True Blue

CHAPTER 66

REMEMBER ME, Doc?”

Mace stood in the front lobby of the police forensic facility. Roy was waiting out in the car. Lowell Cassell, the chief medical examiner, smiled.

“I was both surprised and thrilled when they told me you were here.”

“I see you’re still in the habit of working late.”

“Your sister has cut down considerably on the homicide rate, but unfortunately my backlog is still full.”

They shook hands and then did a quick hug.

“It’s so good to see you, Mace.”

She smiled. “I missed you too, Doc.”

Mace looked around. “They were just about to finish this place when I… went away.”

Cassell nodded. “Yes. I hope Beth communicated my sentiments on that subject to you?”

“Loud and clear.”

“So tell me, what can I do for you?”

“Well, I wanted to come by, see you, see this place.”

“And?”

“I was wondering about a certain investigation.”

“Diane Tolliver?”

“How’d you guess?”

“Let’s discuss this in private.”

A minute later they were seated in his office.

“Diane Tolliver?” Mace prompted.

“It’s an ongoing investigation.”

“That I know.”

“Then you also know it’s not something I can really talk about.”

“Look, Doc, I know I’m not with the blues anymore.”

“If it were up to me I’d show you the entire file, but it’s not up to me.”

“Beth told me some things already.”

“She’s the chief, I’m simply a worker bee.”

“Anyway, hypothetically speaking, if I were working the case I’d like to see the autopsy report, list of trace found at the site, tox report, rape kit results, you know, the usual.”

“If you were working the case.”

Mace stood and paced. “Thing is, I can’t work the case because I can’t be a blue. At least with a felony conviction hanging over my head.”

“That’s right.”

“Unless circumstances change.”

He looked intrigued. “How would they change?”

“I prove I was innocent. Or else.”

“Or else what?”

“I solve a case. A big case.”

“I see. Wasn’t there an FBI agent years ago who did something like that?”

“He actually came to visit me in prison.”

“Then I can see your motivation.”

“Doc, being a cop is all I know. Beth could be anything. She could be running some Fortune 100 company if she put her mind to it, or else be president of the United States. I’m a blue, that’s all I can be.”

“Don’t short-change yourself, Mace.”

“Let me rephrase that. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”

“I can understand that. Especially considering what happened to your father.”

“You knew him, didn’t you?”

“I had that privilege. And it makes it doubly hard to accept that Mona Danforth is right this moment occupying his old office.”

“When I was in prison all I thought about was getting out and seeing Beth. And then proving my innocence and getting back on the force. It seemed so possible in there.”

“But now?”

“Not so possible,” Mace said resignedly.

“But you have to try? Even if it means you might go back to prison?”

“I don’t want to go back. God knows I don’t. But living free outside the uniform?” She paused, searching for the right words. “It feels like I’m right back in the box with bars even though I’m free. I guess that’s hard to understand.”

“No, it’s actually not.”

“So I’m here asking for your help. Because I can’t solve this case without some forensic information.”

She sat down, her gaze squarely on him.

He stared back at her for a moment before rising. “I don’t have the tox report or the DNA match results back yet.”

“Okay.”

He opened a file cabinet, took out some documents, and put them on his desk. “I need to use the restroom. Damn prostate. Be grateful you don’t have one. I’ll be back in a bit.” Before he left, he lifted the cover on the tabletop copier on a credenza behind his desk. “Just replaced the toner and loaded in a full supply of paper.”

He closed the door behind him. A second later Mace was copying as fast as she could.