Partners in Crime by Rolando Hinojosa

Author:Rolando Hinojosa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: epub, ebook, QuarkXPress
ISBN: 111-1-11-111111-1
Publisher: Arte Público Press

The Lab Man leans on a mortician and Mim Elder has a request.

21

Elder’s funeral was scheduled for Friday afternoon, October 27, three days after the murder; Henry Dietz had worked feverishly as had the other lab personnel, and on Thursday, Dietz, Irene Paredes and the Lab Man’s chief assistant, a fingerprint technician named Ted Pilkington, drove Dutch Elder’s body to River Delta Mortuary; a clear disregard of the existing contract between the County and “those ghouls” as the Lab Man called them. But, as he also said, “This is for Mim Elder.”

And it was; a personal favor. Dietz looked at a stack of expensive coffins, inspected them and stood by the last one in the stack. He checked it for flaws and then he tested its solidity and workmanship. Henry Tolleson, owner and operator of River Delta Mortuary, stood by disapprovingly, but Dietz ignored him. Satisfied with the condition of one of the coffins, Dietz took Tolleson by the elbow and sat him down.

“Henry, it’s going to be a small funeral; it’s going to be a short service; and it’s going to be absolutely free; free of interference from you, free of Harvey Bollinger and it’s also going to be free, gratis.

Tolleson glared at Dietz, but the Lab Man ignored this, too. “Now, Culley’s going to say a few words at the chapel. My wife is going to play the organ, and Betty Chapman and Effie Dorson are going to sing Strong Deliverer.

“While the services are being conducted inside the chapel, Mim Elder’s going to be out at graveside. Alone. And, she stays there as long as she wants to. You’re to stay outside the chapel door. When she leaves, you come in and tell me about it, Henry. Now, was there any word you didn’t understand?”

Henry Tolleson looked at his namesake and shook his head. There was fear and anger in his eyes, a dangerous combination at times, but not here; not from Tolleson. He coughed, and said, “Oh, yes, one question: If Mr. Bollinger . . . ”

But the Lab Man raised his hand and stopped him on the spot. “He won’t be there; he won’t be at the chapel; and he won’t be at graveside. Any other question?”

A look of incomprehension from Tolleson, and Henry Dietz let him sit there.

“Another thing.”

Tolleson looked up.

“I hear of one photographer showing up, Henry, and you’re going to have me round your neck every day of your life.”

But Tolleson wasn’t down yet. He pursed his lips, glared at Dietz and was about to speak when the Lab Man was on him immediately: “You think not, Henry Tolleson? You have any idea what I can do to bodies out there at the Lab before your boys pick ’em up?”

Tolleson was going down, but the Lab Man wasn’t through with him: “You couldn’t pay ’em enough to work for you.”

A long pause.

“You’re in charge of everything, beginning right now. I’m bringing the body in through the front door. Dutch Elder isn’t a piece of meat.

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