"It's a textbook case of poison," I say. "But this kind... surely he would've felt the effects before he went on stage."
"But he still went on." Malcolm says. "People say he danced all the way to his death--you're right, he probably did feel the effects, but more than likely he ignored them."
"Why? And... how?" I ask. The victim's blood is splattered across the stage, some dribbles down his chin and stains his uniform. His eyes are lifeless and his skin is cold--as the coroner, one would expect to be used to those things, but I never have.
Nothing will cause me more unease than the coolness of a dead man's hand.
"Performers have this... ability to push through anything, to ignore their pain because the show must go on. And that's just what our vic did, and it killed him." Malcolm tucks his hands into his pockets and begins to pace.
Gil calls Malcolm from the wings, and he turns away.
I watch him leave and wonder how he can keep his long coat on when the stage lights are so hot.
He always wears the same knee-length coat on scenes, but the heat from the lights is so hot we can feel it through the wings. Why doesn't he just take it off?
"Okay, we need to get him back to the office. I can tell you more once I've performed a full autopsy." I say, peeling my gloves off and putting them in the waste bag.
I can see Gil and Malcolm talking from where I stand, but am distracted when a woman in a fine evening gown and high-end perfume rushes past me.
"Mrs. Whitly, hello! Hey, how are--" I say, but she pays me no mind. She sighs heavily and continues her trek towards the wings--surely to speak to Malcolm.
"Okay, good talk! We... we can all hang out together sometime, maybe." I call after her but she didn't hear me. That, or she just didn't care.
She runs and embraces Malcolm, and lightly touches Gil's arm. I see now how frantic she is. She must've seen the victim die.
"You know, when Harrison first came here from Cuba, all the newspapers called him the most beautiful man in New York." I say, turning to face Dani and J.T. "I disagree, but still."
J.T. rolls his eyes and walks away and Dani stifles a laugh.
YOU ARE READING
The Coolness of A Dead Man's Hand - Prodigal Son
Short Story"That's the thing: I do. I do deserve The Surgeon's pain because I'm his son. My real name is Malcolm Whitly. I changed it because I wanted to get away from him. See, I thought that I was afraid of my father and everything he taught me. But really I...
