The Floating Corpse

by James Walker

  “First, I’d like to point out that this is the first and only autopsy I have ever done on a newborn. With that being said, there is little I can tell you. Though emaciated, I see no signs of disease or birth defects in the internal organs or brain. An infant’s internal systems develop over time. My best guess is the child was one month to six weeks old when it died. You have to take into account that it would mean the child was abandoned somewhere in early January and it must have quickly frozen, obscuring any estimations. I do believe the decay is about six weeks to two months old.”

  “Which would coincide with our winter thaw,” William pointed out. “Why do you say the child was abandoned?”

  Doctor Blum leaned back in his chair and sighed sadly, “A few things. First, I believe the child had not one but two bowl movements.”

  “Couldn’t that have happened when she died?” I interjected. “Doesn’t the body expel its waste upon death?”

  “Once maybe, Frohman, not twice” William answered. “Judging from whoever careful swaddled of the child, I doubt they would leave the child in its own mess.”

  Now, I almost called him on that. He had no children, but I have seen first- hand from my nephew just how many times a baby could mess itself!

  “The clincher” the doctor started up again, “was the frostbite. A baby has no real regulation of its body temperature, so the fingers, toes, and even the nose had severe frostbite.”

  “Yeah, but you said the child froze in the cold temperatures.” I reminded him. I’m not sure why I played the devil’s advocate; I suppose I didn’t want to really believe someone would leave the child to die on its own.

  Doctor Blum just took a sip of bourbon and looked at my Uncle. Who nodded slowly and said, “Only the living can suffer frost bite. Dead flesh simply hardens.

  “Is there nothing more you can tell us, Doctor?”

  He spread his hands apart, “I’m sorry I can’t tell you more William, but there was really not much to work with. A newborn is but a few opening notes of a symphony.”

  “Which should have grown into a beautiful song,” William countered as he stood. “Thank you for your efforts, Doctor. Please send me a bill for your time and if you would- contact the undertaker and have him pick up the child and prepare it for burial.”

  “I can do the latter.” he said as we stood. “As for my time-I’ll bill the county.” He winked at me, “Only way I get some of my taxes back!”

  William stuck out his hand and Doctor Blum shook it. As I grabbed our stuff, William said to him,

  “If you think of something else-inform me immediately.” He turned to walk away, but stopped, “Oh, and could you have the child’s things sent to my home. We came on motorbikes.”

  Doctor Blum shook his head, “You’re going to kill yourself on that contraption. I’ll send them over first thing tomorrow.”

  William nodded, and we made our way back to the waiting room, where we found the Nurse in a conversation with a guy about my age. He recognized my uncle and broke off his story- which did not make the nurse any happier with us!

  “Hello, Mr. Gillette. Feeling O.K.?”

  “I am fine, Marquis. I came to see Doctor Blum on another matter.”

  “Oh!” Marquis snapped his fingers. “I meant to tell you-I’ve put the same kind of system on my boat as you have on the Aunt Polly! You know, the one that pumps air in and water out of the bilge.”

  “I remember discussing it with you. How is it working out?”

  “It’s not hooked up yet. I just got the pump machinery and secured it to the deck.”

  “Well let me know how it works out.” He looked about the room then leaned in and asked in a low voice, “Tell me, are you making a run upriver soon?”

  Marquis beamed, “This afternoon, as a matter of fact. Want some more of that…special delivery? He winked. The usual six cases, if you would be so kind. Any chance you can procure more?”

  Marquis shook his head. “Six is the limit they’ll give me, for now anyways. Next month I think I can bump that up a couple of cases, though.”

  “Excellent. I’ll expect you the day after tomorrow then.” With that, William touched his forehead and headed out the door.

  The nurse and Catty’s brother Marquis, turned their eyes to me, but I felt a bit awkward, as William failed to introduce us, so I just nodded at them and followed my uncle out.

