“As long as you promise to fill me in.”

She ran into the living room and picked up the receiver. “Dr. Isles.”

“This is Zoe Fossey, Channel Six News. Would you care to comment on-”

“It’s almost ten o’clock,” cut in Maura. “This is my home telephone. If you want to talk to me, you’re going to have to call my office during business hours.”

“We understand that a woman woke up in the morgue tonight.”

“I’m not going to comment.”

“Sources tell us that both a state police investigator and a fire crew in Weymouth pronounced her dead. Did someone in your office make the same determination?”

“The ME’s office was not involved in that determination.”

“But the woman was in your custody, right?”

“No one in our office made any pronouncement of death.”

“You’re saying this was the fault of the Weymouth Fire Department and the state police? How can anyone make this kind of mistake? Isn’t it pretty obvious when someone is still alive?”

Maura hung up.

Almost immediately the phone rang. A different number appeared on the caller ID screen.

She picked up the receiver. “Dr. Isles.”

“This is Dave Rosen, Associated Press. I’m sorry to disturb you, but we’re following up on a report about a young woman who was taken to the medical examiner’s office and woke up in a body bag. Is this true?”

“How did you people find out about this? This is the second call I’ve gotten.”

“I suspect you’re going to be getting a lot more calls.”

“And what have you been told about it?”

“That she was brought to the morgue this afternoon, by Weymouth Fire and Rescue. That you were the one who found her alive and called the ambulance. I’ve already spoken to the hospital, and they list her condition as serious but stable. All correct?”

“Yes, but-”

“Was she actually in the body bag when you found her? Was she zipped in there?”