Monday
The County Morgue
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rhodes,” said Verna Brown, looking over the wire rim of her granny glasses. “Unfortunately, we don’t have viewing facilities here at the county morgue.” She sat at a semicircular glass-top reception desk, a sleek gatekeeper for what was behind the double doors to her right.
“My son is back there, and I demand to see him,” Adele said through clenched teeth, her balled fists on the glass top at Verna’s eye level.
Verna looked up at Adele. “Like I said—”
Molly stepped up to the counter. “Excuse me.” She put on her sweetest smile.
“And who are you?”
“I’m Molly Harrington. Is Richard Owens here?”
Verna removed her glasses and laid them on the stack of papers in front of her. Molly wondered how she found anything on a desk covered with charts and loose documents. “Yes, he’s here. What do you want with him?”
“Please tell him I’m here. Perhaps he can help Mrs. Rhodes understand her options.”
Verna picked up the phone and rolled her eyes. “Hey Rick, there’s a Molly Harrington out here. Wants to see you.” After listening for a moment, she said. “All right. I’ll tell her.” She replaced the handset and stared up at Molly. “He’ll be right out. Please wait over there.”
Molly guided Adele to a group of chairs surrounding a coffee table. Adele picked up a year-old entertainment magazine, checked out the movie star on the cover, sniffed, and tossed it back onto the table on top of several fishing and golfing magazines and a few Scientific American issues.
Adele lowered herself onto a straight-backed chair. “Who did you ask for? Will he let me back there to see my son?”
“He’s an investigator on your son’s case and might give us more information,” Molly explained. “I went to high school with him.”
A few minutes later, Rick pushed through a set of double doors, buttoning a white lab coat over light-blue scrubs. Molly and Adele stood as he approached.
He smiled when he saw Molly. “What a pleasant surprise.”
“Hello. It’s good to see you again,” Molly said. “But unfortunately, this isn’t a social visit. This is Adele Rhodes, Aubrey Rhodes’s mother. Ms. Brown explained that she can’t see Aubrey now, so Mrs. Rhodes wondered about her next steps.”
Rick glanced from Molly to Adele, motioned for them to sit, and sat next to Adele. “Mrs. Rhodes, first, please accept my most sincere condolences on the death of your son.”
Adele bobbed her head once. “Thank you.”
“As Ms. Brown explained, we don’t have the proper facilities for family viewing here. You’ll be able to see Aubrey at the funeral home. Have you decided which one?” Rick asked in a soft, soothing tone.
Adele nodded. “Biehl’s. I’m meeting with them later this afternoon to discuss the arrangements.”
“Very good. As soon as we’re finished with Aubrey, we’ll call Bert over at Biehl’s, and he’ll pick Aubrey up. They’ll take good care of your son.”
“They cared for my late husband.” She glanced around the room as if searching for the right words. “Are you sure I can’t see him?” She opened her purse and slid her hand inside.
Rick placed his hand on top of the purse. “Mrs. Rhodes, the medical examiner has not finished his examination. You don’t want to see your son like that.”
Adele swallowed audibly. “What about Aubrey’s things?”
“Some of his possessions are still in evidence with the police. Everything else, we’ll give to Bert. As for what the police have taken, you’ll have to talk to Detective Shannon about that.” He stood. “I should get back to work.”
“Thank you.” Adele stood and shook his hand.
Molly placed her hand on Rick’s arm. “Thank you for coming out and talking to us. We were getting nowhere with the receptionist.”
Molly turned to follow Adele out the door, but Rick called her back.
“May I speak to you over here for a minute?”
She followed him into a small alcove opposite the reception desk. “Thanks again, Rick. I appreciate you talking to us. I believe it helped her.”
“No problem. People don’t realize that a working county morgue is not like a TV show with cushy viewing rooms and curtained windows.”
Molly leaned in so the receptionist wouldn’t hear her. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I want to collect on my offer of that drink before you change your mind and blow me off.”
Molly smiled. “All right. When?” I can’t blow him off now, can I?
He glanced toward Ms. Brown. “How about tonight? Six o’clock at the Olde Towne Tavern.”
Before she could talk herself out of it, Molly agreed. “See you tonight.”