Page 28 of Lost Kingdom

“To be an asshole. He knew I had family dinner coming up. And Eli’s wedding. He asked to come, and I said no. So he took things into his own hands and invited himself.”

“Malones tend to do that.” She settles back into her chair with a smirk. “So your parents are planning your wedding now?”

“No. BecauseI’mnot planning a wedding.” I glance to my right as a horde of doctors line up on the other side of the glass wall that surrounds my boss’ office. It’s time for rounds, and rounds in the morning, mean everyone piles into this one room. “It’s about that time, huh?”

She looks down at her desk, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth and sighing from the mere exhaustion that ispeopling. But then she looks up again and nods. “Bring them in. And call Callen up, too. Time away will mean she’ll have a stack of crap saved for me to catch up on.”

“Yes, Boss.” I push to my feet and stride to the heavy glass door. It’s not locked, but no one comes in until they’ve received a stone-etched invitation. “Come on in. Don’t take my seat.”

The beautiful, blonde, and red-lipped Doctor Raquel dashes to the leather couch, plopping down until the cushions wheeze. Then her number two, the handsome Doctor Xavier, follows. He’s more dignified than his superior. More mature than most of the rest of the staff employed by the George Stanley medical facility. He takes his place by the windows that overlook the city, setting his hands behind his back and saving the few seats for the ladies.

Because he’s a gentleman.

“I know I’ve been away,” Minka starts. “I know there’s a mess to clean up, so?—”

“I mean—” Raquel’s glossy lips curl into a taunting grin. “You left at, like, midnight Friday night. Although you were supposed to clock out seven hours earlier. And now you’re back, bright and early Wednesday morning. Two days off for a family wedding is hardly a crime.”

“I’ll be available to you all day to run through anything you need. But as always, we’ll start with rounds.”

Callen exits the elevator and makes a beeline for this office, though I’ve yet to pick up the phone and call her up. Skirt suit, sharp blazer, and perfect hair.

She’s a flawless replacement for our previous public-relations camera-ready pretty face. In theory.

“Aubree?”

I swing around and meet Minka’s eyes. “Yeah?”

“Rounds?”

“Oh! Sure.” I release the door just as soon as Callen blows through, then I turn to face my colleagues. “My most recent was an unattended death. Morbidly obese woman died in her bed. She passed approximately seven days ago, and when I arrived on scene, decomp was well and truly underway. I went through her medical records and performed the autopsy once she arrived back here. I’m ruling natural causes; myocardial infarction. She’s in the fridges downstairs and the police are having trouble finding next of kin.”

“The fact she was unattended for so long implies she has no one nearby who cares.” Pursing her lips, Minka looks at my next colleague. “Doctor Kirk?”

“I have two at the moment, Chief. Both similar, but not connected. Car accidents. One was the driver, fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into a ravine just outside the city. Decedent wasn’t found for approximately twelve hours after the collision, and by that point, they had frozen.”

“Did they pass from the collision or the cold?”

“Still to be determined, though I lean toward the first. Peri and post-mortem bruising indicate the former.”

“Good. And your second case?”

“Car accident. Head on collision due to snow fall. Airbags seem to have malfunctioned, and the deceased suffered a break between the C2 and C3 vertebrae. Instant death.”

“And the passengers in the other car?”

“Unharmed. Undergoing mandatory blood tests to rule out DUI. I’ve submitted similar samples to our tox lab for the same.” He looks across at an unimpressed Doctor Raquel. “I’ve pended my case until results are back.”

“Doing our best, kiddo.” She brings her teasing gaze to Minka. “Must we have the same conversation every single day?”

“You’re not getting more staff. Keep working, make your way through the backlog, and suck it up.” She looks at another. “Doctor Flynn?”

“Homicide. Midtown detectives are riding my ass like they have nothing better to do. Bullet to the back of the head, execution style. Body was dropped into the bay at approximately four o’clock yesterday afternoon, so I had no choice but to clock a little OT. He’s in house now and the autopsy is complete. I’ve bagged and tagged everything as expected, sent samples to the lab, and emailed forensic anthro for a consult.”

Minka’s eyes narrow in thought. “Why?”

“Because his head was burned to a crisp. As were his hands. Whoever put him in the water didn’t particularly want him identified.”

I shudder at the thought. “There are easier, less messy ways to achieve that result.”

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