come up with a tentative answer to that question, a deep
velvety voice filled the pockets of silence which, until
that point, had been interrupted only by the receptionist
typing on her computer.
“Ms. Spencer? I’m Dr. Greer. I understand you want
to see me.”
Kathy stood up and extended her hand to the doctor.
“Yes, Dr. Greer. I have something to ask you, but I
didn’t think it would go over too well on the phone. Do
you have a moment to talk to me?”
“Of course. Would you like to come to my office?”
“I would. Thank you, Doctor.”
She followed Dr. Greer through an intricate maze of
narrow hallways, and as she walked a step behind him
she couldn’t help but stare at the pristine white color of
his hair; it was almost hypnotizing, and from a rear view
it was hard to tell where his hair ended and his lab coat
started. Set against the white walls and walking with his
hands in his pockets, Dr. Greer was nearly invisible
from behind, except for the brown trousers that poked
from beneath his coat at knee level.
They entered a small office on the right, and Dr.
Greer invited Kathy to sit on one of the chairs in front of
his desk while he took his place across from her.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about, Ms.
Spencer?”
Kathy scrambled to find the right words that
wouldn’t get her kicked out the moment they came out.
“As I told you on the phone, Doctor, I am a professional
photographer and an amateur iridologist.”
Dr. Greer nodded but didn’t interrupt. Kathy took
his silence as a cue to continue talking. “We discussed
how images immediately leave the eye when they are
transferred to the brain through the optical nerves, but
you mentioned that research is inconclusive when it
comes to the possibility of images leaving a print of sort
on some parts of the eye itself – something very faint,
maybe, like a fingerprint.”
“We already talked about this on the phone, Ms.
Spencer. Is there something else you would like to ask
or discuss?”
Kathy swallowed hard. “Yes, Doctor. I am
wondering if you would allow me to analyze Tracey
Newman’s eyes with an iriscope, and if it is possible for
me to take a few digital photos.”
Silence fell between them for what felt to Kathy like
an eternity. She could almost hear the thumping of her
heart against the chest cavity, and she wondered if Dr.
Greer could hear it too.
“As I previously said, Ms. Spencer, science does not
support your theory.”
“Yes, but what if there is one chance in a million
that I can lift an image? Wouldn’t it be worth trying?
Look, Dr. Greer, I know that arrangements are being
made to transfer Tracey Newman’s body tomorrow. This
is my only chance to do this. Please, I am begging you
to let me try.”
“The eyes are one of the first things in the body to
deteriorate, Ms. Spencer. I doubt you would be able to
get an accurate reading, if you could get anything at all.”
Kathy felt the door between Dr. Greer’s rejection
and his approval cracking slightly, so she quickly slid
her foot in the opening to prevent it from closing on her
dreams of finding Tracey’s killer.
“I understand that, Doctor, and I am prepared for
defeat if necessary.”
“I am not sure I can help you analyze the retina
now. Retina scanning involves a process that could take
some time.”
“I understand; I have done reasonable research on
that. Could I at least look at the iris in both eyes? I have
some instruments with me, and it won’t take long.”
Dr Greer studied Kathy’s face for a few seconds
before he replied.
“Why is this so important to you, Ms. Spencer?”
Kathy didn’t expect this question, and didn’t know
what to respond. “I’m not sure, Doctor. I have become
obsessed with this case, and I feel that if there is one
chance that I can help, I am willing to go all the way
with it.”
“You are interfering with an investigation, Ms.
Spencer.”
“No, not really. You have the body here and have
already conducted an autopsy. I only want to look at the
girl’s eyes.” She was a bit surprised at her own tone, but
determined to stand her ground.
“Very well then,” Dr. Greer said standing up from
the over-stuffed chair he was sitting on, “Do you have
time now? My wife is visiting friends tonight, and she
won’t be home until late.”
Kathy was surprised to hear that Dr. Greer was
married. In her mind she had painted him as single.
“Absolutely! I’m just going to run to my car to pick
up a few things and I will be right back.” Right after she
spoke, she felt embarrassed by the way her words had
come out – she sounded more like a little girl on
Christmas morning than a respected professional.
Before Dr. Greer could re-think his agreement, she
almost ran out the door to go pick up her things from the
trunk of her car.
“Meet me in room C when you get back inside. I’ll
have the body ready for viewing.”
“I will, Dr. Greer! Thank you!”
She passed the receptionist without saying a word to
her, and practically ran to her car where she picked up
two small cases from the trunk and went back inside.
