© 2022 Phylicia Joannis
Sydney tapped her fingers on her desk, itching to leave, but years of discipline forced her to remain planted in her seat and pleasant towards the woman on the phone. After calling in a few favors, she’d managed to track down the insurance company’s medical officer and was waiting for his secretary to confirm the meeting she’d scheduled this afternoon. After so much leg work, she couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong.
“Alright, Ms. Allen, we’ve got you all set for 1:30 this afternoon. Dr. Crawford has another engagement at two, so it’ll have to be a brief meeting.”
“Oh, I’ll be brief,” Sydney said with a smirk. “I just need to confirm a few last minute details, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“Of course. Dr. Crawford is–”
A gasp sounded on the other end. Sydney waited on the line, but all was silent. “Hello? Ms. Dawn? Are you still there?” A shuffle sounded on the other end. “What?” Sydney asked. “What is it?”
The secretary’s voice had a tremble to it. “Dr. Crawford is dead.”
***
Dr. Jengal stepped outside his office building and headed towards the subway. Hands in his pockets, he chewed his lip with nervous energy. Something was very wrong. He nodded at the local coffee vendor, Abib, and the man flagged him over. He sighed and turned around. Another cup wouldn’t hurt.
“The usual?” Abib asked. Dr. Jengal nodded and yawned. “Long day?”
“No longer than usual,” He mumbled.
“Must be tough, looking at dead people all day.”
“Isn’t that what you do, Abib?” He chuckled. “The only difference is that people leave you more alive than they came. The ones I see tend to stay dead.”
Abib shrugged and handed him his coffee. He reached for it, but Abib gripped it firmly in his hand. “Be careful, Dr. Jengal,” he whispered. “Someone’s following you.” Dr. Jengal started to turn his head, but Abib pulled the cup, and him, forward. “Don’t look. He’s got a dark grey hoodie and a face mask. Black and orange tennis shoes.” Abib pulled the cup away and shouted. “I forgot the extra cream? I’m so sorry!” Abib bowed and added the cream, then handed him the coffee.
Dr. Jengal took the cup and left, shaking as he considered the implications. The cup stayed in his hand as he took the stairs to the downtown train, but when he glanced behind him, he spied black and orange shoes at the top of the stairs. He abandoned his coffee and ran to the turnstile. He swiped his pass, took the underpass to the uptown train, and ran up the stairs and out of the station. Once he returned to the street, he rounded the corner and crossed to the other side, stopping in at a corner store. He ran towards the fridge at the back, watching the door from the surveillance mirror.
“Dr. Jengal?”
His hand flew to his head, ready to block an attack, but he recognized the voice. “Oh, Ms. Allen? Where did you come from?”
“Your office, actually. You weren’t taking my calls, so I came looking for you. They said you’d gone home for the day, so I stopped here on my way back. Are you alright?” Ms. Allen stared him down with eyes sharp as razors.
He wasn’t alright.
“Dr. Jengal, I think you may be in danger.” He stared at her, shocked, as she continued. “The other coroner, the one who signed the autopsy report? He’s dead. Someone rear ended his car at a red light. Semi took him out. You think that’s a coincidence?” She shook her head. “Something’s up, and if they came after him, they’ll come after you, too.”
He nodded. “I can’t tell you everything here, Ms. Allen, but you’re right. Something’s amiss. Let’s meet somewhere in thirty minutes. I’ll tell you everything then.”
“There’s a small bakery a few bus stops from here.” Sydney agreed. “Just one question, Dr. Jengal? Did you examine those remains?”
He lowered his head. “No. The remains were transferred to the insurance company, and I was given their reports to sign off on.”
“The insurance company? But how–”
“Ms. Allen, I’m being followed. You need to leave. I’ll meet you in a half hour.”
She pursed her lips, but nodded. “A half hour, sharp.”
Dr. Jengal watched her leave, sweat dripping from his forehead. After a few minutes, he headed out and back towards his office. The security guard at the front desk looked up in surprise when he entered.
“Oh, you’re back? A reporter was here to see you not too long ago. I told her you’d already left for the day.”
“Thanks, Jerry. I won’t be staying long.”
He took hurried steps down the hall and into his office, rushing straight towards his computer. He typed in his password and began uploading files to a flash drive. He needed to hurry. He’d give Ms. Allen the files, and then–
“Dr. Jengal?” He heard Jerry’s voice on the other side of the door. “You alright in there? Building’s locking down in a bit.”
He opened the door. Sweat soaked his neck and collar, despite the cold temperature of the office. He couldn’t help the edge in his voice. “Everything’s fine, Jerry. As I stated earlier, I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“Everyone else has gone home for the day, and I was hoping to clock out early.”
“Right, well, I’ll only be a . . .” his voice trailed as he caught a glimpse of Jerry’s black and orange sneakers. Jerry hadn’t been at the security desk when he left. Dr. Jengal swallowed. “I thought Jason was on duty tonight?”
“He asked me to fill in for him tonight, so he could leave early.”
“I see.” His story didn’t make sense. Dr. Jengal backed into his office slowly, heart thumping as Jerry followed him in. “I just have one more phone call to make.” He pulled out his phone with one hand, using the other to retrieve the flash drive from his computer.
Jerry grabbed the hand holding the phone and pulled it from his grip. Dr. Jengal’s eyes grew wide.
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”
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