Bobbing to the surface, they treaded water, facing one another.
"Guess we try the city morgue," said Remo.
Chiun nodded.
After wading back to shore, they walked the twisted tracks to the engine that had slammed into a tangle of yellow metal with catastrophic results.
"Looks like a bulldozer," said Remo.
Chiun examined the twisted tangle critically.
"What does this contraption do?"
"It's used to push dirt and move it someplace else."
Chiun frowned. "What was it doing on the rails?"
"Search me. Maybe it was crossing."
"We are by the water. There is no crossing here."
"Good point," said Remo. "Let's go."
"Hold," said Chiun. Kneeling, he picked up a bent twist of metal. He brought this up to the light. There was a name on it. And a company emblem-four disks in a circle.
"Looks like a nameplate," Remo said.
"It is Japanese. It says Hideo."
"So? It's a Japanese bulldozer."
"What is a Japanese bulldozer doing on these rails?" Chiun said thinly.
"It doesn't matter that it's Japanese. Come on. Let's check out the morgue."
The nameplate disappeared up Chiun's wide kimono sleeve, and Remo started to object but decided the nameplate wouldn't matter to the investigation.
AT THE MYSTIC MORGUE they were told they were too late.
"What do you mean, too late?" Remo demanded. "The deceased Smith was claimed," the attendant said distractedly as he walked down a line of sheeted bodies, checking toe tags.
"By whom?" asked Chiun.
"Another Smith. Who else?"
"Where'd they take the body?"
"Not my problem. I have a morgue full of unclaimed corpses. I don't ask where the claimed go."
Drawing Chiun aside, Remo said, "Maybe Mrs. Smith claimed it-I mean him."
"We must be certain," Chiun hissed.
Remo addressed the morgue attendant. "Was Smith's first name Harold?"
"That sounds about right."
"We need to be sure."
"Yeah, Howard."
"I said Harold."
"Harold. Howard. Talk to the relatives. I'm up to my ass in body parts."
"One last thing," said Remo.
"Yeah?"
"Where were the injured taken?"
"St. Mary's."
AT ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL they were told, the injured did not include a Harold Smith.
"You sure?" Remo asked the admitting nurse.
"No Smiths," the admitting nurse said. "Try the morgue."
"We did."
"They're still dredging up bodies. It may go on all night."
"Thanks," said Remo dispiritedly.
Outside, with the moon up and the summer stars twinkling, Remo and Chiun stood in silence for a long time.
"Hard to believe he's gone," Remo said after a long while.
"Yes."
"Now what?"
"Washington trembles. We must soothe it with our awesome quelling presence."
"We should pay our respects to Mrs. Smith."