Page 49 of The Bone Code

I helped myself to a hunk of cheddar.

“Anyway, Ariel asked that I slip the holy card into the child’s body bag. She was very keen, and it seemed harmless, so I figured what the hell?”

“Why MacKillop?”

“She’s the patron saint of abused girls.”

“She’s been canonized?”

“Yes. That was the other reason she was on Ariel’s mind. You’re familiar with Brother André, right?” I was referring to André Bessette, a Holy Cross brother and a much-loved figure in Montreal.

“Are you kidding? When those asshats snatched his heart, the whole town went berserk.”

It happened before my time, but the story remained legend. For years, the brother’s heart rested in a glass vessel atop a marble pedestal below the basilica of Saint Joseph’s Oratory. In 1973, thieves stole it for ransom. When the organ was recovered the following year, our lab did the ID.

“According to Ariel, Brother André and Mother Mary McKillop had both become saints the previous week. On the same day.”

Funny how the brain works, retaining some details and deleting others. That day was October 17. Did I recall the date because it was also my baby brother’s birthday? Was that the reason I’d acted so impulsively? Had I agreed to Ariel’s request because of Kevin?

“Nothing else weird?” Ryan asked. “No gawkers or journalists to lion-tame?”

“Actually, there was one odd thing. A woman visited a grave across the road from where we were working.”

I paused, unsure if the incident was worth mentioning.

“And?” Ryan prompted.

“I caught her taking pics of the exhumation.” Maybe.

“Morbid curiosity?”

“Who knows? Perhaps she hopes to sell the story toDateline.”

“What’s on for tomorrow?”

“I’ll do an overview of both skeletons, for the record, but the main goal is sampling.”

“The quest for the golden double helix.”

“Bone isn’t ideal, but we could get lucky. I may also request radioisotope testing.”

“I’m sure you’ll explain that.”

“Using bone, radioisotopes can show where a person spent the last ten years before they died. Using teeth, they can show where they spent their first five to ten.”

“Where they grew up.”

“Presumably. Hair can be even better. By dividing a hair into growth increments, you can track a person’s actual movements during the last period of their life.”

“Do you have some?”

“Teeth, no.” Unsure which he was asking about. “I’ll recheck for hair, but I’m not optimistic.”

“Sounds like another day of giggles and laughs.”

Ryan was right. It was another fun day.

I woke at seven. Again, my roommate had beaten me out the door. Damn, he was quiet in the morning.