Epitaph Summary

     Retired detective William Riskin is more or less waiting to die, until he comes across the obituary of his ex-partner, Jean Goldblum. A one-time war hero and concentration camp survivor, Goldblum had become a morally corrupt detective with a ruthless instinct for spotting guilt. But just before his death, Goldblum had started working on the most important case of his life, and out of loyalty to his memory, Riskin decides to finish it. He investigates the list of names that Goldblum left behind, and discovers a trail of disappearing elderly retirees who all told neighbors they were leaving for Florida, but never arrived. As Riskin uncovers Goldbum's own guilty part in these crimes, he himself comes face to face with the ultimate evil.

Epitaph Excerpt

      It was called a no-frills flight because that’s exactly what you got-the flight. No more, no less.
      Southeast Airlines Flight 201 out of a Long Island airport no one’s ever heard of, departing Gate 13 at the ungodly hour of six a.m. Not that there was any shortage of takers – William had to queue up for a good half hour, stuck between Sophie from Mineola and Rose from Bellmore, who kept a running commentary going on the best buffets in Boca Raton. Sophie leaning toward general Tso’s Szechuan Splendor with Rose touting a seafood buffet that sounded vaguely Lithuanian.
      Once William actually made it on board, his initial feeling was immediately confirmed-the flight was packed solid. No matter.
      You’re a man on a mission, William. Remember that.
      William had hoped for a senior citizen rate, but the no-frills flight was the best he could turn up.