The receptionist was ready to say something when she
saw her walking in, but Kathy sped by her desk again
and disappeared through the white door before any
sounds could escape from the young woman’s lips.
She tried to remember the path she had followed
earlier with Dr. Greer, but one hallway led to another
and in no time she was lost. She felt relief pour through
her when she saw a young man clad in green scrubs
walking toward her. His dark hair and complexion,
along with the colorful attire, were a welcome change
from the ethereal appearance of a place entirely bathed
in white.
“Excuse me, can you direct me to room C? Dr.
Greer is expecting me there.”
The man smiled, and his front teeth showed a small
gap which Kathy found unique and attractive.
“Yes, it’s right down the hallway on the left. Third
door on your right.”
“Thank you.” She smiled back and hurried to the
room where Dr. Greer was waiting for her.
When she walked into the room, Dr. Greer was
standing beside a gurney where a body lay covered by a
white sheet. One of the pasty white feet protruded from
the bottom of the sheet, and the first thing Kathy
thought of was to check if the reputed toe tag was
indeed attached to the body the way she always saw in
movies. She didn’t see one, but since the other foot was
covered, she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t there.
The room
emanated a strange odor – a mixture of rubbing alcohol
and formaldehyde. The overhead neon light bathed the
entire room, and reflected against the white tiles of a
nearby table to lend a sparkle to one of the surgical tools
on a tray set right beside it.
“Here is Tracey Newman, Ms. Spencer. I will allow
you to take a few photographs of her eyes, but you will
need to do it quickly.”
Kathy nodded and pulled both the iriscope and her
camera from the black leather bag she retrieved from the
car.
“I will need to have her eyes propped open for a
short while.”
“That’s going to be the tricky part, but we can try.”
Dr. Greer picked up two shiny tools that reminded
Kathy of pliers, positioning one on the top lid and one
on the skin beneath the eye. He pulled gently until the
first eye opened and the iris was exposed.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to get much of a
reading. As I mentioned earlier, the eyes are one of the
first organs to become compromised.”
Kathy stared at Tracey’s open eye, the pupil beneath
the milky layer dilated so dramatically that almost no
color was left. She felt a deep shiver originating in the
deepest part of her stomach and working its way first up
her arms and then down to her shaking hands. She
positioned the EyePix Handheld in front of Tracey’s
eyes, happy to have chosen a portable device instead of
the full package which requires one to sit in front of the
iriscope. Tracey obviously wouldn’t have been able to
sit and stare into a camera positioned on a table stand,
and Kathy would have had a hard time positioning the
camera correctly otherwise. She took several photos
with the iriscope and a few with her own camera. She
would have loved to take some pictures of the retina
also, but she was fairly sure that Dr. Greer would not
agree to dissect Tracey’s eyes to reach the retina situated
at the back of each orb. Keeping her thoughts to herself,
she prepared the cameras again to shoot images from the
other eye.
When she was finished, she capped the lenses of
both cameras, and Dr. Greer gently pulled the lids
closed over Tracey’s eyes. He examined the eyes closely
and walked to the tray near the table to pick up
something that looked like needle and thread. “I will
have to stitch the lids closed. Unfortunately, skin doesn’t
retain much elasticity after death.”
He skillfully placed a stitch into each lid and in no
time at all Tracey appeared to be sleeping peacefully
once again.
“So, why did you use two different cameras?”
“One of them is not a simple camera; it’s a tool used
in iridology.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I’m afraid I don’t know much
about it.”
“Iridology is the study of the iris. It is believed that
eyes aren’t only the window of the soul, but also
terminals for most nerve endings in the body; I guess it
follows the same concept as reflexology. Professional
iridologists can detect illness in different areas of the
body just by looking at a patient’s eyes. I took a course
in it once; found it fascinating. I started looking around
for a bargain on a camera and found one online for only
five-hundred dollars.”
Dr. Greer whistled. Kathy smiled.
“Yes, I know, it is a small fortune for a tool I very
rarely use, but the new ones go for as much as three
thousand dollars. The day after I bought it I wondered if
I had lost my mind for ‘throwing so much money down
the toilet’, as my husband-at-the-time very colorfully
said. I knew the day would come when it would be
handy. I never expected to become a professional
iridologist, but I toyed with the idea of studying this
new field to add an understanding of alternative
medicine to my existing medical background.”
“So, how does it work?”
“It takes very high resolution photos of the iris. The
photos can then be sent to a computer for viewing. I can
go into detail if you wish to know the technicalities.”
