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ely at the design in the hallway carpet。
〃Any idea on the cause of LeBaron's death？〃 asked the sheriff。
〃Too soon to tell。 The lab results were inconclusive。 I want to run some more tests。 Too many things don't add up。 I don't mind admitting； this one is a puzzler。〃
〃No guesses？〃
〃Nothing I'd put on paper。 Problem is the incredibly rapid rate of deposition。 I've seldom seen tissue disintegrate so fast； except maybe once back in 1974。〃
Before Sweat could prod Rooney's recollection； they reached the morgue office and entered。 The governor's aide； a slippery type in a three…piece suit； jumped up。 Even before he opened his mouth； Rooney classified him as a jerk。
〃Can we please get the show on the road； Sheriff。 Mrs。 LeBaron is most unfortable and would like to return to her hotel as soon as possible。〃
〃I sympathize with her；〃 the sheriff drawled。 〃But I shouldn't have to remind a public servant that there are certain laws we must follow。〃
〃And I needn't remind you； the governor expects your department to extend every courtesy to ease her grief。〃
Rooney marveled at Sweat's stony patience。 The sheriff simply brushed by the aide as though he were walking past trash on a sidewalk。
〃This is our chief medical examiner； Dr。 Rooney。 He will assist with the identification。〃
Jessie LeBaron didn't look the least bit unfortable。 She sat in an orange plastic contour chair； poised； cool； head held high。 And yet Rooney sensed a fragility that was held together by discipline and nerve。 He was an old hand at presiding over corpse identification by relatives。 He'd suffered through the ordeal hundreds of times in his career and instinctively spoke softly and in a gentle manner。
〃Mrs。 LeBaron； I understand what you're going through and will make this as painless as possible。 But first； I wish to make it clear that by simply identifying the effects found on the bodies you will satisfy the laws set down by the state and county。 Second； any physical characteristics you can recall； such as scars； dental work； bone fractures； or surgical incisions； will be of great help in my own identification。 And third； I respectfully beg you not to view the remains。 Though facial features are still recognizable； deposition has done its work。 I think you'd be happier remembering Mr。 LeBaron as he was in life rather than how he looks in a morgue。〃
〃Thank you； Dr。 Rooney；〃 said Jessie。 〃I'm grateful for your concern。 But I must be certain my husband is truly dead。〃
Rooney nodded miserably； and then gestured at a worktable containing several pieces of clothing； wallets； wristwatches； and other personal articles。 〃You've identified Mr。 LeBaron's effects？〃
〃Yes； I have sorted through them。〃
〃And you're satisfied they belonged to him？〃
〃There can be no doubt about the wallet and its contents。 The watch was a gift from me on our first anniversary。〃
Rooney walked over and held it up。 〃A gold Cartier with matching band and roman numerals marked in。 。 。 am I correct in saying they're diamonds？〃
〃Yes； a rare form of black diamond。 It was his birthstone。〃
〃April； I believe。〃
She merely nodded。
〃Besides your husband's personal articles； Mrs。 LeBaron； do you recognize anything belonging to Buck Caesar or Joseph Cavilla？〃
〃I don't recall the jewelry they wore； but I'm certain the other clothing items are what Buck and Joe were wearing when I last saw them。〃
〃Our investigators can find no next of kin of Caesar and Cavilla；〃 said Sweat。 〃It would be most helpful if you can point out which articles of clothing belonged to whom。〃
For the first time Jessie LeBaron faltered。 〃I'm not sure。 。 。 I think the denim shorts and flowered shirt are Buck's。 The other things probably belonged to Joe Cavilla。〃 She paused。 〃May we view my husband's body now？〃
〃I can't change your mind？〃 Rooney asked in a sympathetic voice。
〃No； I must insist。〃
〃You'd best do what Mrs。 LeBaron asks；〃 said the governor's aide； who had yet to introduce himself。
Rooney looked at Sweat and shrugged in resignation。 〃If you will please follow me。 The remains are kept in the refrigeration room。〃
Obediently； everyone trailed him to a thick door with a small window set at eye level and stood in silence as he yanked on a heavy latch。 Cold air spilled over the threshold and Jessie involuntarily shivered as Rooney motioned them inside。 A morgue attendant appeared and led the way to one of the square doors along the wall。 He swung it open； pulled out a sliding stainless steel table； and stood aside。
Rooney took one corner of the sheet covering the corpse and hesitated。 This was the only part of his job he hated。 The reaction to viewing the dead usually fell into four categories。 Those who vomited； those who passed out cold； those who broke into hysterics。 But it was the last type that intrigued Rooney。 The ones who stood as if turned to stone and showed no emotion at all。 He would have given a month's salary to know the thoughts circulating through their minds。
He lifted the sheet。
The governor's aide took one look； made a pathetic groaning sound； and passed out into the arms of the sheriff。 The grisly work of decay was revealed in all its horror。
Rooney was astonished by Jessie's response。 She stared long and hard at the grotesque thing that lay rotting on the table。 She sucked in her breath and her whole body went taut。 Then she raised her eyes； not blinking； and spoke in a calm； controlled voice。
〃That is not my husband！〃
〃Are you positive？〃 Rooney asked softly。
〃Look for yourself；〃 she said in a flat monotone。 〃The hairline is wrong。 So is the bone structure。 Raymond had an angular face。 This one is more round。〃
〃Deposition of the flesh distorts facial features；〃 Rooney explained。
〃Please study the teeth。〃
Rooney looked down。 〃What about them？〃
〃They have silver fillings。〃
〃I don't follow。〃
〃My husband's fillings were gold。〃
There was no arguing with her on that score； thought Rooney。 A man of Raymond LeBaron's wealth wouldn't have settled for cheap dental work。
〃But the watch； the clothing； you identified them as his。〃
〃I don't give a damn what I said！〃 she cried。 〃This loathsome thing is not Raymond LeBaron。〃
Rooney was stunned at her fury。 He stood dazed and unable to speak as she stormed from the icy room。 The sheriff handed the limp aide to the morgue attendant and turned to the coroner。
〃What in hell do you make of that？〃
Rooney shook his head。 〃I don't know。〃
〃My guess is； she went into shock。 Probably fell over the edge and began raving。 You know better than I； most people can't accept the death of a loved one。 She closed her mind and refused to accept the truth。〃
〃She wasn't raving。〃
Sweat looked at him。 〃What do you call it？〃
〃Shrewd acting。〃
〃How did you pick that out of the air？〃
〃The wristwatch；〃 answered Rooney。 〃One of my staff worked nights as a jeweler to put himself through medical school。 He spotted it right off。 The expensive Cartier watch Mrs。 LeBaron gave her husband on their anniversary is a fake； one of those inexpensive reproductions tha