  As I was walking out the door, Marquis said in an exaggerated tone, “My, he’s young and pretty, ain’t he?” The nurse squealed with amusement. I hesitated at the door, knowing full well what he was implying about my relationship with my Uncle. Back in my college days, I would have challenged him to a duel and took an inch off one of his earlobes for an insult like that. Instead, I swallowed my pride and kept facing forward as I went out the door. I was determined not to make trouble for my uncle.

  So deep in thought was Uncle Will that he seemed surprised when I stepped up to his side. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye and said, “Forgive me for not introducing you to Catherine’s brother. I would not have hesitated if I thought you two had anything at all in common. Knowing you both, I doubt very much that you would get along.”

  “How right you are,” I replied.

  William gave me the raised eyebrows, but I didn’t elaborate.

  10

  We walked about a block when we came upon a two storied brick building, as wide as three houses with driveways on both sides. Wide steps ran the length of the front of the building that led to twin doors, set into the center. The doors opened as we walked up and two cops in uniform came out. When the doors shut behind them, the word ‘POLICE’, was painted across the top.

  “Hullo, Mr. Gillette,” one of the men called out in greeting as he took the steps down to us quickly.

  “Good Afternoon, Sargent,” William held out his hand. “My congratulations on your promotion.”

  The man stopped a step above William’s, making him the same height, and took the proffered hand. “Well, I have you to thank for some of that.” He turned and looked at me, “You must be Charlie Frohman’s boy. I hear you made quite an entrance at the station yesterday.” His eyes narrowed and his visage grew stern which is another way of putting ‘Being a public nuisance!

  Before I could respond, he turned his attention back to my uncle and said in a low voice. “I’m sorry to hear of your troubles this morning Mr. Gillette. Terrible to come across such a thing on your property. Let me know if I can do anything for you.”

  “There is something Sargent if you can spare the time in your new duties. I would appreciate it if you or anyone learns anything about the child’s identity to please let me know. I will not bury that child without a name.”

  The Sargent was surprised by his vehement statement, but he didn’t hesitate when he replied, “I’ll set the boys on it right away. If there are any missing babies, we should know it in a couple of days. I’ll ring your house if I learn anything sooner.”

  “Excellent. May I also trouble you for a list of any and all mid-wives in the area? Or any woman capable of assisting in a birthing?”

  He laughed, “Almost every woman knows how to birth a child! Remember, up ‘til recently, we only had one doctor. Old Doctor Blum couldn’t make it to every birth!”

  “Most gals go at it on their own, with the family women helping out. Some of the more timid ones, or the ones Doctor Blum said may have a difficult time, would ask Auntie Hope to tend them when their time came, but she’s the only one I know of. Tell you what though, the shift changes in ten minutes. I’ll ask the boys coming and going if they know any-along with what they heard about the child. Are you here to see the Chief?”

  “More like ‘light a match under his rear’! I fear the Chief Inspector does not place the same emphasis on finding the little girl’s identity and her killer as an agent of justice as I do, as a mere citizen! That is why I’m counting on you and the men to keep an ear to the ground for me. I will have answers, despite his apat
hy!”

  The Sargent grimaced, “Well, we’ll be glad to help, Mr. Gillette. Don’t be too hard on the boss. He’s been in a tizzy, what with this ‘River Monster’ and being smothered by a bunch of government people. In fact, he’s been on the phone with one folk or another from the state all afternoon, since he got back from your place.”

  “Really? What is going on? What agency are the government agents from?”

  He shook his head and said in a near whisper. “I don’t know. It’s all ‘mums the word’.” He shrugged, “I’m sure we’ll know soon enough. Whatever it is they’re planning they’ll need us for the doing! Anyways, I have to go round up a posse! I’ll let you know what I found out as soon as I can.”

  William nodded, “I shall do the same for you after I’ve talked to the Chief Inspector. It may be that he will let something slip while I badger him.”

  The Sargent laughed, “Wish I could be a fly on the wall! See you in a bit, then.” With that, he cut around us and went down the stairs.

