TEXAS ISN'T LIKE A LOT OF PLACES," JESSICA SAID, PASSING A FILE across her desk to Casey. "We like autonomy, right? So you get some off-the-map town like Wilmer that can have the local funeral director designated as its coroner and even though we're half an hour up the road and technically they're in our jurisdiction, they call the shots."
Casey opened the file and examined the death certificate, her eyes coming to rest on the words "hunting accident."
"Meaning what?" Casey asked.
"Meaning, you see that guy Blake Morris's signature? Morris and Sons funeral directors? He's the ME."
"But he's not an ME, right?"
"In Wilmer he is."
"Without any investigation?" Casey asked.
Jessica shook her head. "I didn't say that. I'm sure they'll say he investigated. He probably looked at the body, heard the senator's story, the cops talked to the wife, who said your guy went out hunting with the senator, and bingo, case closed."
"That's not an investigation," Casey said.
" Texas style," Jessica said. "Hey, at least they did that. I told you, technically, they could have just had some doctor sign the death certificate."
"Instead, they had some funeral director do the same damn thing," Casey said.
Jessica shrugged.
"But you can open it up, right?" Casey asked. "Look more thoroughly?"
"You know any judges?"
"Most of them," Casey said.
"Any of them like you?"
"Why do you say it like that?"
"You know I like you," Jessica said, "but some people think you're a little pushy."
"Okay, I'll just sit on the curb and wait for someone to come by and ask me if I need any help."
"Don't take it that way, I'm just saying."
"Judge Remy," Casey said, "she'll help."
"We need her to order the exhumation," Jessica said, dangling the papers over her desk. "The wife's signature goes a long way, but the court still has to weigh in. She might want the DA to get behind it. Anyway, you get Remy to sign this, and we're in."