Stained Glass by Ralph McInerny Page B

around her, her ponytail floating behind, her eyes on the body. “My God in heaven.”
    Riley said, “It looks like a ritual killing.”
    Pippen was giving orders to her crew. “Cut her down.”
    This was done, and the mutilated body laid in a gurney. Pippen arranged a blanket over it. For the first time, she inhaled.
    â€œThe motor of the car was still running,” Riley said.
    â€œYou turn it off?”
    Riley looked from her to Cy. “It seemed the right thing to do.”
    â€œWhere’s the ignition key?”
    â€œIn the car.” Riley looked as if he wished he were somewhere else.
    Cy said, “Call in as complete a report as you can right now. You can edit it when it’s typed up.”
    Riley hurried out to his cruiser, happy to escape.
    Pippen asked, “What do you make of it, Cy?”

    â€œA ritual killing?”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œAsk Riley.”
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    The garage was attached to a house, entrance to which was gained through a door in the garage. It was closed. Cy eased it open and waited. He put his hand in, groped around, found the light switch, and flicked it. A laundry room. He told Agnes to check downtown to find out who lived at this address. Agnes got out her phone but followed Cy through the rest of the house. Thus began the slow dull process of trying to figure out what had happened in the garage and who the woman was to whom it had happened.
    The house was owned by Amy Gorman, a widow who worked as a legal secretary downtown. The body, it was established after many hours, was that of Madeline Schutz. Clothes and a purse found in the trash can in the garage established her identity tentatively. Cy and Agnes found Amy Gorman about to leave her office for the day. She looked at them quizzically when they asked if they could have a few words with her.
    â€œYou’ve been at the office all day?” Agnes asked.
    â€œWhat an odd question.”
    â€œIs there any coffee here?” Cy asked.
    Agnes said, “Something terrible has happened at your house.”
    â€œTerrible.”
    Agnes looked at Cy. “A body was found in your garage when a cruiser answered a 911 call.”
    Well, how would anyone react to a remark like that? The laugh seemed appropriate, but then she asked Cy who he was. He told her, showed her his ID. Agnes did the same.
    â€œA dead body?”

    Cy nodded.
    â€œCome with me.” Amy Gorman marched down a hall and into an office whose door was open. “Emil, I want you in on this.”
    Emil Sooner looked like one of the contestants in a television fat reduction show, before. He was in shirtsleeves and seemed to spill over the arms of his chair. His tie was loosened, and his shirt pocket was full of pens and pencils.
    â€œHello, Horvath. What’s going on?”
    Amy Gorman said, “A body has been found in my garage.”
    Emil might once have been capable of surprise, but years of legal practice had cured him of it. Cy knew him as a formidable defense attorney, more often in white-collar crimes, but from time to time in grislier cases.
    â€œDoes the body have a name?”
    â€œMadeline Schutz.” Cy looked at Amy Gorman when he said it, but there was no reaction.
    â€œWhy don’t you all sit down,” Emil suggested.
    Emil listened while Cy told him what they knew. It was the car that piqued his curiosity. “Registration?”
    â€œAmy Gordon,” Agnes said in a flat voice.
    If she could be believed, Amy Gorman had no idea who Madeline Schutz was or why she should have been found hanging in her garage with the motor of Amy’s car still running. Her keys? They were hung on a hook in the laundry room. Amy had been downtown all day. She seldom drove to work.
    After twenty minutes, Emil thanked them for coming here to tell all this to Amy. “I don’t suppose you should stay in your house tonight, Amy.”
    â€œGood idea,” Agnes said.