Viridian Tears Read Online Free PDF

Eden left her to her work and went to her office. She spent a few moments checking the vases of flowers and removing any dead or wilting heads. Paperwork kept her occupied until a little after nine, when the van from Steeple Vale pulled up to deliver Mrs. Claremont, who’d passed away peacefully the night before. She went out to sign for it and transferred the body to storage. Before she slid the old lady into a drawer she slipped on a pair of gloves and viewed the body. Patricia Claremont was in good shape for an eighty-seven year old, though scars on her chest indicated a pacemaker. In a crematorium she’d have to remove that personally, but the process she used here never reached the temperatures that would cause the battery to explode. Instead the unit would pass harmlessly through the process and be recovered with all the other metal at the end.
    She’d no sooner slid the drawer closed when the coroner’s van turned up to deliver the second body. Francis Dibben was not in good shape. Fresh from an autopsy, his chest suffered from a large Y-incision casually closed with a loose basket stitch that allowed the unsecured internal organs to spill out. The top of the skull had been removed, replaced and held with surgical tape. Motion of the body had worked the tape loose and both skull cap and brain were detached. The body bag sloshed with purged fluids, blood and bile. She signed the paperwork. “This is disgusting.”
    “Aye.” The driver hardly glanced at the body. “Shouldn’t have got himself killed, should he?”
    “If only we all had the luxury of choosing how we wanted to die.” Eden tore off the top copy and returned the clipboard. “I think we’ll have a closed coffin for this one.”
    “Ah.” The driver climbed back in, hardly waiting for Eden to get the body clear before roaring off. She shook her head. Some people had no respect for the dead.
    She pushed him through to the cold room and gave him the drawer next to Patricia Claremont. “There you go, my friend. At least you’ll have a bit of company for a few days.” She stripped off her gloves and washed her hands with lightly scented soap and headed back to her office. She had time to pin her hair back and use a little eau de cologne before Emily knocked on the door.
    “Mr. Claremont and Mrs. Johns to see you, Mrs. Maguire, and the flowers have arrived for the Matthews celebration.”
    “Thank you, Emily. Please show them in.”
    Eden rose and went to the door to greet her guests. She was always nervous about an initial meeting with the family of a deceased person in her care. At least she could be honest about how lovely Mrs. Claremont looked. She wouldn’t be able to say the same when she met the bereaved of Francis Dibben.
     

 
    Chapter 5
     
    Eden sat back. She’d explained the whole procedure and given the couple, the late Mrs. Claremont’s husband and daughter, the option of cryomation or traditional burial. “Would you like me to leave you alone to discuss it?”
    “Mebbe.” The old man bent to confer with his daughter.
    She spoke up. “What if we wanted a traditional cremation?”
    Eden sighed. It was always a possibility. People were always afraid of the new. “Then you’re quite free to choose another funeral service. We’ll keep the late Mrs. Claremont here at no charge until the new company collects her. I could give you a list of names if you like. They’ll all take care of a cremation for you.”
    “But not you?”
    “I’m afraid not. Our results are more efficient and ecologically sound. But you can still end up with your loved one in a decorative urn, if that’s your wish.” She stood. “I’ll leave you alone for a few minutes. Can I offer you some refreshments at all?”
    Mr. Claremont tapped the leaflet explaining the cryomation procedure. “It says here you press the…” He struggled with the word. “…remains into a one of a variety of shapes. Does that mean I’ll be able to take her home? Bury