Chapter 24 Chapter 22 Government Mortuary

Paula made her way to the dissecting room, wrapping herself like a rock.But with every step she takes, the adrenaline stored in her body dissolves, and she feels more and more frustrated and sad.Watching the coroner slash open her partner's body with a scalpel was almost unbearable to Paula, but she fought back.The coroner said Pontello was hit at least 43 times with a blunt object, most likely the bloody candlestick found at the scene.As for the knife wound on his body and the weapon that slit his throat, the coroner said that he would not be able to draw conclusions until the laboratory report came out, and he would not know what type of weapon it was.

When Paula listened to the report, her whole body was in a foggy feeling. The fog was thin and weak, and she hardly listened to it.She stood there for hours, taking her well-deserved punishment.Dante dropped by here, asked a few questions, and left quickly.Troy also came to poke his head, but it was only a symbolic look.He too left immediately, stunned and in disbelief, muttering that he had spoken to Pontillo hours before. When the coroner finished, leaving the body on the metal table, he was about to cover the head with a shroud when Paula spoke. "don't want." The coroner walked out without saying a word.

The body was clean now, but exuded a faint metallic copper smell.The six light bulbs were very bright. According to the light of Pontillo, he was already very short, but now his whole body was very small.The bruises on his body were like badges of pain, and his wound was huge, like many mouths, still bleeding and stinking. Paula looked around for what was in Pontillo's pocket.A copy of the Rosary, some keys, and his wallet, a ballpoint pen, a lighter, a pack of cigarettes just opened.When Paula saw the cigarettes and felt that no one would smoke them again, she was so sad that she almost collapsed.Now that she was beginning to admit that her friend and partner was really dead, as if to deny the fact, Paula pulled out a cigarette.The jumping flames of the lighter seemed to cut through the heaviness and silence in the dissecting room.

Damn you, Pontillo, damn you, damn you.Why are you so stupid?it was all your fault.Look at yourself, we haven't let your wife see you yet.The coroner did a good job, really good.Otherwise, your wife will definitely not be able to bear it, she will definitely not be able to bear it if she sees you like this.A little embarrassing, do you think it's normal?Am I the last person to see you naked?I'm telling you it's not like I want to be intimate with you.No, of all the cops in the world put together, you'd be the last to be lying in a coffin, and here you are.Pontillo, you fool, why don't you see death coming towards you?What exactly did you find in that basement passage?I can't believe it, you're literally rushing to get lung cancer, just like my dad.Jesus Christ, you don't know what I think every time I see you smoking that shit, it's like seeing my dad lying in the hospital bed again, coughing his lungs out.At that time, I was there with him every afternoon.I go to school in the morning and do my homework in the afternoon with this coughing sound.I think I'll come and stay by your bed just like that, and hold your hand, and you'll go off into another world like that, with the Virgin Mary and our Father at your side, and your eyes still on nurse's ass.That's how you're supposed to end up, but you're ahead of your time.Call me, you idiot.You look like you're smiling and apologizing to me, or do you think it's my fault?Your wife and kids don't think that way yet, but they will when someone tells them all about it.But no, Pontillo, it's not my fault.It's your fault, all your own fault, you're a fool, more than a fool!Why are you going down?Your faith makes you trust all who wear robes.That bastard Kaloski, he's playing us.Oh no, he was playing me, but you paid the price.His beard and nose, he wears glasses, like he's pointing at us and pointing at us like he's laughing.He's a real jerk.He was looking straight at me, but I didn't see the two "broken bottle caps" on his nose.I'm not sure myself, will I recognize him if I see him again?I already know what you're thinking, look at the scene where Father Robaya was killed and see what's different, including the context.I'll check it out.God, I will go.So stop being smart.You stop laughing too, you goddamn one, stop laughing.You are just a zombie.For God's sake, you're dead and trying to impose responsibility on me.Don't believe anyone, you tell me.You will say, be careful.You said you didn't do it yourself and why did you tell me?God, Pontillo, you've left me a mess.Because of your stupidity I now have to face that devil myself.Damn, if we're following a priest, all the robed ones are suspects, Pondello.Don't make me think so.Don't let yourself think that Francisco looks like a wandering lame old man.God, he really made you think that.Damn it, damn it!I hate you, Pontillo.You know what your wife said when she heard you died?She said, "He can't die, he likes jazz." She didn't say, "He has two kids." Or, "He's my husband and I love him." No, she just said you like jazz.As if Duke Ellington and Diana Kerrel had body armor.She can feel you as if you are still alive, she can hear your broken voice and the music you listen to.She can also smell your cigarettes, which are you.I really hate you, you scoundrel.What are you praying for yourself right now?Turn away anyone you trust.Now I remember the day we went to Colonnade for pizza and you said the priests were just a bunch of responsible people and they weren't angels, but the church didn't even realize that.I swore I was going to tell your words to the next first person I saw on the balcony of St. Peter's Square, and I said I was going to put it on a big poster for that person to see, unless he was blind.Pontillo, you are a fool.That's not our war, oh my God, I'm scared now, very scared.I don't want to be finished like you.The operating table you're lying on is as cold as ice.What if Kaloski follows me home?Pontillo, you fool, this is not our war.It's a war between the priests and the church, don't tell me it's mine.I don't believe in God anymore.Or should I say, although I believe in God, I don't believe that He is a good person.My love for him ran aground because he let a man who could live another 30+ years die.He took that cheap deodorant away so quickly, Pontillo.Now all that is left is the stench of death, the death we have seen all these years, all died when they should not die, the stench of corpses rushing to heaven, because God does not know how to take care of the human beings he created.And you'll be one of the smelliest of them all.Don't look at me like that, don't tell me God trusts me.A decent God should not have allowed this to happen, He should not have allowed his flock to become food for wolves.You heard what Anthony just said.They had dropped the cover case, but now he wasn't just raping the little boy, he was looking for bigger thrills.What else do you say to yourself?Why the hell would God have them laying in the freezer with arrows like you and all bruises and then let your co-workers clean up the mess?Damn it, this wasn't my war, it was originally organized by Troy to catch a fallen man.But you see, I'm really useless.No, shut up.don't say anything.Don't come to protect me.I am not a child.Yeah, I'm useless.It's always been like this, isn't it bad to say that?I have never been able to figure it out.Apparently things have blindsided me, but now, look, it's over, damn it, this wasn't my war, and now it is.It's getting very personal now, Pontillo.Now I can't say I'm under pressure from the Vatican, or from Serin, or Troy, or the individual assholes.I have to deal with them one by one now, and it doesn't matter to me how many leaders are there to give orders.I'll catch him, Pontillo.For you and for me, for your wife and your two children outside.But it's for you in the end, because you're frozen and your face isn't what you used to be.How long will I feel like this sucks?I hate you, Pontillo, and I will miss you even more.

