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He outweighed Neddie by sixty pounds But so what? Neddie was ready He looked at the big dude and said, “Game on”

PART FOUR

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sp; CHAPTER 70

CONKLIN AND I orking at our desks when Claire caown and a cap, heron her mind

I said, “You’ve got a report on that sux vial?”

She said, “I’ I need you to come on over to my house There’s someone I want you to see”

“So with your phone?” Conklin asked my BFF

“My calls, Inspector, went to voice mail That would be my calls to the both of you”

Oh

The three of us thundered down the fire stairs, cut through the back door, and strode along the breezeway to Claire’s “house,” the offices of the chief medical examiner

We passed through the waiting rooatekeeper and the loosely packedto see Claire She put up a hand and didn’t skip a step, as good as saying, “Not now!”

We passed Claire’s office and continued down the corridor until she stiff-ar doors to the super-chilly autopsy suite Rich and I stayed with her, stopping at the table with the body lying on it face-up under the lights

Claire said, “The needle sticker has stuck again At least, it sure looks like it Meet Ralph Beardsley, CPA, DOA, RIP”

Mr Beardsley was a blackthe man’s head to the side There was a bite mark in his neck Claire pulled down the sheet and showed me a bruise with a needle mark centered on his left pectoral