“Professor?”
“Maiden Mary, what have I told you about interrupting my work?”
“Professor the local policeman is on the phone.” I stop writing for a moment. Have I done anything for the police to call me? I have not accidentally blown up anything recently and I paid my property dues on time this month. What else could the police be calling me for this time?
“Professor.” I look up to Maiden Mary. She is a busty older Jewish woman. Rather than a maid, she is more like a second mother to me and she has been in my life since my youth. She makes sure that I do not become too engrossed in my work as a renowned scientist that I forget to eat or sleep.
“Professor! You are dripping ink again!” Quickly I look down at my left hand where I indeed am dripping ink from my calligraphy pen. Maiden Mary bulldozes over to the desk grabbing tissues to clean up the mess, but I knew it was a lost cause. Maiden Mary also realized this soon after me and with a disappointed frown orders me to go away.
“Go! Answer the phone.” I sigh, watching Maiden Mary scrubbing the desk harder before I do as she said.
“Hello, this is Peter Lukas.”
“Guten tag, Peter. What have you done?” I chuckle recognizing the voice. I’m quite sure this officer is assigned specifically to me. He is the only one who can withstand me for the amount of trouble I have caused over the years.
“It is wonderful to speak with you too, Albercht. Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that question? You are the one who called me first.”
“I called because New York City’s police department left a message to ask if you would come to their office to identify two bodies,” Albercht angrily hissed the last part of his sentence. My throat dries. I think I already know whose bodies the police want me to identify. I have horrible bedside manner so I do not have that many people who actually can stand my presence, still, I know of two people that have called me friend. The last I saw of them was decades ago and they warned me that this day would come.
“Did the police say why they think I would know them,” I whisper.
“What?” I put more force and my next words came out harsher than I thought they would.
“Why would the police think I could identify the bodies?” There is a ruffling of papers before Albercht answered me.
“They said that they found a picture with you in the middle of the two suspected bodies in one of the wallets.”
“Tell them I am taking the next flight over to their station,” I said before slamming the phone down. Suddenly feeling exhausted and saddened, I slowly slid down against the wall with the phone. I have only willingly taken a picture once and that was at the wedding of my only friends: Tatiana and Rick.
“Professor are you okay?” Maiden Mary asked, concerned to see me on the floor.
“Maiden Mary please call Mr. Freedmen, I will need a jet arranged for New York City as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Professor.” Sighing, I thought about how grateful it is to have Maiden Mary who never asks unnecessary questions.
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