Bones on Ice by Kathy Reichs EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Author:Kathy Reichs
- Language: English
- Genre:Conspiracy Thrillers
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
The transport van backed into the receiving bay, dark and silent.
Standard. Morgue vehicles have no need of flashing lights or
screaming sirens. There’s no urgency. Logos on the van’s windowless
side panels proclaimed: INTERNATIONAL MORTUARY SHIPPING. My
daughter, Katy, would’ve dubbed the thing a rolling kidnap trap.
The doors winged open and two uniformed techs hopped out and
circled to the back. The taller of the pair had a shaved scalp marred
by angry nicks. The shorter had buzz-cut hair and full-sleeve tattoos
starting on his forearms and spiraling up toward rolled cuffs.
The men moved quickly and efficiently, opening the rear doors,
hauling an oblong cardboard air tray from the van, and transferring
it onto a gurney. It landed with a grating clunk.
Snapping on latex gloves, I stepped forward. The carton’s outer
surface was stamped with three grisly words: HUMAN REMAINS. At one
end, HEAD. The latter made me think of directions on a case of wine.
THIS SIDE UP.
Shaved Scalp handed me a clipboard thick with paper. I skimmed
a death certificate, a burial/transit permit, U.S. embassy
international transport documentation, certification of
noncontagious disease, an embalmment waiver.
Setting the paperwork to one side on the gurney, I used an X-Acto
knife to slice the plastic binders, then eased off the carton’s
cardboard cover. Inside was a zinc-coated metal container.
I flipped the butterfly hasps to unfasten the lid of the transport
coffin. It opened with a hiss and a puff of icy vapor. I pulled back a
large subzero gel pack covering the contents like a chill blanket and
searched for the body bag’s ID data. The orange pouch was bunched,
as if its occupant had been restless during the long journey home.
After much rummaging, I found the tag, wiped frost from the plastic,
and confirmed that the name and numbers matched those on the
documentation.
“Will you wait for the container?” I directed my question to either
tech.
Tattoo lifted a shoulder. “One use only.”
“Seems a waste.” Eyeballing the chilled metal box.
Another inky half shrug. “My granddad used one like it for storing
fish that he caught.”
Shaved Scalp shot his partner a look of annoyance. To me, “If
that’s all, ma’am?” Ready to go. Another corpse awaited. Another
passenger who wouldn’t complain.
“That’s all. Thanks.”
While Shaved Scalp started the engine, Tattoo closed the van’s rear
doors with a double thunk and climbed into the passenger side.
Quick finger wave, and they were gone, leaving me alone with my
frozen cargo.
Muscling the gurney through the bay doors, I was relieved to see
Tim Larabee, my boss and Mecklenburg County’s chief medical
examiner, loping toward me. He moved with the wiry grace of a
longtime runner. Read: marathon junkie.
“Where do you want me today?” I asked.
“Take her into five.”
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