Page 88 of Forever Gone

“Are the bodies here?”

“Karen and Ruth were. Blethan authorized Linda’s transport once Matt finished processing the car, so she arrived overnight.”

“And Blethan came straight back?”

“He was due this morning, but came back early. Connor said he had a family matter in Lexington.”

The secured door opened.

The receptionist held it for them. “He’ll see you now. Second door on the right.”

Selena thanked her and entered.

The corridor passed a records room and a tiled examination area visible through a narrow window. At the far end, double doors led toward the postmortem suite. The second office on the right stood open.

Doctor Alistair Blethan sat behind a desk crowded with folders.

He wore shirtsleeves beneath a dark waistcoat. His beard was full, with streaks of gray about it. Wide shoulders filled the chair. A carved walking stick leaned against the filing cabinet, though his bad knee did not appear to have stopped him from moving three thick case files before breakfast.

Blethan saw Selena and grinned.

“Head any better, lass?”

Kelly glanced at her. “An accident?”

“A suspect whacked me on the head a couple of months ago,” Selena said. “Blethan likes to say it made me more amiable.”

“It did,” Blethan said. “For almost ten minutes.”

His Scottish accent deepened around the laughter.

Kelly offered her hand. “Special Agent Kelly Voss.”

Blethan stood with care, favoring one knee, and shook it. “A second federal agent. Harlan County must be moving up in the world.”

“Or down,” Selena said.

“Still some work to do on the amiability, I see.”

Blethan lowered himself into the chair and motioned toward two seats facing the desk.

“Where’s Connor?” he asked.

“He’s consoling Linda Mercer’s husband.”

Blethan’s humor faded. He nodded once. “A hard conversation.”

“He’d already reported her missing,” Selena said. “Connor didn’t want a deputy delivering the news.”

“Aye. That sounds like him.” Blethan placed one broad hand over the top file. “Well, now I have two FBI agents to contend with. What would you like to know?”

Selena sat. Kelly took the chair beside her and opened a notebook.

“What do you have on the murders?” Selena asked.

Blethan removed his glasses from the desk and put them on.

“I completed the postmortems on Karen Sloane and Ruth Keller. Linda Mercer’s examination began this morning. I’ve not finished with her, so anything I tell you is preliminary.”