  As we went up the stairs towards the doors I said, “Geez, Uncle Will. I guess we can add the cops to your baker Street Irregulars!”

  He laughed as he skipped up the granite steps. “Like the Sargent pointed out, Frohman, you get a lot of talk from the planners.” He reached the door and grabbed the pull, and then he paused and said to me, “Information and action comes from the doers!”

  He pushed the doors open and strode in like he was doing an opening act. I was surprised to see we were in a rather small foyer that was dominated by a six foot high desk. Other than the desk, the only breaks in the bare gray walls were three doors. One on either end of the facing wall and one directly behind the desk. A youngish looking man in a cop’s uniform was just hanging up a telephone when William started to walk past the desk to the door on the left.

  “Good Afternoon, Andy.” he called out with a wave as he reached for the doorknob.

  The cop looked somewhere between startled and offended, so I kept my head down as he barked, “What can we do for you, Mr. Gillette?”

  William just opened the door and gently pushed me through ahead of him. “We are going to see the Chief Inspector.”

  He tried to shut the door, but the cop was persistent, “Do you have an appointment. He’ll take a piece of my hide if you don’t and I let you through.”

  William flashed him his best smile, “Let him know we are on our way-if it eases your mind. I promise to assure him of your due diligence.”

  Before the cop could figure out that one, William shut the door and gestured for me to follow as he entered the big room.

  It was as big as any prescient I had been in, on the few occasions in my college years that got out of hand. There was a long row of filing cabinets and desks along left wall that were occupied by men in plain clothing and women typing away and bustling around the room with stacks of papers in their hands. The room was divided down the center by a low wood railing from the open spaces on the right that held a few benches and three separate hallways leading off further to the right.

  William didn’t hesitate as everyone looked up and gave us a glance. A few of the men called out to him and he touched his cane to the brim of his hat without breaking stride. He broke right into the nearest hallway and it was deserted until we got about four feet from a door that had ‘Chief Inspector’ written on a large glass pane. Suddenly, the flatfoot who was at the front desk popped up in front of us. He must have come through the other door to cut us off. I started to wonder if Uncle Will over played his hand.

  “I’m going to assume you didn’t hear me earlier,” he said, with a mean glint in his eye, “when I explained that you need an appointment! The Chief is busy today!”

  “The Chief Inspector is expecting me, Corporal.” William replied simply.

  The Corporal put his hands on his hips and replied in a sarcastic tone, “Every time something out of the ordinary happens around here, the Chief is expecting you!”

  William stared at him for a moment then just stepped to the left and rapped the wooden part of the door twice with the head of his cane.

  “Chief Inspector Rowan!”, he called out in a loud voice.

  There was a long moment when no one spoke, and the Corporal was starting to look smug, when a muffled, ‘Come in William’ came through the door.

  William stepped smartly around the stunned copper and went right through the door, leaving me to face the red faced man in uniform. At least I was smart enough this time to keep my mouth shut as I quickly stepped into William’s shadow.

  He followed us in, and we all found the Chief, sitting at his desk and talking on a telephone.

  “Yes sir!” he said loudly into the mouthpiece. “Of course, sir…. No sir…I won’t let you down, sir…Thank you, sir...Good-bye, sir.”

  As soon as he hung up the talking end, the Corporal said quickly, “I’m sorry, sir! I explained to these gentlemen that they need to make an appointment, but…”

  “That’s alright, Andy,” Rowan said calmly. “Go on back to the desk.”

  Andy nodded and with a quick dirty glance in our direction, went out the door, shutting it hard enough to let us know his feelings.

  Rowan deliberately ignored us for a moment as he pretended to ponder a map that covered half his desk. Even I could see it was a map of the town and surrounding area. I could clearly see the river and the train tracks that crossed through the county. When William craned his neck to get a better look at it, Rowan quickly folded it over. He sat back and gave my uncle a cool look.

  “Well, Mr. Gillette! I guess I can deduce why you’re here. You even brought young Watson along. You can’t possibly believe I’ve cracked the case already? I haven’t even heard from Tom yet.”

