Bug Man Suspense Bundle (1,2) by Tim Downs Page B

grew up together, like a brother and sister. I knew him better than his parents, better than his own sister—better than anyone. He would not, he could not havedone this to himself. I don’t care what the sheriff or the coroner says, they’re wrong about this—and I have to know what happened.”
    Nick took a deep breath. “Let me see if I understand you. The sheriff’s department, drawing on its considerable experience in homicide investigation, closed this investigation almost before it opened. And the county coroner, representing all of the forensic knowledge of the North Carolina State medical examiner’s system, verified the cause of death without even a second look. But you’re convinced they’re both wrong—because you have this feeling.”
    It was fortunate at this moment that the door behind Kathryn opened and Dr. Tedesco stepped into the room, providing a momentary respite from the tension. He was startled to see Kathryn again but said nothing. He stepped quietly to the side, pretending to resume his duties, and waited for the conversation to resume.
    “I have to know,” Kathryn repeated, barely containing her anger. “The sheriff won’t help me—he thinks I’m wasting my time. The coroner can’t help me either. Since he already signed the death certificate, the body is no longer under his authority. I could hire a private investigator, but not in a town the size of Rayford—and even if I found one, I’m not sure he’d know what to look for. I’m out of options, Dr. Polchak—and I’m out of time. The body is being moved right now to a funeral home, and from there it will be turned over to the immediate family. Soon it will be too late to do anything.”
    Nick said nothing for a long time.
    “You’d be helping the authorities,” she added.
    “I have a long history of helping the authorities,” he said. “Trust me, it isn’t always welcome.”
    “Then you’d be helping me.”
    “I just can’t look into every mysterious death that comes along—and to be frank, Mrs. Guilford, this one hardly sounds mysterious.”
    Kathryn paused. “What about money? Are you motivated by money?”
    “Money?”
    She leaned forward and stared directly into his imposing spectacles. “I will pay you twenty thousand dollars to look into this for me.”
    There was an audible gasp from behind Kathryn. Dr. Tedesco did his very best to contain himself, but bits of words and phrases still tittered out: “Twenty thousand … oh my, I … twenty thousand?”
    “This is why Teddy never plays poker,” said Dr. Polchak.
    “I know more about you than you think,” Kathryn said. “I know that you’re a forensic entomologist, and that there are very few of you around. I know that it’s almost impossible to make a living at it. I know that most of you are employed by museums and universities, and that means you depend on departmental funding and research grants to survive. In other words,” she said, adding her own pause for emphasis, “I know you need that money so bad you can taste it.”
    Nick slowly smiled. “And you said this visit wasn’t about money.”
    “I said this visit wasn’t about banking. What would this really require of you, Dr. Polchak? One look at a body? A trip to a funeral home? A little work right here in your own laboratory? Twenty thousand dollars buys a lot of bug food.”
    From behind them Teddy conducted an elaborate pantomime of hair-pulling, eye-rolling, and desperate pleading. Nick ignored him.
    “I don’t want to waste your money, Mrs. Guilford. Don’t misunderstand me, I want your money—but I don’t want to waste it. I feel I should tell you that there’s a very good chance I’ll come up with nothing at all.”
    “I’m willing to take that chance.”
    Nick sat silently for a full minute. “Plus expenses,” he said at last.
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “Twenty thousand dollars plus expenses.”
    “What sort of expenses?”
    “Travel, if necessary. Meals.