Chromosome 6

“Ask my receptionist,” Daniel said. “Just tell her you’re a personal friend.”

“Thank you,” Raymond said.

“But just remember,” Daniel said. “I deserve and want the percentages that are due to me regardless of what happens between you and Vi

At first the receptionist was reluctant to give Raymond the phone number and the addresses, but after a quick call to her boss, she relented. Wordlessly, she copied the information onto the back of one of Dr. Daniel Levitz’s business cards and handed it to Raymond.

Raymond wasted no time getting back to his apartment on Sixty-fourth Street. As he came through the door, Darlene asked how the meeting with the doctor had gone.

“Don’t ask,” Raymond said curtly. He went into his paneled study, closed the door, and sat down at his desk. Nervously, he dialed the phone. In his mind’s eye, he could see Cindy Carlson either scrounging around in the medicine cabinet for her mother’s sleeping pills or hanging out in the local hardware store buying a length of rope.

“Yeah, what is it?” a voice said on the other end of the line.

“I’d like to speak to Mr. Vincent Dominick,” Raymond said with as much authority as he could muster. He detested the necessity to deal with the likes of these people, but he had little choice. Seven years of intense labor and commitment were on the line, not to mention his entire future.

“Who’s calling?”

“Dr. Raymond Lyons.”

There was a pause before the man said: “Hang on!”

To Raymond’s surprise he was put on hold with one of Beethoven’s sonatas playing in the background. To Raymond it seemed like some sort of oxymoron.

A few minutes later Vi

“How did you get this number, Doctor?” Vi

“Dr. Levitz gave it to me,” Raymond managed.

“What can I do for you, Doctor?” Vi

“Another problem has come up,” Raymond croaked. He cleared his throat again. “I’d like to see you to discuss it.”

There was a pause that went on for longer than Raymond could tolerate. Just when he was about to ask if Vi

“These are just minor growing pains,” Raymond said. “In actuality, the project is going extremely well.”

“I’ll meet you in the Neopolitan Restaurant on Corona Avenue in Elmhurst in a half hour,” Vi

“I’m certain I can,” Raymond said. “I’ll take a cab, and I’ll leave immediately.”

“See you there,” Vi

Raymond rummaged hastily through the top drawer of his desk for his New York City map that included all five boroughs. He spread the map out on his desk, and using the index, located Corona Avenue in Elmhurst. He estimated that he could make it easily in half an hour provided the traffic wasn’t bad on the Queensborough Bridge. That was a concern because it was almost four o’clock: the begi

As Raymond came flying out of his study, pulling his coat back on, Darlene asked him where he was going. He told her he didn’t have time to explain. He said he’d be back in an hour or so.

Raymond ran to Park Avenue, where he caught a cab. It was a good thing he’d brought his map along because the Afghan taxi driver had no idea even where Elmhurst was, much less Corona Avenue.

The trip was not easy. Just getting across the East Side of Manhattan took almost a quarter of an hour. And then the bridge was stop-and-go. By the time Raymond was supposed to be at the restaurant, his cab had just reached Queens. But from there it was easy going, and Raymond was only fifteen minutes late when he walked into the restaurant and pushed aside a heavy, velvet curtain.

It was immediately apparent the restaurant was not open for business. Most of the chairs were upside down on top of the tables. Vi

Four other men were smoking at the bar, sprawled on bar stools. Two of them Raymond recognized from their visit to his apartment. Behind the bar was an overweight bearded man washing glassware. The rest of the restaurant was empty.

Vi

“Sit down, Doc,” Vi

Raymond nodded as he slid into the banquette. It took some effort because of the nap of the velvet. The room was chilly, damp, and smelled of the previous night’s garlic and the accumulated smoke of five-years’ worth of cigarettes. Raymond was happy to keep on his hat and coat.

“Two coffees,” Vi

“You surprised me, Doc,” Vi

“As I mentioned on the phone there’s another problem,” Raymond said. He leaned forward and spoke in a low voice just above a whisper.

Vi

As succinctly as he could, Raymond outlined the situation with Cindy Carlson. He emphasized the fact that all suicides were medical examiner cases and had to be autopsied. There were no exceptions.

The overweight man from behind the bar brought out the coffees. Vi

“Is this Cindy Carlson the daughter of Albright Carlson?” Vi

Raymond nodded. “That’s partly why this situation is so important,” he said. “If she commits suicide it will undoubtedly garner considerable media attention. The medical examiners will be particularly vigilant.”

“I get the picture,” Vi

“I wouldn’t presume to offer any suggestions,” Raymond said nervously. “But you can appreciate that this problem is on a par with the Franconi situation.”

“So you want this sixteen-year-old girl to just conveniently disappear,” Vi

“Well, she has tried to kill herself twice,” Raymond said limply. “In a way, we’d just be doing her a favor.”

Vi

“You’re a piece of work, Doc,” Vi

“Perhaps I can offer another year of free tuition,” Raymond said.

“That’s very generous of you,” Vi

“No, I don’t,” Raymond said. He swallowed loudly.

“Hey, Angelo, come over here!” Vi

Angelo slid off his bar stool and came to the table.

“Sit down, Angelo,” Vi