Path of the Vampire forum

“What you are asking me to do is highly irregular.” The man, a tall lean forty year old, said to his companion who sat across the diner booth from him.

“Yes John, I am aware of this.” The older man said lightly. His tone was implacable and no nonsense. He seemed unconcerned about the worry the younger man expressed.

The younger male’s eyes narrowed, while he stared silently at the older man. The unnatural pregnant pause did not deter him from his silent perusal of the older man. John Ash was annoyed at the man’s continuous use of his name. ‘No John..’ or ‘Yes John..’ Always the older man used his name. Was he being patronizing? Was he belittling John’s legitimate concern? As John stared at the older man, it finally dawned him what the man had been doing.

John started abruptly as he reached for his cell phone. He fumbled with it, and gave the older man an apologetic look, “I am expecting text from my girlfriend…” he said absently.

Dr. Paul Anderson watched as John played with his phone. Dryly and somewhat sarcastically he said, “I thought you and Elise broke up..?”

John never lifted his head as Paul spoke, his answer was somewhat defensive, “Yes.. we did. But ..” His words trailed off, and then he looked up. “Wasn’t her.” He tucked his phone away. He refocused his attention on Dr. Paul Anderson. He was now on to, and doing to Paul, what Paul was doing to him. John was recording him. There had been no supposed message. It had been a ruse to give John the time to start his recording ap on his phone.
“So.. as I was saying..” He paused, “..Paul. What you are asking me to do is highly irregular. You tell me do something that goes contrary to all the rules and regulations.. And I am just supposed to do this with no paperwork documentation? No back up? Just because Dr. Paul Anderson says so?” He gave the older man a knowing look, being secretly pleased that he got the older man's full name in his recording. “No.. I cannot do that.”

If Paul was trying to pull something on him, he was not falling for it. And He would have his own recording to back it up. Paul was out of line and John was not going to blithely ignore protocols.

Dr. Paul Anderson unaware of the ruse, sighed in an annoyed fashion. “John…” John silently fumed once more at the use of his name. “I am not asking you to go ‘against’ policy. I am merely asking you to use a different language when you write your reports. That is all. What is so hard about that?”

John gave Dr. Anderson an unimpressed look. “The words I use in my reports are words that have been approved and sanctioned by the Medical Board. What basis am I to use to, if I suddenly deviate from the standard and start using ‘your’ vocabulary,..” he paused, and then finally added, in a dry tone, “...Paul?”

Yes. Two could play at that game. Paul might have more standing and seniority than John, but John wasn’t about to be cowed by it. Whatever Paul was up to, John was not going to be a puppet to Paul’s perfidy.

Dr. Anderson expelled a sigh in an exasperated tone, “John!” His tone was sharp and direct. “Listen to me. I am asking you to be more judicious in your phrasing. That is all!” This conversation was not going how Paul had assured the others it would go. John was being difficult. But it would be fine. He could rein him in. He had no choice. It was either John or himself. And it wasn’t going to be him.

“Paul.” John’s tone was soft spoken, but firm. “I am going to follow standard operating procedure. When you can provide me a document that specifies and quantifies the words, along with approved definitions; that you want me to use, I will be more than happy to acquiesce to your..” he paused for effect, “.. written instruction.”

John withdrew his wallet, laid out a five, saying, “For my coffee .. and tip.” He wanted it on the record that Paul had not paid for anything with regard to him. Sliding out of the booth, he added, seemingly absently, “You can email the documentation to me at the office. My home email is messed up. Might have something to do with it being Elise’ account. So do not send anything to me at home, it isn’t protected.”

No one ever emailed him at his personal address. There would be hell to pay, if there ever was. All things medical needed to be encrypted. But John needed the added insurance on his recording that if, in the future Paul wanted to say he had emailed it to him at home, John had an out. He had no idea what Paul was playing at. What he did know was that he was not going to Paul’s ‘fall guy’. Whatever was going on, John was now watching for it.

Whatever .. it was...

A week later John was in the autopsy theater finishing case number R4012 when Dr. Abigail “Abby” Myers came in. “Hi John.. hows it going?’

John’s schedule had been so tight, he had not had much of a chance to catch up with his co-workers of later. “Busy..”

She laughed, ‘What else is new.. Only going to get busier..” She said as she pulled on her smock.

“I did have a meeting strange meeting with Anderson.” John paused, “Gave me some weird unofficial rule about not using certain words in my findings..”

Abby grinned, “Oh you got the speech huh? Don’t take to heart.. That is actually compliment.”

