“What’s going on?” Jack asked.

“Plenty,” Kathy said. “Kim Spensor has been admitted into the intensive care unit with respiratory distress syndrome. George Haselton is also in the hospital and is worsening. I’m afraid your fears were well grounded.”

Jack quickly added that Gloria Hernandez would be coming to the emergency room soon. He also recommended that the contacts of all these patients be immediately started on rimantadine.

“I don’t know if Dr. Zimmerman will go for the rimantadine for contacts,” Kathy said. “But at least I’ve talked her into isolating these patients. We’ve set up a special ward.”

“That might help,” Jack said. “It’s certainly worth a try. What about the microbiology tech?”

“He’s on his way in at the moment,” Kathy said.

“I hope by ambulance rather than public transportation,” Jack said.

“That was my recommendation,” Kathy said. “But Dr. Zimmerman followed up on it. I honestly don’t know what the final decision was.”

“That printout you sent over was helpful,” Jack said, finally getting around to why he’d called. “Remember when you told me about the General’s nebulizers getting contaminated in the intensive-care unit three months ago? I think there might have been a similar problem with the hospital’s humidifiers.”

Jack told Kathy how he’d come to this conclusion, particularly about Gloria Hernandez having admitted to handling humidifiers the previous evening.

“What should I do?” Kathy said with alarm.

“At the moment I don’t want you to do anything,” Jack said.

“But I should at least take the humidifiers out of service until their safety is assured,” Kathy said.

“The problem is I don’t want you to become involved,” Jack said. “I’m afraid doing something like that might be dangerous.”

“What are you talking about?” Kathy demanded angrily. “I am already involved.”

“Don’t get upset,” Jack said soothingly. “I apologize. I’m afraid I’m handling this badly.” Jack had not wanted to draw anyone else into the web of his suspicions for fear of their safety, yet at the moment he didn’t seem to have any choice. Kathy was right: the humidifiers had to be taken out of service.

“Listen, Kathy,” Jack said. Then, as succinctly as possible, he explained his theory about the recent illnesses being intentionally spread. He also told her there was a possibility Beth Holderness had been killed because he’d asked her to search the microbiology lab for the offending agents.

“That’s a rather extraordinary story,” Kathy said haltingly. Then she added: “It’s a little hard to swallow all at once.”

“I’m not asking you necessarily to subscribe to it,” Jack said. “My only interest in telling you now is for your safety. Whatever you do or say to anyone, please keep what I have told you in mind. And for God’s sake, don’t mention my theory to anyone. Even if I’m right, I have no idea who’s behind it.”

“Well,” Kathy said with a sigh. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Jack said. “But if you want to help, there is something you could do.”

“Like what?” Kathy asked warily.

“Get some bacterial culture medium and viral transport medium from the microbiology lab,” Jack said. “But don’t tell anyone why you want them. Then get someone from engineering to open the elbow drain below the sink in the storeroom where the humidifiers are kept. Put aliquots from the trap into the two mediums and take them to the city reference lab. Ask them to see if they can isolate any one of the five agents.”

“You think some of the microorganisms would still be there?” Kathy asked.

“It’s a possibility,” Jack said. “It’s a long shot, but I’m trying to find proof whatever way I can. At any rate, what I’m suggesting you do is not going to hurt anyone except possibly yourself if you are not careful.”

“I’ll think about it,” Kathy said.

“I’d do it myself except for the reception I invariably get over there,” Jack said. “I was able to get away with visiting your office, but trying to get bacterial samples out of a trap in central supply is another thing entirely.”

“I’d have to agree with you there,” Kathy said.

After he hung up, Jack wondered about Kathy’s reaction to his revelations. From the moment he’d voiced his suspicions she’d sounded subdued, almost wary. Jack shrugged. At the moment there wasn’t anything else he could say to convince her. All he could do was hope she’d heed his warnings.

Jack had one more call to make, and as he dialed the long-distance number he superstitiously crossed the middle and index fingers of his left hand. He was calling Nicole Marquette at the CDC, and Jack was hoping for two things. First, he wanted to hear that the sample had arrived. Second, he wanted Nicole to say that the titer was high, meaning there were enough viral particles to test without having to wait to grow it out.

As the call went through Jack glanced at his watch. It was nearing seven P.M. He scolded himself for not having called earlier, thinking he’d have to wait until morning to reach Nicole. But after dialing the extension for the influenza unit, he got Nicole immediately.

“It arrived here fine,” Nicole said in response to his query. “And I have to give you credit for packing it so well. The refrigerant pack and the Styrofoam kept the sample well preserved.”

“What about the titer?” Jack asked.

“I was impressed with that too,” Nicole said. “Where was this sample from?”

“Bronchiole washings,” Jack said.

Nicole gave a short whistle. “With this concentration of virus it’s got to be one hell of a virulent strain. Either that, or a compromised host.”

“It’s a virulent strain all right,” Jack said. “The victim was a young healthy male. Besides that, one of the nurses taking care of him is already in the ICU herself in acute respiratory distress. That’s in less than twenty-four hours after exposure.”

“Wow! I’d better do this typing immediately. In fact, I’ll stay here tonight. Are there any more cases besides the nurse?”

“Three others that I know about,” Jack said.

“I’ll call in the morning,” Nicole said. Then she hung up.

Jack was mildly taken aback by the precipitous end to the conversation, but he was pleased that Nicole was as motivated as she’d apparently become.

Jack replaced the phone receiver, and as he did so, he noticed the tremble of his hand. He took a few deep breaths and tried to decide what to do. He was concerned about going home. He had no way of gauging Warren’s reaction to Slam’s death. He also wondered if yet another assassin would be sent after him.

The unexpected ring of the telephone interrupted his thoughts. He reached for the phone but didn’t pick it up while he tried to think who it could be. As late as it was, he had to shake off some irrational thoughts, like the worry it might be the man who’d tried to kill him that afternoon.

Finally, Jack picked up the phone. To his relief, it was Terese.

“You promised you would call,” she said accusingly. “I hope you’re not going to tell me you forgot.”

“I’ve been on the phone,” Jack said. “In fact, I just this second got off.”

“Well, all right,” Terese said. “But I’ve been ready to eat for an hour. Why don’t you come to the restaurant directly from work?”

“Oh, jeez, Terese,” Jack voiced. With everything that had happened he’d totally forgotten about their dinner plans.

“Don’t tell me you are going to try to cop out,” Terese said.

“I’ve had a wicked day,” Jack said.

“So have I,” Terese countered. “You promised, and as I said this morning, you have to eat. Tell me, did you have lunch?”

“No,” Jack said.

“Well, there you go,” Terese said. “You can’t skip dinner as well as lunch. Come on! I’ll understand if you have to go back to work. I might myself.”

Terese was making a lot of sense. He needed to eat something even if he wasn’t hungry, and he needed to relax. Besides, knowing Terese’s persistence he didn’t expect she’d take no for an answer, and Jack did not have the energy for an argument.