Forty-five minutes later, Kareem Bezel pulled off the Nassau Expressway and headed into Cedarhurst, New York. The village was incorporated in 1910. It is part of the "Five Towns", together with the village of Lawrence and the hamlets of Woodmere and Inwood, and "The Hewletts", which consist of the villages of Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Neck and the hamlet of Hewlett, along with Woodsburgh. Cedarhurst's early name was Ocean Point. Rail service arrived in 1869, which lead people to the area, especially to the Rockaway Hunt Club, built in Cedarhurst in 1878. A post office was established in 1884, and Ocean Point was renamed Cedarhurst, partly at the request of the Hunt Club.
For many years, Central Avenue, the area's main business district, was considered the Rodeo Drive of Long Island, offering upscale shops and boutiques to discriminating shoppers from around the area. Kareem parked his SUV along these shops for a more pressing matter than buying luxury goods. He hopped out of his truck and grabbed a sandwich bag on the way out. After feeding the meter, Kareem walked briskly up Central. He reached a glass office building and looked at his phone to assure that he was at the right place. There was a board that mapped where the offices were located and he found where he was headed: Slomsky Laboratories, Inc.
Kareem walked into the building and nodded at the security guard who collected his metal and allowed him through the metal detector. Kareem cleared security and made his way to suite 812. When he reached the lab, he was greeted by the receptionist who told him, “Walk-in hours are over for paternity testing, but I can make you an appointment.”
“Thanks, but I’m here to see Professor Slomsky. He’s expecting me.”
Without a word, the receptionist hopped on an office phone and spoke with her boss. Afterward, she stood and told Kareem, “He will see you now,” and then led him to a door behind her.
The quiet reception area was not like the animated lab behind the door. Kareem expected to see a long hallway with multiple rooms with small labs, but he did not. The door opened to a very large lab with tables and sections everywhere. It was surrounded on the perimeter by smaller offices, which appeared to be for staff and some for specific testing. He surmised that what he wanted done would take place in an office.
“Slmosky, my friend,” Kareem said when he noticed the professor. He shook his hand.
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Bezel. My brightest biology student, despite not being a science major.”
Kareem smiled and admired the office some more.
“Now you see where I make the magic. This is where all of my keen experiences take place so that I can effectively convey to students what they need to be prepared for in the real world.”
“I see. This is a nice place, too.”
“Been here three years, and after comparing labs over my career, I knew how I wanted this one. So, what brings you in? Are you in some sort of paternity battle?”
“No sir. I have another problem.”
“Okay. Talk to me.”
Kareem pulled out his brown paper bag and opened it. He let the professor peak inside. “There’s blood on the squares of carpet that I cut out of my living room floor. I’d like you to test them for a blood type.”