“How is that a compliment? Telling me to use ambiguous language instead of precise language.” John replied in a confused manner.

“Look.. there is this Defense Attorney in the city, that makes his bread and butter by shredding Coroners on the stand.” She turned to look at him, “You do know Hutchens turned in his notice, right? That makes you the new golden boy..”

“Wait.. ? Hutchens resigned? Why? And why am I the golden boy? You have more more seniority You the new golden boy.. Or girl as the case may be..”

Abby laughed, “I just told you.. That defense attorney.. He shredded Hutchens on the stand last week..made mincemeat out of him. This wasn't the first time, either. He has been so thoroughly discredited in this city.. He is through. He got a job in England. The Queen’s counsel have a bit stricter dictates as to what can and cannot be acked.” She signed into the system, while she added, “And I have two kids under the age of ten. I do not want to be the golden child.. I have already turned it down. So you’re it John.”

“No one has said anything to me about it.. But it does explain why I have been sent all these meetings with the city council and local hospital boards. I have been to more meetings in the last two weeks, than I have in the last year. So it will be more of a political and business role, than actual hands on work?”

“Oh No.. no John.. “ Abby grinned, “In addition to.. Hands on work. Hutchens resigned. So until we get another set of hands on board.. You’re still cutting. The way it has worked in the past, once we are back up to full compliment, you will take the more high profile cases ..you know the ones that end up in court. So you can be shredded by the defense attorneys.”

“Great.. Just great. So what exactly do you mean by shredded?”

“Oh well.. The victim had been killed by an ice pick, and Hutchens’ report used the term ‘puncture by an ice pick.’ Only He made that finding after the police told him they found a bloody ice pick.”

“Who uses an ice pick any more..?” John snorted. “So cliche’”

“I know right? But what he should have said was.. Death by a cylindrical metal object. Because what the police called an ice pick.. Wasn’t an ice pick after all. It was a awl. And the defense attorney had Hutchens so rattled on the stand, he was practically babbling. The jury found the murderer not guilty. Interviews after the case ended, showed the jury felt the police rushed to judgement to pin the crime on the defendant, and it was solidified when Hutchens butched his turn on the stand.” She canted her head to the side “I bet that was right about the time you got the speech about your use of ‘words’ huh?”

John nodded slowly to himself. “That makes things make a lot more sense. I really had a bad feeling about what he was asking me to do. He actually did tell me not to use the word puncture.. To use the injury instead.. “ He sighed in annoyance, “Why didn’t he just tell me what had happened? A little situational context works wonders in cases like these. Do you know I was starting to think there was this huge criminal conspiracy happening and I was being pulled in unwittingly.”

“A criminal conspiracy in the Harper Rock Coroner's office.. Right!” Abby laughed. “What would we be conspiring to do? Hide a murder? Nope. All we get are murders. Accidental deaths are typically ODs. And its not difficult to tell someone’s a junkie. Their bodies tell the story. So no conspiracy there.”

“Like I said.. It came out of left field with no context..what else was I supposed to think? But.. Yes.. now it all makes sense.”

Across the city, Dr. Paul Anderson stood before the seated figure, “Sir… “ his voice hesitant at first, but grew stronger, “..as you know, since you were instrumental in my recent promotion to Director of Public Health, I no longer have control of the Morgue, and hiring and firing of the coroners.”

The study was a lit only by the crackling fire in the fireplace, making it hard for Anderson to see the expression on the vampire’s face. He continued, “With Hutchens resignation, the one being eyed for his replacement is not as.. Malleable as Hutchens. I have tried to express the need for certain judicious use of verbiage, but he is.. Or rather, I failed to make my case. I bungled it. And I am sure he doesn't trust me now.”

The vampire waved a hand artless fashion, “Not to worry Anderson. He’s mortal.. He will either come around to my way of thinking.. Or .. oh dear he will meet with an unfortunate accident. However, you will offer to help out, since Hutchens is leaving, they will be short staffed. You will make yourself indispensable to the office of the Coroner. You will earn his trust, by taking an evening shift in the morgue, after your 9 to 5 job. You will do whatever is needed, grunt work as well, allowing this new ‘coroner’ to rethink his perception of you.”

Anderson nodded. “Yes, it will be as you say, Sir. My time will be taken up with work, I will check in every evening, before my shift in the morgue. Will that be all, Sir?”

The vampire nodded, “Yes… you will not disappointment me.”

“No sir.. I will not.