“You wouldn’t think so,” she admitted. “But I’m planning to be very efficient. The inmates will be in and out. Like an assembly line. Each examination will be much shorter and more focused than usual.”
Her research would be quick and dirty. But she would have her confirmation. She hadn’t run a marathon to be stopped just a few blocks short of the finish line. Too much was at stake to let an academic bureaucrat stand in the way—even if he was right—which she knew in her heart he probably was. So she would forge ahead at top speed, not even stopping for the weekend, which luckily wasn’t a necessity, since a prison was the ultimate 24/7 establishment.
As Alejandro left to bring her the first prisoner on her lengthy list, she pulled out her cell phone and called her advisor, knowing he wouldn’t be in for another hour yet. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves. The phone rang and then was kicked over to voice mail. She waited for his message and the beep, her heart beating faster than normal. This kind of deception wasn’t like her. But then again, she had been engaged in a vast deception for years—so maybe it was like her. She wasn’t sure who she was anymore.
She heard a loud beep and began. “Jason, this is Erin. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve notified the prison I won’t be coming back. And Mobile Medicine will pick up their MRI trailer later today, although, according to the lease, they’ll still bill us ’til the end of the month. If you need me for any reason while I’m away, feel free to call my cell. Anyway, give my best to everyone in the lab, and I’ll see you in a few weeks. And thanks again for giving me a chance to do this work—and for defending me.”
Erin ended the connection and stared off into space. If Apgar or the dean happened to call the prison this week, things could get very ugly, very quickly. And while they probably wouldn’t call, there were no guarantees. So she was working on borrowed time. At some point, something would happen to tip them off that she had lied to them and hadn’t yet pulled the plug. So she was in a race to the finish line. If she were caught, she was almost certain she could kiss her Ph.D. good-bye.
Alejandro returned with yet another in an endless series of men dressed in orange. The first of the morning. The first she would see in direct violation of the dean’s edict. This one was named Tony, and he had robed three convenience stores, wearing a Homer Simpson mask, killing the clerk in each store with a single bullet between the eyes.
Erin told Tony the visit would be shorter and more focused than usual.
“Too bad,” he responded with a friendly smile. “You know how much I enjoy your company.”
She nodded but didn’t reply. If only she hadn’t seen his record, or known him for what he was, she might have enjoyed his company as well.
Erin braced herself psychologically. It was going to be a long, long day. The first of many.
6
FIVE STRESS-FILLED DAYS and fifty-seven prisoners later, looking over her shoulder the entire time, expecting to be found out at any moment, Erin had her answer.
Her preliminary results had been confirmed. And then some.
She had purposely not breathed a word of her progress to Hugh Raborn in California. She hadn’t wanted to raise false hopes, only to later uncover sharp, exposed nails beneath what at first glance looked like a plush, inviting carpet. During her recent discussion with Raborn, she had been careful not to even hint that there was anything newsworthy to report. She hadn’t mentioned that she had been pulled from the project, or that she had been forging ahead against direct orders.
So should she call him now? Tell him the great news about their joint project?
She had finished her work by noon on Sunday and was all set to call him that night when she had an inspiration. This was the pinnacle of their work together. This news warranted more than just a video chat. It called for a celebration.
Everyone she knew was always encouraging her to open up, to be more spontaneous. So what better time to do it? Her entire lab thought she was on vacation, anyway, so why not take advantage of that and really get away for a few days?
And she had never even met Hugh Raborn. Sure, they had Skyped many times over the past few years, but for this, the ultimate achievement, she wanted to meet him in person. She had previously proposed coming out to San Diego to meet him, but the few times she had found a seam in her busy schedule, he was traveling. This was bad luck, certainly, but since he seemed to travel more than any ten people she knew, combined, it wasn’t entirely surprising—just disappointing. His travels usually led him to centers of biotechnology excellence like Boston, Washington, D.C., and the Bay Area. Unfortunately Tucson wasn’t on this list, and his duties as an executive and his travel schedule had so far precluded even a brief visit to the university to meet her.
If the truth were to be known, they had a great working relationship. And while she had made some feeble attempts to arrange a meeting, she suspected neither of them were sure this was a good idea. What if an actual, physical meeting somehow changed the dynamic between them? Why take any risk with such an effective relationship? If it wasn’t broken, why try to fix it?
But Erin knew her roommate was right. She did need human companionship. And a healthy dose of affection would do her psyche a world of good as well at this point. Hugh Raborn was older than she and wasn’t exactly a movie star, but she found him quite attractive. And he was single. Maybe she’d have her one-night stand. Maybe more than one night. They had become quite friendly, and although they mostly discussed the project, they had certainly connected on an intellectual basis. He would be thrilled by her unexpectedly quick breakthrough, and if she made her visit a surprise, delighted by this gesture.
Besides, one of her good friends, with whom she had become quite close when they were both winning medals at regional eighteen-and-under martial arts tournaments, lived in San Diego. So instead of holing up in her apartment until her fictitious vacation ended, she could get out. Go to the beach. See a friend. Clear her head. And maybe ignite the beginning of a romance.
Erin called her friend, Courtney, in San Diego. After catching up for fifteen minutes, Erin got to the point. “How do you feel about a visitor?” she said.
“You’re coming to San Diego?” said Courtney excitedly.
“I am. I’ve decided to be spontaneous for once.” She paused. “Which means that the visit is on short notice. Sorry about that.”
“Better short than never, I always say. And my apartment is your apartment. When are you coming?”
“I’m on the earliest flight in the morning.” The flight between Tucson and San Diego was little more than an hour. “I’ll be in by nine.”
Erin filled Courtney in on her plan to surprise Hugh Raborn, and possibly seduce him, without telling her about what they had been working on, or that she would be leaving the university sooner than she had expected. She would save that for when they were together. Maybe she would apply for a postdoc at the University of California, San Diego. Living in the most perfect climate on earth was tempting, and this way she could be close to both Raborn and Courtney.
“If Hugh Raborn is in,” said Erin, “and I’m not even going to check before I come—how’s that for spontaneous? Anyway, if he’s in, with any luck, I won’t need a place to sleep Monday night.”
“I’ve seen your effect on men, Erin. You won’t need luck. Well, as long as he’s not taken.”
“He’s not.”
“And he’s not gay?”
“No, he’s not gay.” Erin paused in thought. Raborn had mentioned he wasn’t in a current relationship, but he hadn’t spoken much about past ones either. “At least I don’t think he is,” she amended. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”