The Body Mafia Read Online Free PDF Page A

As for the agent being clean, think again! If you look back into his past, you’ll see not everything is clean. And you’re forgetting who he’s married to! If that bitch starts poking around, we’re gonna have more than a ‘problem’!”
    The man nodded and stayed silent. He knew better than to infuriate the boss even more than he already had. Sometimes the boss took out his frustrations on the person standing right in front him, the bearer of the bad news. He needed to shine some light, so to speak, in the boss’s eyes.
    “There’s no reason for her to poke around. She’s local. She’s not even suspicious, so there’s no worry there, Sal. As for the agent, like I said before, don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
    Sal glared at him. “You just make sure someone’s keeping an eye on her, regardless.”
    There wasn’t a funeral going on when I pulled into Quinn-Herstin, something I had worried about. Thiswould hopefully give me Steven Snyder’s undivided attention. He wasn’t hard to find. When I walked in, I immediately noticed a small, thin runt of man with thinning hair and glasses. He was setting flowers on a stand, looking just like he had sounded on the phone.
    “Steven Snyder?”
    The man looked up from his flowers and turned around, his small mouth forming an artificial welcoming smile. I saw it as aggravation that he had been interrupted.
    “Yes?”
    “Sergeant Gallagher, Richland Metro.” His smile faded completely. “We just spoke on the phone a while ago.” I held out my badge and identification.
    He stood silent, and I noticed his eyes flickered to the direction of a wooden door on the far side of the room. Purposefully trying to wash away his trepidation, his smile reappeared as he walked toward me, hand extended.
    “Sergeant Gallagher! How are you? I must say I wasn’t expecting you so soon after our conversation.”
    I briefly shook his hand. “I had an interview down the road and thought I would stop by and see you in person.”
    Deliberately locking my eyes on the wooden door, I hoped to stir him a little. It worked. His smile faded again. Stepping in front of my view, he held his arm out and pointed in the opposite direction.
    “Why don’t we go into my office? We’ll have more privacy there.”
    I looked around at the empty room. “It doesn’tlook like business is booming, Mr. Snyder. Does it get any more private than this?”
    “I really need to be by my phone. I’m expecting an important call.”
    I relented and followed him to his office, where I sat on a quite ugly maroon and gold couch that faced his desk.
    “Now, Sergeant, I have an appointment in a few minutes, but until then, what can I do for you?”
    I got right to the point. “I’d like the names of the persons employed by LifeTech that work out of this funeral home.”
    A scowl washed over his face, and his eyes looked behind me at the door of his office. It was so obvious, I turned to see if someone was standing there. No one was.
    I was annoyed. “Mr. Snyder, is there something you want to say? Is there someone else here?”
    “No, no, Sergeant, I’m sorry, I just thought I heard the front door open, and looked to see if it was my appointment. Now tell me again what you need?”
    “The names of employees.”
    “That’s right. Now let’s see…” He started looking at the gray file cabinets that lined the wall to my right. “I’m not sure which file those are in. Why don’t you leave me a card, and I’ll call you with the names. It could take a while.”
    “I’ll wait.” I was not about to let him evade me again.
    “I see.” He paused and chewed on his thumbnail before grabbing a pad of paper and a pen.
    He began writing. “Here are the names of the two doctors that perform the tissue removals. If you wantother names, I cannot give those to you today. It will take phone calls and time, which I do not have right now, unless you have a court order, Sergeant.” He handed me the paper.
    I