Chapter 290

No wonder the old guys at the Forensics Society dumped this mess on him. They really did just shove him into the fire.
Roger pressed his lips together and glanced at the woman next to him. Charlotte, with her cool, arrogant vibe, barely looked his way. He couldn’t hide the chill in his eyes as he muttered, “Asclepius, do you ever bother to prep beforehand?”
Was she seriously going to just stroll in and start cutting?
Charlotte turned her face toward him, her voice calm and sharp. “The Society already tore through all the files and still couldn’t figure it out. Did they bring me here to listen to you complain?”
Roger’s face tightened and he looked away, struggling to keep his irritation in check.
“The victim’s info,” Charlotte prompted.
Roger hesitated, then spoke in a low, heavy voice. “Female, twenty years old
They walked into the autopsy room, one after the other. The body of a young woman lay on the cold metal table, her cheeks drained of color.
Charlotte stared at her for a few seconds, her face impossible to read. Then she picked up a towel, gently covered the girl’s face, and pulled back the sheet.
The body had been dead for days. Her skin was pale, covered in ugly, dark bruises. Someone had clearly put her through hell before she died. What stood out most was her stomach, swollen and tight, like it could split open.
Roger slipped on gloves and started explaining, his tone serious. “She was from Apex, kidnapped by people from the black market. They tried to use her to smuggle contraband.”
“During transport, she managed to escape, but all that stuff in her stomach caused complications. She died before anyone could help.”
“Now, we just need to get what’s inside her. If we do, we can find out who did this and finally catch those monsters.”
“There’s a problem, though. There’s
a lot in her stomach, and most of it’s already been eaten away by acid. Getting anything out in one piece is almost impossible. Plus, her parents have one request. They’ll allow the autopsy, but only if her body is put back exactly how was. No visible scars, nothing.”
That wasn’t just about stitching. It meant making her look untouched, like nothing had ever happened.
Roger could do the extraction, sure. But closing her up with no trace at all? He wasn’t that good.
Charlotte didn’t say a word the whole time. When Roger finally finished, she lifted her eyes, her voice rough. “I’ll handle the main procedure. You assist.”
He didn’t argue. “Alright.” He lined up all the tools and stepped to the side.
Charlotte came to the table, found her spot, and pressed on the girl’s stomach. It didn’t take long before she settled on the perfect place to start.
“Scalpel.”
Roger frowned at how fast she worked but handed her the blade. Then he paused, grabbed a bottle of disinfectant, and carefully wiped it down before passing it over. For the dead, that much caution wasn’t really needed. Content Belongs
Charlotte glanced at him for a second, then took the scalpel. That’s when Roger saw the gauze wrapped around her right wrist. The back of her hand was swollen and purple.
He couldn’t keep the edge out of his voice. “Asclepius, I get that she can’t feel anything, but your hand’s injured. If you cut with that, it won’t be precise. Using your left hand won’t give you the right control. The deceased deserves respect. You know that.”
Was he seriously giving her a lecture?
Charlotte narrowed her eyes, sizing him up again. His personality was nothing to
brag about, but at least he cared about the job.
“That just means you’re not skilled enough,” Charlotte replied coldly. “Holding a scalpel isn’t rocket science.”
Roger had nothing left to say.