glass. At the same time if the clear drinking glass is suddenly broken it gives someone the opportunity and excuse to offer the frosted glass in its place”.

“Hmm. Good thinking Wallace. Take the glass and pill container as evidence and have C.S.I. test the glass for dioxin or any other drug they might find”.

“How about the shard of glass?”, asked Wallace.

“Oh yes, that also.”

Both men turned at the sound of someone in the doorway. They saw two members of the Crime Scene Investigator unit, one who asked. “Do you need us for anything Sarge?”

“Yes, see Wallace here. He has some evidence, also cash found in the victims wallet. He'll tell you what we want you to look for”.

After Sergeant Ackerman and the C.S.I. technicians left Wallace sat silently as he continued to visually examine the room. He saw a white sheet of paper that had been torn in half and tossed into the wastebasket. He reached into the basket and removed the two pieces. Placing the torn papers together he saw that it had been a playbill relating facts about the ballet and in particular information about the orchestra, cast and of course the ballerina. He also noticed the mention of a Natasha Dubcek, Gabriela Bunsdorff's understudy. Although there was a large photo of the star ballerina there was a thumbnail image of the understudy. Wallace examined the picture seeing a dark haired

young girl with dark eyes, eyes that displayed sorrow. “Why does she look so sad? Is it because of a part she's dancing to or is it because she's unhappy abut something?,he asked himself mentally. Wallace folded the playbill and placed it in his coat pocket. After taking one more look around at the room in case he might have overlooked something he walked towards the dressing room door and switched off the light.

Now, as he sat years later in his home he recalled the long walk down the convention center hallway and the sounds of his footsteps as he headed for the exit and his unmarked radio car parked below in the basement garage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Two

Doctor Edwards

 

His own snoring work him up from a deep sleep. Reaching down with his right hand Wallace took hold of the hard wood leaver that raised and lowered his recliner. He pushed it and sat upright. “Damn! Fell asleep again. How long was I out of it?,”

he asked himself, mentally. Looking at his wristwatch he noticed that he had slept for about a half an hour. He heard a noise in the kitchen, then realized that it was Mary putting away the groceries she had bought. “Was the store crowded?”, He asked in a loud voice.

“Well, look who's up and awake. And, guess who won't be able to get to sleep tonight. No, the store wasn't crowded. How do you feel?”

“Shitty, but that's nothing new.”

“Well, what were you doing while I was shopping?'

“Thinking about that ballet thing.”

“Oh, are you reconsidering going with me after all?”

“Hell no. I was thinking back to the ballerina murder case I investigated years ago.”

“What's so special about that case?”

“Well for one thing it was the first time I met Doc Edwards.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Sergeant Ackerman ordered me to be at the hospital morgue to witness the autopsy of Gabriela Brunsdorff. It was my first autopsy that I attended. Unfortunately it wasn't to be my last. Anyway, as I recall, I took the elevator from the street level of the hospital to the basement where the morgue and pathology department was located. There were two large. Swinging doors. Each one had a round, glass window and as I approached them I could see movement behind them. So, I pushed one and walked into the large room. I remember Doc looking at me and saying, “Who the hell are you?”

“Detective Wallace, Nautilus Beach Police,” I answered.

“Yeah? So?”

“I'm suppose to witness an autopsy. The victim is one, Gabriela Brunsdorff. She was the ballerina that was pronounced dead here in the emergency room last night.”

“That's her over there under the white sheet,” said the pathologist pointing to an examination table with what appeared to hold a cloth covered corpse.

“I'm sorry. I told you my name. Now just who are you?, asked Wallace.

“I'm the sorry son of a bitch that has to cut her open. Who the hell did you think I was, the janitor?”

“Hey1 don't get your ass in an uproar. I need your name for my report”.

“Oh. In that case the name is Edwards. Manfred Edwards. Make that Doctor Manfred Edwards, Pathologist.”

“Got it. Now, can I look at the body?”

“You can not only look at the body, but you can watch me

perform the autopsy. How many of these have you attended Officer, Officer?”

“Wallace. Detective Wallace.”

“Oh yeah. How many autopsy's have you attended Detective Wallace?”

“This is my first one.”

“Really. Well I hope you have a strong stomach.”

“I think I'll make it.”

“So, you're a tough guy. We'll see. Tell me Officer, just how much do you know about the cause of death of this woman?”

“Not too much. I've been informed that who ever treated her in the emergency room last night reported to us that there had been what appeared to be an overdose of the drug, dioxin.

“Correct. Now, for your report the amount of Lanoxin found in her system was 500mg.”

“I found a vial containing Lanoxin tablets. The label read 0.20 mg.”.

“Then, it appears that the emergency room physicians were correct. It seems that there was an overdose.”

“Right, but was that what killed her?”

“Nothing like getting right to the point. To answer your question, probably. To be certain, I want to examine her heart.”

“Why? What will that tell you?”

“It will tell me if she died as a result of the drug in her body or from either heart disease or a blood clot.”

“How would the drug kill her?”

“Dioxin, or in this case Lanoxin is used to treat atrial fibrillation or an abnormal heart rhythm,” said the doctor as he removed the sheet covering the body. “Now, look her her body. Study it. What do you see?”, asked Edwards.

“A small, nude, dead woman.”

“Damn it! Look at her legs. Notice the muscles in her thighs and calves. Ballerina's and ballet dancers are like athletes. This woman had leg muscles like a wide receiver or tight end in football. With 500 mg of Lanoxin in her system and exerting herself in the dance, her death could have resulted. However, right now, that's my guess. Now, I'll open her up and take a look.”.

“Wallace stood and watched Doctor Edwards using a scalpel as he made and incision on the woman's chest. Suddenly a smell coming from the open cavity of the cadaver made Wallace turn away and gag.

“That's the smell of body acid an after death result. Do you smoke?”, asked Edwards.

“Yes.”

“Well if you have to view another autopsy buy a cigar, light it and puff on it. That way it helps over come what I call the stench of death. O.K. let's see what we have here,”said the pathologist as he lifted and removed the ballerina's heart.

“How does it look?”, asked Wallace.

“I keep forgetting that this is your first autopsy. What happens here is that while I work I speak into a microphone that records every aspect of my examination. What I'm trying to say Officer is speak only when spoken to otherwise the girl that has to type the transcript gets confused. Understand?”

“Yes, sorry.”

“Before I start I'll answer your question. There is no sign of heart disease, fatty tissue or blood clots. The heart is enlarged as is the muscular wall and specifically the left ventricle, which pumps oxygenated blood to the aorta. However, I still have to open and check the condition of the heart valves and ventricles. An enlarged heart is to be expected for someone like the victim. She practices and exercises several times a day, several times a week. The result is what is know as Athletic heart syndrome. What is different, but not rare by any means is that in addition to the enlarged heart caused by the syndrome she had atrial fibrillation at the same time, which again is not rare, but the patient should be careful. Right now I have to put the heart on the scale and weigh it.”

“Tell me, would the condition of Athletic heart syndrome and ingesting 500 mg. Of Lanoxin cause her death?”, asked Wallace.

Doctor Edwards turned his head and looked at the large, face, clock on the wall. “Tell you what. Allow me to do what I have to do and save your questions. I'll answer them over lunch. My treat.”

Later, the two men sat at a table in the hospital cafeteria. Doctor Edwards sat stirring his ice tea after depositing sugar from a packet. Wallace took sips from his cup of coffee. Both men had taken