Paula came out of the hall, and Anthony was waiting for her, sitting in a wooden chair, staring at the wall.As soon as Paula came out, he stood up. "I……" "I'm fine." "You're not okay. I know what you're going through, and you're not going to feel well." "I don't feel good, but for God's sake, I won't fall in your arms again and cry like a teenage girl in pain. Let's save that for the movies." She wanted to leave quickly when Troy appeared at the other end of the corridor. "Pola, we need to talk, I'm worried about you."

"You too? That's fresh. I'm sorry I don't have time to chat." Troy stepped over to block her, and Paula hit her head squarely on the boss's chest. "I don't understand you, Paula. I'm going to remove you from this case, it's too complicated right now." Paula raised her head, she stared into Troy's eyes, and spoke every word, her voice was cold and firm. "Listen to me, Troy, for I'll only say it once. I'll catch the man who killed Pondello. You, and nobody, stop me. Do you understand me? " "What I don't understand is, who's in charge here, Paula?"

"Maybe, but what I understand is what I'm going to do. So please get out of the way." Troy opened his mouth to say something, but he got out of the way without saying anything.Paula strode toward the exit. Anthony laughed. "What's so funny, Father?" "Yeah, of course, you can't fool me. You're not trying to get her out of the case at all, are you?" A look of surprise appeared on the face of the UACV chief. "Pola is a strong, independent woman who is pushing her own psychological limits. All her anger is now focused and channeled into motivation."

"Truth, these are all high-sounding truths, I haven't heard the truth." "Well, to be honest, I'm afraid of her and I see her nervous. I want to know if she has the strength to continue working. If she hadn't given me the answer just now, I would immediately transfer her from this case. We don't Will deal with those who play by the rules." "Now you have me balanced." Intuition told Anthony that there was some humanity behind this sophisticated politician and administrator.At this moment Anthony saw who Troy really was.It was just dawn, and the director's clothes were covered in creases, and his soul was disturbed by the death of a subordinate.Maybe Troy has spent a lot of time trying to move up the career ladder, but he's been protecting Paula, and he's still very attractive to Paula, that's obvious.

"Anthony, I want to ask you a favor." "no." "What do you mean?" Troy was a little confused. "You don't need to ask me. I will take care of Detective Paula, even though she thinks she doesn't need someone to take care of her. There are only three people in charge of this case, which is a good thing and a bad thing. Dante, Paula and me, we will unite as one front."

---

Notes: