Mike Ashley - The Mammoth Book of Perfect Crimes and Impossible Mysteries

“I am Doctor Ford,” the woman said. “You must be Bat. Emma said you would be coming by to see me. Please, come in.”

She turned and went inside, leaving them to follow her or not. Bat and House exchanged a glance. Both men were obviously even more taken aback by the fact that she was black, let alone a woman.

They followed her inside, Bat first. They found her in a modestly furnished living room. She was in her late twenties, her hair pulled back tightly, her skin very dark and smooth.

“My surgery is through there,” she said, inclining her head toward a door, “but we can talk in here. Would either of you like refreshments?”

“No, uh, Ma’am,” Bat said. “We might as well just get to it. Did Emma tell you what we wanted?”

“No,” the woman said, “she just told me that you needed a doctor and she recommended me. What is it you need done, gentlemen?”

“An autopsy,” Bat said.

“Just one?”

“At first,” he said. “Maybe two more, but those victims are already buried.”

She looked at House.

“You’re a policeman?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “Inspector House.”

“Then this is about the three women who have been killed?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And autopsies have not yet been done?”

“No, Ma’am,” House said. “We, uh, didn’t even think of it until Bat mentioned it.”

“You would be paid by the city,” Bat said.

“I’m not worried about that,” she said. “If I can help catch this maniac I’m happy to do it. May I perform the autopsy at the St Joseph’s Hospital, on Franklin Street?”

“You can have it done anywhere you want, Doctor,” Bat said. “We’ll have the body brought there… when?”

“As soon as possible,” she said. “Immediately, in fact. I’ll go there now.”

“We’ll have the body brought right over,” Bat said, “and thank you, Doctor.”

“Thank you for asking me, Mr Masterson,” she said. “I’m happy to help.”

Bat and House left. The buggy they’d ridden there was waiting for them outside.

“We’ll leave this one here to take her to the hospital. We can find a cab around the corner,” Bat said.

“You really think she can do this, Bat?” House asked.

“She’s a doctor, House,” Bat said. “Let’s just go and arrange for the body to be brought to her.”

Bat headed for the corner and the Inspector followed him, still dubious.

Bat Masterson and Inspector House were waiting outside the operating room while Doctor Ford performed the autopsy on the third dead woman, Jessica Williams. House kept nervously looking through the window of the closed door.

“Relax,” Bat said. “She knows how to cut into a body.”

“I hope so.”

Bat hoped so, too. He wondered why Emma had not told him that Doctor Ford was black. He was careful not to mention it to Chief Flaherty. It was well known that the Chief hated black people.

House backed away from the door quickly and seconds later Doctor Ford came through, wearing a white surgical gown that was now stained with blood and something else that Bat didn’t want to think about.

“What did you find, Doctor?” Bat asked.

“It was a very good idea to have an autopsy performed, Mr Masterson,” she told him. “It’s not what I found that’s interesting-astounding, actually – but what I didn’t find.”

“And what’s that?”

“There are no internal organs,” she said.

“What?” House asked.

“This woman’s internal organs have been removed.”

“But… she wasn’t cut open,” Bat said, “the way the Jack the Ripper victims were.”

“Exactly.”

“And yet they’re… missing?” House asked.

“Yes.”

“But… that’s impossible,” House said.

“Yes,” Doctor Ford said, “it is.”

Flaherty was irate.

“You allowed a black woman to cut open a white girl?” he demanded.

“We allowed a doctor to cut open a dead girl, yes,” Bat said. “If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t know about the missing organs.”

“Does she know what she’s doing?” the Chief demanded.

“Yes, Chief, she does,” Bat said.

Flaherty rubbed his face with both hands. “The Mayor’s gonna be livid.”

“Come on, Chief,” Bat said. “We need to dig up the other two girls so Doctor Ford can examine them as well, see if the same thing is true.”

“The families…” Flaherty said. “The Mayor… the newspapers…”

“I work for a newspaper, Chief, remember?” Bat asked. “I can slant this in a way that will make you look very good.”

That seemed to appeal to the Chief.

“All right, Masterson. I’ll get an order from a judge to exhume both bodies so this… this doctor can examine them. But I’m warning you…” The man pointed a finger.”… this better result in us catching this maniac.” He looked directly at Inspector House. “Understand?”

It took two days but eventually Bat and House were standing outside the operating room at St Joseph’s Hospital again, waiting.

“If she finds the same thing,” House said, “what are we gonna do? We’ll have three impossible murders. Yet, how can it be impossible if it’s been done?”

“That’s a very good question,” Bat said. “I guess we’ll have to wait for the doctor to answer that one. I’ll tell you one thing, I can’t wait for this to be over so I can go back to being a sportsman and nothing else.”

“I’ve heard people refer to you that way,” House said. “As a sportsman? Is that how you prefer to be known, these days?”

“It’s as good a way as any,” Bat said. “Especially since I now have my own club.”

“I’m sure Mr Floto is not all that thrilled about that.”

“Well,” Bat said, “that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”

At that moment the door opened and Dr Ford came walking out, clad in her white spattered gown.

“Well,” she said, “it’s the same.”

“Damn it,” House said. “This is too strange.”

“Doctor,” Bat said, “did you find anything at all that might explain what’s going on?”

“I have found something,” she said. “It’s on all three women, but I don’t know that I can explain it.”

“Anything would help,” Inspector House said.

“There is an incision, a very small incision, on their left side.”

“All three?” Bat asked.

“Yes.”

“And that’s all?”

“Yes.”

“Could the organs have been removed through that?” Bat asked.

“It doesn’t seem possible, but…”

“But what, Doctor?” Bat asked. “If you’ve got an idea, don’t hold back.”

“That’s all it is,” she said, “an idea. Just something I remember from medical school. If I could have some time-”

“Give us an idea of what you’re talking about,” Bat suggested, “and then take the time you need.”

“Well, I’m thinking about… mummification.”

“Mummi-what’s that?” House asked.

“Mummies?” Bat asked. “You mean like, in ancient Egypt?”

“Yes.”

“Egypt?” House asked, still looking confused.

“When they mummified their dead,” Dr Ford explained, “part of the ritual was to remove all the internal organs.”

“But… through a small incision like the one you described?”

“I seem to remember… something about a small incision, but I don’t recall how it was done. I can do some research at the museum, talk to the Egyptian expert there.”

“Can that be done today?” Bat asked.

“I don’t see why not?”

“Then I’ll take you there, Doctor.”

“I don’t need to be taken, Mr Masterson-”