Chapter 44

 

The call was logged in at 9:24 in the morning. By 9:30 the overhead door was rolled up and the Cadillac ambulance emerged and headed toward the Little Miami River. It maneuvered easily through light morning traffic, not needing to use its siren, and arrived at the Hungarian’s house in less than ten minutes.

Two medical technicians entered through the open front door and quickly found the small bedroom where a woman lay motionless on a double bed. Minutes later, two Loveland police officers followed them into the bedroom.

Martha Wells, the senior emergency medical technician, had retired as Assistant Director of Nursing at Cincinnati’s Bethesda Hospital three years earlier. Since then, the sixty year old had satisfied her need to stay involved with humanity by riding the Loveland First Aid Squad’s ambulance three mornings a week.

Before she’d covered the short distance from the doorway to the bed, she knew it was already too late for her to be of any help. Following a cursory examination of the cold body, she turned and told the police officers, “Nothing we can do. She’s been dead three or four hours.”

The scene in the bedroom was surreal. The ambulance’s red lights and the police car’s red and blue lights flashed through the window and reflected off the large mirror atop the old maple dresser. The two blue uniformed officers stood just inside the doorway. One of the medical techs stood on either side of the bed, the flashing lights continually changing the color of their white linen tunics. Laszlo sat in a corner, still clad in his frayed brown robe and carpet slippers, a blank expression on his face. Soft female sobbing came from somewhere beyond the bedroom.

One of the officers returned to his car and called for the Medical Examiner. The other asked Laszlo where he would be comfortable answering a few questions. They walked slowly to the kitchen, where Laszlo slouched into one of the old wooden chairs.

Martha Wells followed and asked Laszlo if he would like something to help him relax. He shook his head no, and she left.

The State Police detective on stakeout that morning up the road from the house observed the arrival of the ambulance and local police cars. After checking with the Loveland Police Dispatcher, he radioed his office and was instructed to stay in place and continue to observe. He was to call Tallman if there was any unusual activity or if any of the family members left the house.