Etienne, my name is Julian Burroughs." "Pleased to meet you. I’m very busy. What can I do for you?" "I’ll only take a minute. I’m with the Brokers Surety Life Insurance Company. Mrs. Jessalyn Welles’s life was insured by us." Dr. Amos Etienne nodded. He was a small man, with thin delicate fingers that held a yellow pencil. His bald head was surrounded by a ring of thin brown hair, like a monk’s tonsure, and his pate was pale. He looked like a man who would wear a hat in Southern California, Digger thought. "We’re just doing some routine checking before settling the claim. You examined Mrs. Welles for her policy. What was the state of her health?" "It’s all on the application form. Her health was excellent." He gripped the pencil harder. "Do you know if Mrs. Welles was under any medication?" "I don’t know. Certainly not for anything chronic. Aspirins, perhaps. Or she might have been taking something for a minor ailment. I’m not her family doctor, so I wouldn’t know. Her general health was excellent." "Who’s her family doctor?" "Dr.
