Page 53 of In Her Memory

“Sheriff?” A woman’s voice responded from the corridor. “It’s Melissa Stark. My team and I are here for Mr. Calloway.”

Dr. Stark. The county coroner was a straight shooter who had earned Jenna's trust over years of working together.

“Baldry,” Jenna whispered, “close it up. Now.”

The officer moved quickly, sliding the panel back into place. The wall returned to its normal appearance, just an expanse of carved woodwork giving no hint of the secret it concealed.

“Jake,” Jenna said quietly, “tell Dr. Stark to come in alone. No team members yet.”

Jake stepped to the door. “Dr. Stark? Could you come in by yourself for a minute? We have a situation to discuss.”

A brief pause, then: “Of course.”

The door opened, admitting Dr. Melissa Stark. She wore her customary lab coat over dark pants and a simple blouse, her silver hair pulled back in a practical bun. Her eyes took in the room with professional detachment, lingering on the sheet-covered figure on the bed before returning to Jenna.

“What’s this about?” Dr. Stark asked. “I’ve got a van waiting outside and two assistants ready to transport Mr. Calloway.”

Jenna stepped forward. “First, we need your assessment of the body. Then we’ll explain why we needed to speak with you privately.”

Dr. Stark was accustomed to Jenna’s methods. She approached the bed, pulling on latex gloves. “Dr. Winslow already confirmed the cause of death as likely cardiac arrest or a stroke, correct?”

“That’s what he thought,” Jenna confirmed. “We’re looking for a second opinion.”

With gentle movements, Dr. Stark pulled back the sheet to reveal Boyd‘s face. The dead man’s features were slack, his eyes closed, but his expression still seemed caught between surprise and terror.

She checked his pupils, pressed two fingers to his neck, though any pulse had long since vanished. Her hands probed for any secrets the body might reveal.

“Dr. Winslow’s initial assessment seems reasonable,” Dr. Stark said after a moment. “There’s no obvious trauma, no defensive wounds, no bruising consistent with a struggle.”

She looked up at Jenna. “Though I am curious why my team isn’t allowed in yet. If there’s something I should know before we transport the body...”

Jenna exchanged a glance with Jake. Dr. Stark was thorough, trustworthy—and discreet. They’d need her cooperation if they were going to keep the passage system under wraps until they had a chance to investigate further.

“There’s something you need to see,” Jenna said.

“Show me.”

Jenna stepped to the wall, located the onyx grape, and released the panel. It slid open once more, revealing the dark passage beyond.

Dr. Stark’s expression didn’t change, but her posture stiffened slightly. “A hidden passage,” she said. “Fascinating. Victorian homes sometimes had them for servants, though this one looks quite narrow.”

“It’s not only for moving around unseen,” Jenna explained. “It’s a surveillance system. There’s a pinhole in the wall that projects an image of the room.”

Dr. Stark squinted with interest. “A camera obscura. Fascinating. And you think someone used this passageway to frighten Mr. Calloway?”

Jenna signaled Baldry to shut the entrance again. “Someone moving through these passages, appearing in rooms where no one should be able to enter. Watching from the darkness.”

“Playing the role of a ghost,” Jake added from the bedroom.

“The question is,” Jenna added, “could Boyd have been frightened to death?”

"It's possible," she finally said. "Given his preexisting heart condition. However, I can't say for certain without a full autopsy, including toxicology. Even that might not give us positive proof. But the human body is surprisingly fragile when it comes to fear. The right shock, at the right moment..." She let the sentence trail off, the implication clear.

Jenna told her, “We’d appreciate it if you could expedite those tests.”

“Consider it done,” Dr. Stark said. “And don’t worry—I understand the need for discretion about the passages. My team will be told only what they need to know.”

“Thank you,” Jenna said, genuine gratitude in her voice.