“We had one for dinner,” he said. “I remember.”
“So do I,” she confessed. “I was waiting for you to call.”
“The State Police called,” he said.
“They found the Woodham woman,” Amy said. “Oh, God!”
“They found the mutilated body of a woman who may be Miss Woodham,” he said.
“Where?”
“In the sticks. Bucks County. Near the Delaware River. Way up.”
“Mutilated? How?”
Now she sounds like a doctor again.
“I don’t know that yet,” Wohl said. “I just sent a detective up there.”
I did not mention Matt Payne, he decided, because her next question would probably be a challenging “why?”
“This is another of those times I hate having to say, ‘I told you so,’” Amy said.
“It’ll take him an hour, an hour and a half to get there and have a quick look. I’ve been reminded that the State Troopers aren’t always as cooperative as they could be. I may have to go up there myself and wave a little rank around. So that blows our dinner, I’m afraid.”
“I’d like to see the body,” Amy said.
I know she’s a doctor, a shrink, so why did that shock the shit out of me?
“How was she killed?” Amy went on, without waiting for a reply.
“I don’t know that, either,” Wohl said. “Or even where. All I know is what I told you.”
“Where did they find the body?”
“In a summer cottage,” he said.
“Maybe if I could look around,” Amy said. “Oh, I don’t know. I might just be butting in and getting in the way. But you have to find that man, Peter.”
“If this body is Miss Woodham,” he said.
“Well, what do you think?” she asked, sharply.
“I think it’s going to prove to be her,” Wohl said. “I have nothing to back up that feeling, of course. It very well could be someone else.”
“A
nd thanks but no thanks, huh? Peter, you came to me! I didn’t ask to become involved in this.”
“Could you get off to go up there with me? Presuming I have to go? In say an hour and a half?”
“I don’t want to butt in.”
“I’m asking for your help,” Wohl said. “Again.”
“Yes, I could,” she said. “I’ll just cancel my appointments, that’s all.”
“I’ll get back to you,” he said, “as soon as I hear from Washington.”