  I’d have slapped him silly for his tone of voice, if he wasn’t the law in these parts. I saw a muscle twitch in my Uncle’s jaw, but he stayed composed. “There is no need to be flippant, Chief Inspector. I am here to assure myself that you will give this crime the gravity it deserves.”

  Rowan clasped his hands and lowered his head, as if he had to control himself, He looked my way and suddenly, his head snapped up. He tilted it sideways and then got up and walked around the desk to me. Chief Inspector Rowan reached out and pulled my jacket back to reveal my sidearm. I resisted the urge to slap his hand away and he quickly let my lapel go to settle back on my chest.

  “Pretty fancy rig you got there, Watson. Just why are you toting that peashooter?”

  “Frohman has offered his protection, which I accepted. I assure you he is proficient with a pistol.” William put in for me.

  Rowan looked stern and pointed a finger at my nose. “If that piece clears your little leather pouch, you’d better have a good reason! And if it goes off, unless it’s in protection of William’s life or yours, you’ll find yourself looking out the bars of my holding cell! Got that, Watson?”

  “Anything you say, Lestrade!” I snapped back, tired of his pompous attitude. If he was going to keep calling me Watson, he could take the mantle of the thick, bumbling Scotland Yard Inspector.

  That put some flush in his pasty face. “Don’t you crack wise with me! I don’t care who your father was, I…”

  “Gentlemen!” William barked, cutting off the Chief’s tirade. “This animosity is unseemly and unnecessary! Could we please dispense with the posturing and address the matter at hand?”

  I was about to wise off again, but William gave me the look and I snapped my jaw shut. Rowan was on the same track, but he let it go after giving me one last warning look. He hitched up his pants and flopped back into his chair.

  “Look, William. I promise I’ll read the Doctor Blum’s report the second it hits my desk. Then, we’ll take it from there. Good enough?”

  “Hardly. I have already seen the doctor and he has little to tell us that would lead to the child’s identity.”

  “Then, I don’t know what else you expect me to do. I already had Andy double check the birth records and they sho
w no babies unaccounted for. And before you ask again, there were no missing persons reports filed for a newborn.”

  “Then you shall need to approach this enigma from another angle.”

  He sighed and leaned back in his seat, “And I will, William. As soon as I get the time. I promise. But, right now, I have too much on my plate. First, I have to deal with this ‘River Monster’ hysteria. The whole town has gone mad over it and someone is going to get hurt, or worse, if I don’t put an end to it real soon!”

  “Bah! ‘River Monster’! You talk to me about fantasies and yet you call my quest for justice a ‘wild goose chase’?

  “Believe it or not, William, I still have to deal with the hunters and the frightened. Besides, now, well you heard the Lieutenant Governor’s call. Something important is happening and I’m going to need every man in this department to be detailed for a special assignment I’ve been given.”

  William tilted his head and asked, “What is so important it needs all your manpower?”

  Rowan leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. With a sly look he said, “Oh no, my friend! Not this time! This operation is hush-hush from the very top! Even I don’t know the half of it and it’ll be my job if word leaks out, so don’t think I’m going to say anything more about it. You’re not going to pry it out of me this time!”

  William just stared at him for a moment, his patented smirk playing on his lips. Then he said, “Very well, Chief Inspector. Since, you deem your other duties more important, I will just have to take matters into my own hand!”

  Rowan put his hands up in surrender. “If you feel so strongly about it then be my guest! Hell, I’ll even deputize you and Watson if you’d like.”

  I had to bite my tongue as I stood, for William lifted a finger off his cane to signal me to silence.

  “That won’t be necessary. I only require a free hand and perhaps your influence, should I meet opposition.”

  Rowan stood as if the meeting was over. I nodded to him and headed for the door. I had to smile as I heard William say to Rowan in a soft voice, “Frohman is a good man, Kevin. But I must warn you- bait him at your own peril!”