Page 14 of Hidden Hero

The words, though simple, carried a hint of teasing that caught him off guard. He responded in kind, his tone light. “Dr. Wadsworth. The pleasure’s all mine.”

He glanced around the room, noting the other mortuary technician working methodically with what looked like tissue samples. Everything about the space was clinical and efficient, yet strangely still.

The technician turned to Cora, holding something he could only assume was an organ. She took it without hesitation, placing it back into the chest cavity with precise movements.

“Are you ready to close, Dr. Wadsworth?” the technician asked.

Cora nodded, reaching for the needle and sutures. Her movements were deft and practiced as she closed the incision. As she tied the final knot, she glanced up at Jeremy. “Your first autopsy?”

“I’ve seen them on camera before but not in person,” he admitted.

“Did you have any surprises?” she asked, her tone neutral as she returned the sutures to the technician.

He hesitated, feeling out of his depth but wanting to be honest. “You were… very respectful. Not that I would’ve expected anything less. It’s just that… I…” He floundered, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut.

Cora tilted her head slightly, her voice softening. “When I perform an autopsy, my mind is clinical, Detective Pickett. There are procedures and protocols to follow. I have a mental list of everything I need to do, check, and test. There’s no room for error because we often only get one chance to be thorough. But…” Her gaze met his, steady and unwavering. “I never forget that I’m working on a human being—someone who lived, hopefully laughed, and possibly loved.”

Jeremy blinked, taken aback by her words. It was the most she’d ever said to him, and for the first time, he felt he was seeing her—not just as a professional but as a person.

“The organs go back inside the body?” he asked after a moment, his voice quieter.

She nodded. “We return the person whole, as much as possible. Some religions require the body to be intact for burial. Even when that’s not a concern, it’s still respectful.”

Turning her attention to the technician standing just to Cora’s side, she said, “I’ve finished the dictation, Janice. If you see that it gets transcribed, I’ll review it, compare it to my verbal notes, and sign it.”

“No problem, Cora,” Janice said. “Was there anything specific I should note, considering the hospital attorney will be interested in case the family tries for litigation.”

“I haven’t finished running the blood work, but from all indications, he had a heart attack when he came into the ER. But his heart was nearly shredded with disease. He’s had heart attacks before. Small ones, probably. Enough to damage his heart, but we didn’t find anything in his medical record that suggested he’d been hospitalized. He certainly didn’t have a cardiologist, and there’s no record of any medication.”

Cora then looked at Jeremy and walked over to him, snapping her gloves off as she approached. She pulled off her mask and cap, nodding for him to do the same. He followed her example and placed his gown, mask, and booties into the trash bin.

“So what can I do for you?” she asked.

“I came for a favor, but you can easily say no. I realize you’re busy.” Now that her mask was off, he could focus on her face. Beautiful as always… and perhaps a little less stern than he’d seen in the past.

“Go ahead and ask,” she said, leaning her hip against the desk.

“You mentioned the DEA could tell which pharmacies the pills came from. We know that that request would not happen quickly. We plan to ask the local pharmacies in our two counties if they distributed any prescriptions. But to do so, we would need the exact names and numbers on the pills.”

She nodded but didn’t say anything.

Self-conscious, he reached back to squeeze his neck as he held her gaze. “Look, I know that it’s an imposition. I realize you have no time for?—”

His words halted as her lips slowly curved upward until a smile transformed her face from pretty to beautiful. She leaned closer, and his breathing ceased. But she simply leaned past him to reach her keyboard. With a few clicks, the printer next to him whirred to life. Snagging the papers, she held them out. “I had to make complete note of the pills.”

He looked at the printout, then chuckled. “Damn, Dr. Wadsworth. Is there anything you aren’t prepared for?”

She shrugged but remained quiet. “I hope that helps, Detective Pickett.”

“This is tremendous. Really… it saves so much time in our investigation.”

“I’m glad.” She hesitated, then added, “We’re all searching for the same thing—the truth. Mine is clinical. Not as exciting as your job, but?—”

“Necessary,” he supplied, noting how her eyes flashed appreciation. “Oh, before I forget, I brought lunch.”

She blinked, her chin jerking back slightly. “Lunch?”

“It was lunchtime, and I stopped to get a sandwich. Figured you might be working and need to eat, too.” Feeling more like himself, he grinned as she opened the door leading back to the morgue lobby.

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