Billy Hindle

You must understand, when I say that this was my first day on the job, I do not in any way mean that I didn't know what I was doing.

No, years of training, toil and sweat had led up to this moment.

I had certainly done a couple of autopsies before, always accompanied by an attending physician or a team of other students, of course, but I knew what I was doing.

I was a forensic examiner fellow, I told myself, and I knew what I was doing.

I opened the freezer door and slid out the first body.

The tray it lay on clicked smoothly into the transition cart, which I then wheeled over to the central examination table.

What had Dr. Bale first said before he'd left?

It's just a one-night conference.

Remember, stick to routine.

It's a good opportunity to get practice in for when you take over.

There's a first time for everything.

Maybe take another look at the cold water case.

Just do three inspections and call it a day.

I'll be back in the morning.

Well, here was my opportunity, laughing me in the face.

Only three autopsies.

Only three bodies.

I looked down at the corpse.

The flesh on its face was cracked and sunken, twisted from the heat.

Blood pooled under blackened cheeks, but freshly shaved sideburns indicated that there had been life just days, hours before.