“Oh, no, thank you. I think I will stick with
traditional medicine. I’m too old for such innovative
approaches.” Dr. Greer replied as he pulled up the sheet
to cover Tracey’s face.
Kathy packed her equipment and placed the black
leather bag on the table to shake the doctor’s hand.
‘Thank you so much for your help, Dr. Greer. I really
appreciate everything you’ve done. I am aware of the
fact that you had to bypass a few rules to accommodate
my requests, and I am very grateful.”
“No problem, young lady. Nothing and nobody
were harmed in the process, and as you mentioned, the
autopsy is already completed, so I don’t have to worry
about compromising any important evidence. When will
you download the photos?”
“I was going to bring my laptop, but my computer
at the studio in much newer, and I prefer to download
the images on that one.”
“Well, let me know if anything turns out, although I
hope you won’t be too disappointed if you find less than
you expect, Ms. Spencer.”
“Maybe so, Doctor, but I have to give it a try.”
Dr. Greer nodded and walked Kathy to the door.
“Have a great evening, Ms. Spencer, and tell Lackey I
said hello.”
“I certainly will, Dr. Greer. I’m on my way to meet
him for dinner right now.”
“Enjoy your evening, Ms. Spencer.”
The moment she left the room, Dr. Greer closed the
door behind her, and she headed out toward the
reception area. As she walked, she tried to follow the
mental map of the place which she had drawn upon her
arrival.
By the time she reached the restaurant’s parking lot,
it was only a few minutes before seven, and Kathy was
happy to see Tom’s car was already there. She pulled up
right beside him and rolled down her window. Tom
smiled widely the moment he saw her.
“Hello, Beautiful!”
Kathy beamed, and felt relieved that right now, in
this moment, their differences seemed to have
evaporated like fog on a sunny morning.
“Do you want to follow me, or would you prefer to
leave your car here and go together?”
“I’m not sure…where is the restaurant?”
“It’s only a block or two north on Capital.”
“I think it’s better if I follow you. That way we
don’t have to drive back here to pick up my car.”
“That’s a plan. The restaurant is in the mall
complex.”
“Okay. You go ahead and I will be right behind
you.”
They left the parking lot, Tom leading the way, and
they drove to a strip mall adjacent to the main shopping
center. Kathy parked her car right beside Tom’s and he
came around bearing an armful of white roses.
Kathy felt a knot in her throat, and her eyes
moistened with tears of relief. “Oh Tom…you old,
adorable fool…what are the flowers for?”
“Nothing in particular. I just want to apologize for
the last few days – I’ve been as tight as the cord of a
violin, and I know I haven’t been fair to you.”
Kathy raised herself on the tip of her toes and pasted
a kiss on his lips. “I’ve been the same way Tom, and I
owe you an apology too. I shouldn’t have allowed my
personal feelings over a case you’re working on get the
best of me.”
Tom wrapped his arms around her as they stood
outside the restaurant. “It was my fault, Kathy. I got you
involved to start with. I guess this is the reason why
mixing business and personal life is not a wise thing to
do.”
Kathy laid her head on Tom’s chest, and thought
about telling him of her visit to Dr. Greer, but she
decided against it. So what if her professional curiosity
led her to do something out of the ordinary? She did
nothing wrong, and Dr. Greer didn’t seem to have a
problem with it. She was pretty sure Dr. Greer would
eventually say something to Tom, and the issue of
meddling with police business would certainly come up,
but there was no reason to spoil a perfectly good
evening.
“I’m starving, let’s go in.” She said as she pulled
herself away from Tom’s embrace and took his hand
into her own.
“Mmm, me too. I hear they have amazing shrimp
and grits.”
“Oh, I love shrimp and grits! Let’s go.”
The hostess saw them to a table in the far corner of
the room and brought over two glasses of iced water and
two menus. Tom glanced at the menu while they waited
for their server; when she arrived and introduced herself
as Patsy, he handed the menu back. “Shrimp and grits
for me. Thank you.”
Kathy handed over her menu also. “The same for
me please.”
Patsy the waitress left and a faint trail of orange
blossoms followed her as she went to the kitchen to call
the orders.
“So, how was your day?” Tom asked as he lifted his
glass to take a sip of water.
“It went great! To tell you the truth, it really started
improving after you called. I was a little worried before
that.”
“You were? Why?”
“I guess old ghosts are hard to bury, Tom. When I
Killer in Sight (A Tom Lackey Mystery) Page 20
