Page 117 of Near Miss

The ME reentered the room, ten minutes later. “Preliminary cause of death, a small puncture wound in the neck, near the base of the skull,” he said.

“Ice pick,” Dino said.

“Possibly. Doesn’t appear to be a small-caliber gunshot: no powder burns.”

“Any other news?” Dino asked.

“Not before I’ve got him splayed on a table,” the ME said. “Can you contain yourselves for a few hours?”

“We can,” Dino said. “There’s not going to be much news, anyway.”

“You’re a very nice policeman,” the ME said. “Good day.” He closed his bag and left.

“I’ll bet nobody’s ever called you a ‘very nice policeman,’ before,” Stone said.

“Not outside of the sack,” Dino said. “My wife sometimes calls me that after a bout in the hay.”

“What other affectionate terms does she use?” Carly asked.

“Ask me when I’ve had a couple of drinks,” Dino said to her.

“I wish Rawls were here,” Stone said, looking at his watch. “I can never remember what time it is in England.”

Dino glanced at his watch. “Middle of dinner, I should think.”

Stone’s phone rang. “Yes?”

“It’s Rawls. We had a good flight and Sarah has a pair of shotguns that we’ve cleaned, oiled, and loaded with buckshot.”

“I’ll bet Carly can smell the gun oil from here,” Stone said.

“Oh, stop it,” Carly said.

Rawls laughed. “Has she been confounding you all with her powers?”

“She has. She just nailed the time of death of a corpse in my office at home, ahead of the ME.”

“Good going, Carly!” he hooted. “Who’s dead?”

“Peter Greco, ice-picked in the neck and delivered fairly fresh.”

“Oh, shit. I got out just in time, didn’t I?”

“I hope so. And I hope you’re not next, because I’m in line right after you.”

“You’re just going to have to kill the next Russian in line, since I’m not there to do it for you.”

“I would, but I don’t think our police commissioner will let me.”

“Maybe somebody in his shop can tell us who’s in line afterGreco. He’ll be the guy who hired the Sarge. I don’t have a guess, I’m afraid.”

“I’ll ask.”

“Do you want me to come back tomorrow and watch your ass?”

“Don’t bother. Strategic Services have that view of me.”

“I’m always available, once I’ve relaxed. I got relaxed on the flight over, when nobody shot us down.”

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