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27； at two…fifteen in the afternoon。 We are joined by Detective Sergeant…？〃
〃Lieutenant Vincent。〃
〃Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta； of the NYPD。 We have here…〃
Fred read off the tag。 〃William Howard Bridgeman； number 33…A45。〃
〃I am now removing the covering。〃 The thick plastic crackled。
There was a short silence。 D'Agosta had a sudden flash of the gutted dog he'd seen that morning。 The trick is not to think too much。 Don't think about your own Vinnie； eighth birthday just next week。
Dr。 Ziewicz took a deep breath。 〃We have here a Caucasian male； a boy； age about； ah； ten to twelve years； height； well； I can't give a height for this one because it's decapitated。 Maybe four feet ten inches； maybe five feet？ Weight； about ninety pounds。 This is very approximate。 The state of the body is such that I can see no other identifying marks。 Eye color and facial features indeterminate due to massive head trauma。〃
〃No anterior wounds or marks on the feet； legs； or genitals。 Fred； please sponge off the abdominal area 。。。 thank you。 There are an undetermined number of large lacerations proceeding from the left anterior pectoral region at a hundred and ninety degree angle downward through the costals； sternum； and terminating at the right anterior abdominal region。 This is a massive wound； perhaps two feet long and a foot wide。 It appears that the pectoralis minor and pectoralis major are separated from the external thoracic cavity； the external and internal intercostals are separated； and the body is eviscerated to a great degree。 The sternal process has been split and the rib cage exposed。 Massive hemorrhaging in the aortal…it's hard to see before cleaning and exploration。
〃Fred； clean the edge of the thoracic cavity。 The viscera that are clearly exposed and fully protuberant are the stomach； small and large intestines。 The retroperitoneal organs appear to be in situ。
〃Sponge the neck off； Fred。 The neck area shows signs of trauma； some bruising； perhaps indicative of extravasation； possible spinal dislocation。
〃Now for the head 。。。 dear God。〃
In the silence； Fred cleared his throat。
〃The head is decapitated between the axial process and the atlas。 The entire occipital portion of the calvarium and half the parietal process have been crushed； or rather seemingly punched through and removed； by means unknown； leaving a hole perhaps ten inches in diameter。 The skull is empty。 The entire brain appears to have fallen out or been extracted through this hole 。。。 The brain； or what is left of it； is in a pan here to the right of the head； but there is no indication of its original position vis…à…vis the body。〃
〃It was found in pieces near the body；〃 said D'Agosta。
〃Thank you； Lieutenant。 But where's the rest of it？〃
〃That's all there was。〃
〃No。 Something's missing。 You got full scene…of…crime series for this？〃
〃Of course；〃 said D'Agosta； trying not to show his annoyance。
〃The brain is severely traumatized。 Fred； bring me a number 2 scalpel and transverse speculum。 The brain appears to have been severed at the medulla oblongata。 The pons Varolii is intact； but separate。 The cerebellum shows surface lacerations but is otherwise intact。 There is little evidence of bleeding； indicating postmortem trauma。 There's the body of fornix； attached。 The cerebrum has been pletely severed from the mesencephalon and the mesencephalon has been bisected and…look； Fred； there's no thalamoid region。 And no pituitary。 That's what's missing。〃
〃What's that？〃 asked D'Agosta。 He willed himself to look more closely。 The brain； sitting in a stainless…steel pan； looked a hell of a lot more liquid than solid。 He turned away。 Baseball。 Think about baseball。 A pitch； the sound of a bat 。。。
〃The thalamus and the hypothalamus。 The body's regulator。〃
〃The body's regulator；〃 repeated D'Agosta。
〃The hypothalamus regulates body temperature； blood pressure； heartbeat； and the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates。 Also the sleep…wake cycle。 We think it holds the centers of pleasure and pain。 It's a very plicated organ； Lieutenant。〃 She looked fixedly at him； anticipating a question。 D'Agosta mumbled dutifully； 〃How does it do all that？〃
〃Hormones。 It secretes hundreds of regulatory hormones into the brain and bloodstream。〃
〃Yeah；〃 D'Agosta replied。 He stepped back。 The baseball soaring deep into center field； the center fielder dropping back； glove raised 。。。
〃Fred e over here and look at this；〃 Ziewicz said sharply。
Fred bent over the pan。 〃It looks like 。。。 Well； I don't know 。。。〃
〃e on； Fred；〃 Ziewicz coaxed。
〃Well； it looks almost like…〃 Fred paused。 〃Like a bite was taken out。〃
〃Exactly。 Photographer！〃 Delbert rushed forward。 〃Get this。 Looks just like when one of my kids takes a bite out of a cake。〃
D'Agosta leaned forward； but he could see nothing special in the gray； bloody mess。
〃It's semicircular； like a human's； but it appears larger； more ragged than you'd expect。 We'll take sections。 Let's test for the presence of salivase enzymes； Fred； just in case。 Take this to the lab； tell them to flashfreeze it and microsection here； here； and here。 Five sections each。 Stain at least one with eosinophil。 Stain one with salivase activating enzyme。 Anything else you or they can think of。〃
As Fred left； Ziewicz continued。 〃I am now bisecting the cerebrum。 The posterior lobe is bruised； consistent with removal from the cranium。 Photograph。 The surface shows three parallel lacerations or incisions； approximately four millimeters apart； about half an inch deep。 I am parting the first incision。 Photograph。 Lieutenant； see how these lacerations start wide and then converge？ What do you think？〃
〃I don't know；〃 D'Agosta said； peering a little closer。 It's just a dead brain； he thought。
〃Long fingernails； maybe？ Sharpened fingernails？ I mean； do we have a homicidal psychopath on our hands？〃
Fred returned from the lab； and they continued working on the brain for what seemed an eternity to D'Agosta。 Finally； Ziewicz told Fred to put it in the refrigerator。
〃I will now examine the hands；〃 she spoke into the microphone。 She removed a plastic bag from the right hand and carefully resealed it。 Then she lifted the hand； rotated it； examined the fingernails。 〃There is foreign matter under the thumb； index； and ring fingers。 Fred； three well slides。〃
〃He's just a kid；〃 D'Agosta said。 〃You'd expect his fingernails to be dirty。〃
〃Perhaps； Lieutenant；〃 Ziewicz replied。 She scraped the material into small depressions in the slides； one finger at a time。 〃Fred； the stereozoom？ I want to look at this。〃
Ziewicz placed the slide on the stage； peered down； and adjusted the instrument。
〃Normal fingernail dirt under the thumb； from the looks of it。 Same with the others。 Fred； full analysis； just in case。〃
There was nothing of interest on the left hand。
〃I will now；〃 Ziewicz continued； 〃examine the longitudinal trauma to the anterior portion of the body。 Del； photographs； here； here； and here； and whatever else you think will show the wound best。 Close…ups of the areas of penetration。 It looks like the killer has done our Y…incision for us； wouldn't you s