Jack missed his bike and thought about getting another one. To get to work he took the subway, but it wasn’t convenient. He had to change trains twice. The New York subway system was fine for getting from north to south, but west to east was another story entirely.

Even with the multiple train changing Jack still had to walk six blocks. With a light rain falling and no umbrella, he was wet by the time he got to the medical examiner’s office at noon.

Weekends were far different than weekdays at the morgue. There was much less commotion. Jack used the front entrance and had the receptionist buzz him into the ID area. A distraught family was in one of the identification rooms. Jack could hear sobbing as he passed by.

Jack found the schedule that listed the doctors on call for the weekend and was pleased to see that Laurie was among them. He also found the master list of cases that had come in the previous night. Scanning it, he was sickened to see a familiar name. Nancy Wiggens had been brought in at four A.M.! The provisional diagnosis was Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Jack found two more cases with the same diagnosis: Valerie Schafer, aged thirty-three, and Carmen Chavez, aged forty-seven. Jack assumed they were the other two cases in the General’s emergency room the day before.

Jack went downstairs and peeked into the autopsy room. Two tables were in use. Jack couldn’t tell who the doctors were, but judging by height he guessed one of them was Laurie.

After changing into scrubs and donning protective gear, Jack entered through the washroom.

“What are you doing here?” Laurie asked when she caught sight of Jack. “You’re supposed to be off enjoying yourself.”

“Just can’t keep away,” Jack quipped. He leaned over to see the face of the patient Laurie was working on and his heart sank. Staring up at him with lifeless eyes was Nancy Wiggens. In death she appeared even younger than she had in life.

Jack quickly looked away.

“Did you know this individual?” Laurie asked. Her own emotional antennae had instantly picked up Jack’s reaction.

“Vaguely,” Jack admitted.

“It’s a terrible thing when health-care workers succumb to their patients’ illnesses,” Laurie remarked. “The patient I did before this one was a nurse who’d ministered to the patient you did yesterday.”

“I’d assumed as much,” Jack said. “What about the third case?”

“I did her first,” Laurie said. “She was from central supply. I couldn’t quite figure how she contracted it.”

“Tell me about it,” Jack said. “I’ve done two other people from central supply. One with plague and one with tularemia. I can’t understand it either.”

“Somebody better figure it out,” Laurie said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Jack said. Then he pointed to Nancy’s organs. “What’d you find?”

“It’s all been consistent with Rocky Mountain spotted fever,” Laurie said. “Are you interested to see?”

“I sure am,” Jack said.

Laurie took time out to show all the relevant pathology to Jack. Jack told her the findings were the mirror image of those he’d seen with Lagenthorpe.

“It makes you wonder why just three got sick, since they were so sick,” Laurie said. “The interval from the onset of symptoms to the time of death was a lot shorter than usual. It suggests that the microbes were particularly pathogenic, yet if they were, where are the other patients? Janice told me that as far as the hospital knows there are no more cases.”

“There was a similar pattern with the other diseases,” Jack said. “I can’t explain it, just like I can’t explain so many other aspects of these outbreaks. That’s why they’ve been driving me crazy.”

Laurie glanced up at the clock and was surprised by the time. “I’ve got to get a move on here,” she said. “Sal has to leave early.”

“Why don’t I help?” Jack offered. “Tell Sal he can go now.”

“Are you serious?” Laurie asked.

“Absolutely,” Jack said. “Let’s get it done.”

Sal was happy to leave a little early. Laurie and Jack worked well together and finished up the case in good time. They walked out of the autopsy room together.

“How about a bite up in the lunchroom?” Laurie asked. “My treat.”

“You’re on,” Jack said.

They disposed of their isolation gear and disappeared into their respective locker rooms. When Jack was dressed, he went out into the hall and waited for Laurie to appear.

“You didn’t have to wait for…” Laurie began to say, but stopped. “Your jaw is swollen,” she said.

“That’s not all,” Jack said. He bared his teeth and pointed to his left incisor. “See the chip?” he asked.

“Of course I do,” Laurie said. Her hands went onto her hips and her eyes narrowed. She looked like an irate mother confronting a naughty child. “Did you fall off of that bike?” she asked.

“I wish,” Jack said with a mirthless laugh. He then told her the whole story minus the part about Terese. Laurie’s expression changed from mock anger to disbelief.

“That’s extortion,” she said indignantly.

“I suppose it is in a way,” Jack said. “But come on, let’s not let it upset our gourmet lunch.”

They did the best they could with the vending machines on the second floor. Laurie got a soup while Jack settled on a tuna-fish salad sandwich. They took their food to a table and sat down.

“The more I think about what you’ve told me, the crazier I think it sounds,” Laurie said. “How’s your apartment?”

“A bit dilapidated,” Jack said. “But it wasn’t so great before this happened, so it doesn’t much matter. The worst thing is that they took my bike.”

“I think you should move,” Laurie said. “You shouldn’t be living there anyway.”

“It’s only the second break-in,” Jack said.

“I hope you’re not planning on staying in tonight,” Laurie said. “How depressing.”

“No, I’m busy tonight,” Jack said. “I’ve got a group of nuns coming into town who I’m supposed to show around.”

Laurie laughed. “Hey, my folks are having a little dinner party tonight. Would you care to come along? It would be a lot more cheerful than sitting in your plundered apartment.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Jack said. As with Terese’s actions the night before, this invitation was totally unexpected. Jack was moved.

“I would enjoy your company,” Laurie said. “What do you say?”

“You do realize that I’m not particularly social,” Jack said.

“I’m aware of that,” Laurie said. “I don’t mean to put you on the spot. You don’t even have to tell me now. The dinner is at eight and you can call me a half hour before if you decide to come. Here’s my number.” She wrote it on a napkin and handed it to him.

“I’m afraid I’m not such good company at dinner parties,” Jack said.

“Well, it’s up to you,” Laurie said. “The invitation stands. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got two more cases to do.”

Jack watched Laurie leave. He’d been impressed with her from the first day, but he’d always thought of her as one of his more talented colleagues, nothing more. But now suddenly he saw how strikingly attractive she was with her sculptured features, soft skin, and beautiful auburn hair.

Laurie waved before slipping out the door, and Jack waved back. Disconcertedly he stood up, discarded his trash, and headed up to his office. In the elevator he wondered what was happening to him. It had taken him years to stabilize his life, and now his well-constructed cocoon seemed to be unraveling.

Once inside his office Jack sat down at his desk. He rubbed his temples to try to calm himself. He was becoming agitated again, and he knew that when he became agitated he could be impulsive.

As soon as he felt capable of concentrating he pulled the closest folder toward him and flipped it open. Then he went to work.

By four o’clock Jack had accomplished as much paperwork as he could handle. Leaving the medical examiner’s office, he took the subway. As he sat in the bouncing rail cars with the other silent, zombielike people, he told himself he had to get another bike. Commuting underground like a mole was not going to work for him.