Chromosome 6 by Robin Cook Page A

circumstance?" Laurie asked. "When I get to work Marvin, the evening tech, usually briefs me about what's going on. He was kind of psyched about the Franconi situation because of all the police and the way the family carried on. Anyway, he showed me the body."

"When you saw it, was it in compartment one eleven?"
"Yup."
"Tell me, Mike," Laurie said. "If you had to guess, how do you think the body disappeared?" "I don't have the foggiest idea," Mike said. "Unless he walked out of here." He laughed, then seemed embarrassed. "I don't mean to joke around. I'm as confused as everybody else. All I know is only two bodies went out of here last night, and they were the two I checked out." "And you never looked at Franconi again after Marvin showed him to you?" "Of course not," Mike said. "Why would I?" "No reason," Laurie said. "Do you happen to know where the van drivers are?" "Upstairs in the lunchroom," Mike said. "That's where they always are." Laurie and Jack took the elevator. As they were riding up, Laurie noticed Jack's eyelids were drooping. "You look tired," Laurie commented.
"No surprise. I am," Jack said.
"Why don't you go home?" Laurie said.
"I've stuck it out this far," Jack said. "I think I'll see it to the bitter end." The bright fluorescent lighting of the lunchroom made both Laurie and Jack squint. They found Jeff and Pete at a table next to the vending machines, poring over newspapers while snacking on potato chips. They were dressed in rumpled blue coveralls with Health and Hospital Corporation patches on their upper arms. Both had ponytails.
Laurie introduced herself, explained about her interest in the missing body, and asked if there was anything unique about the previous night, particularly about the two bodies they'd brought in. Jeff and Pete exchanged a look, then Pete responded. "Mine was a mess," Pete said.
"I don't mean the bodies themselves," Laurie said. "I'm wondering if there was anything unusual about the process. Did you see anyone in the morgue you didn't recognize? Did anything out of the ordinary happen?"
Pete glanced again at Jeff then shook his head. "Nope. It was just like usual." "Do you remember what compartment you put your body into?" Laurie asked. Pete scratched the top of his head. "Not really," he said. "Was it near to one eleven?" Laurie asked.

Pete shook his head. "No, it was around the other side. Something like fifty-five. I don't remember
exactly. But it's written downstairs."
Laurie turned to Jeff.
"My body went into twenty-eight," Jeff said. "I remembered because that's how old I am." "Did either of you see Franconi's body?" Laurie asked. The two drivers again exchanged glances. Jeff spoke: "Yeah, we did." "What time?"
"Around now," Jeff said.
"What was the circumstance?" Laurie said. "You guys don't normally see bodies that you don't transport."
"After Mike told us about it, we wanted to look because of all the excitement. But we didn't touch anything."
"It was only for a second," Pete added. "We just opened the door and looked in." "Were you with Mike?" Laurie asked.
"No," Pete said. "He just told us which compartment." "Has Dr. Washington talked to you about last night?" Laurie asked. "Yeah, and Mr. Harper, too," Jeff said. "Did you tell Dr. Washington about looking at the body?" Laurie asked. "No," Jeff said.
"Why not?" Laurie asked.
"He didn't ask," Jeff said. "I guess we know we're really not supposed to do it. I mean we don't usually. But, as I said, with all the commotion, we were curious." "Maybe you should tell Dr. Washington," Laurie suggested. "Just so he has all the facts." Laurie turned around and headed back to the elevator. Jack dutifully followed. "What do you think?" Laurie asked.
"It's getting harder and harder for me to think the closer it gets to midnight," Jack said. "But I wouldn't make anything of those two peeking at the body." "But Mike didn't mention it," Laurie said.

"True," Jack said. "But they all know they were bending the rules. It's human nature