In order to test Nate’s theory, we’ll need the hospital records of the victims.

That presents some problems. We could get a subpoena, but that would take a while, and would impact our ability to do it quietly. I can’t go to Galvis, who has moved into Lewinsky’s job at least on an interim basis, because he is very much under suspicion since Travis Mauer turned out to be real.

So it’s back to the well that is Dr. Steven Cassel. He will resist and complain, but he’ll do what I want, because he knows that I know about his affair with Rita Carlisle. I would feel guilty about taking advantage of him this way, if I were the “feel guilty” type. I’m not, and I doubt that I ever was.

He just about moans when I show up at his office, even though I had called and said I was on my way. “You’re taking advantage of me, Lieutenant.”

I nod. “I wasn’t sure you noticed.”

“Oh, I noticed. What is it now?”

I hand him the list of murder victims that were first brought to Bergen Hospital, more than forty people. Some were DOA, but many were not, although if Nate’s theory is right, that shouldn’t matter. It’s their names and identities that were utilized.

He looks at the list briefly and asks, “What is this?”

I tell him what it is, and ask if the names are familiar to him.

“No, but that’s not surprising. Most of this is handled in the emergency room; I’m only called in if specific surgery is called for. I may well have operated on a few of them, but I also may not ever have known their names, other than to see them on a chart.”

“I need their hospital records.”

He laughs at the ridiculousness of the request. “You do? All of them?”

“Yes. Humorous as it may seem to you.”

“Come on, Lieutenant, this is crazy. I’m not in charge of records. Why don’t you just ask Mitchell Galvis, and he’ll tell the relevant departments to get them for you.”

“I don’t want to do that.”

He reacts with surprise. “Are you telling me you don’t trust Mitchell Galvis?”

“I’m not telling you anything. I’m asking you to do this. You’ve been here a long time; you must have friends in the records department, or whatever it’s called. You can do it, and you can do it quietly.”

“This will not be nearly as easy as you describe.”

“Which is why they pay you the big bucks,” I say.

“I never imagined that when I committed my indiscretion that someday I would be blackmailed by a state police officer.”

“Yet here we are. Life works in mysterious ways.”

He sighs. “I’ll do what I can.”

“And as quickly as you can,” I say, starting to get up.

“When you came in I was hoping you were just going to ask me about Travis Mauer. I did not expect a new assignment.”

I had forgotten that I had given him Mauer’s records and asked him to find out if in fact Mauer was fictitious, and did not exist. Now that we have learned through Jessie that Mauer was real, I didn’t think to follow up.

“What did you find out about Mauer?” I ask.

“I checked with the doctors and nurses that were listed on his records,” he says. “And you were right.”

“What does that mean?”

He shakes his head. “The guy was never here. No such patient.”

Holy shit.