cpatricia.unnaturalexposure-第35部分

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　'You　have　the　flu。'
　'I　don't　know　what　I've　got。'
　'That's　what　it　is；　right？'　He　was　worried　and　his　mood　went　bad。
　'I　don't　know。　We　can　only　assume。'
　'I　don't　mean　to　be　an　alarmist　。　。　。'
　'Then　don't；'　I　cut　him　off。
　'Kay；'　his　voice　was　firm。　'You've　got　to　face　this。　What　if　it's　not？'
　I　said　nothing　because　I　could　not　bear　to　think　such　thoughts。
　'Please；'　he　said。　'Don't　blow　this　off。　Don't　pretend　it's　nothing　like　you　do　with　most　things　in　your　life。'
　'Now　you're　making　me　mad；'　I　snapped。　'I　fly　into　this　goddamn　airport　and　Marino　doesn't　want　me　in　his　car　so　I　take　a　taxi　and　the　driver　thinks　we're　having　an　affair　and　my　rich　husband　doesn't　know；　and　all　the　while　I　have　a　fever　and　hurt　like　hell　and　just　want　to　go　home。'
　'The　taxi　driver　thinks　you're　having　an　affair？'
　'Just　forget　it。'
　'How　do　you　know　you've　got　the　flu？　That　it's　not　something　else？'
　'I　don't　have　a　rash。　Is　that　what　you　want　to　hear？'
　There　was　a　long　silence。　Then　he　said；　'What　if　you　get　one？'
　'Then　I'm　probably　going　to　die；　Benton。'　I　coughed　again。　'You'll　probably　never　touch　me　again。　And　I'd　never　want　you　to　see　me　again；　if　it　goes　its　course。　It's　easier　to　worry　about　stalkers；　serial　killers；　people　you　can　blow　away　with　a　gun。　But　the　invisible　ones　are　who　I've　always　feared。　They　take　you　on　a　sunny　day　in　a　public　place。　They　slide　in　with　your　lemonade。　I've　been　vaccinated　for　hepatitis　B。　But　that's　just　one　killer　in　a　huge　population。　What　about　tuberculosis　and　HIV；　and　Hanta　and　Ebola？　What　about　this？　God。'　I　took　a　deep　breath。　'It　started　with　a　torso　and　I　did　not　know。'
　'I　heard　about　the　two　new　cases；'　he　said；　and　his　voice　had　gotten　quiet　and　gentle。　'I　can　be　there　in　two　hours。　Do　you　want　to　see　me？'
　'Right　now　I　don't　want　to　see　anyone。'
　'Doesn't　matter。　I'm　on　my　way。'
　'Benton；'　I　said；　'don't。'
　But　he　had　his　mind　made　up；　and　when　he　pulled　into　my　driveway　in　his　throaty　BMW；　it　was　almost　midnight。　I　met　him　at　the　door；　and　we　did　not　touch。
　'Let's　sit　in　front　of　the　fire；'　he　said。
　We　did；　and　he　was　kind　enough　to　make　me　another　cup　of　decaffeinated　tea。　I　sat　on　the　couch；　he　was　in　a　side　chair；　and　flames　fed　by　gas　enveloped　an　artificial　log。　I　had　turned　the　lights　low。
　'I　don't　doubt　your　theory；'　he　said　as　he　lingered　over　cognac。
　'Maybe　tomorrow；　we'll　know　more。'　I　was　perspiring　as　I　shivered；　staring　into　the　fire。
　'Right　now　I　don't　give　a　shit　about　any　of　that。'　He　looked　fiercely　at　me。
　'You　have　to　give　a　shit　about　that。'　I　wiped　my　brow　with　a　sleeve。
　'No。'
　I　was　silent　as　he　stared　at　me。
　'What　I　care　about　is　you；'　he　said。
　Still；　I　did　not　respond。
　'Kay。'　He　gripped　my　arm。
　'Don't　touch　me；　Benton。'　I　shut　my　eyes。　'Don't。　I　don't　want　you　sick；　too。'
　'See；　and　that's　convenient　for　you。　To　be　sick。　And　I　can't　touch　you。　And　you　the　noble　doctor　caring　more　about　my　well…being　than　your　own。'
　I　was　quiet；　determined　not　to　cry。
　'Convenient。　You　want　to　be　sick　right　now　so　nobody　can　get　close。　Marino　won't　even　give　you　a　ride　home。　And　I　can't　put　my　hands　on　you。　And　Lucy　won't　see　you　and　a　Janet　has　to　talk　to　you　behind　glass。'
　'What　is　your　point？'　I　looked　at　him。
　'Functional　illness。'
　'Oh。　I　guess　you　studied　that　in　school。　Maybe　during　your　master's　in　psychology　or　something。'
　'Don't　make　fun　of　me。'
　'I　never　have。'
　I　could　feel　his　hurt　as　I　turned　my　face　to　the　fire；　my　eyes　closed　tight。
　'Kay。　Don't　you　die　on　me。'
　I　did　not　speak。
　'Don't　you　dare。'　His　voice　shook。　'Don't　you　dare！'
　'You　won't　get　off　the　hook　that　easy；'　I　said；　getting　out　of　my　chair。　'Let's　go　to　bed。'
　He　slept　in　the　room　where　Lucy　usually　stayed；　and　I　was　up　most　of　the　night　coughing　and　trying　to　get　fortable；　which　simply　was　not　possible。　The　next　morning　at　half　past　six　he　was　up；　and　coffee　was　brewing　when　I　walked　into　the　kitchen。　Light　filtered　through　trees　beyond　windows；　and　I　could　tell　by　the　tight　curl　of　rhododendron　leaves　that　it　was　bitterly　cold。
　'I'm　cooking；'　Wesley　announced。　'What　will　it　be？'
　'I　don't　think　I　can。'　I　was　weak；　and　when　I　coughed；　it　felt　as　if　my　lungs　were　ripping。
　'Obviously；　you　are　worse。'　Concern　flickered　in　his　eyes。　'You　should　go　to　a　doctor。'
　'I　am　a　doctor；　and　it's　too　soon　to　go　to　one。'
　I　took　aspirin；　decongestants　and　a　thousand　milligrams　of　vitamin　C。　I　ate　a　bagel　and　was　beginning　to　feel　almost　human　when　Rose　called　and　ruined　me。
　'Dr　Scarpetta？　The　mother　from　Tangier　died　early　this　morning。'
　'Oh　God　no。'　I　was　sitting　at　the　kitchen　table　and　running　my　fingers　through　my　hair。　'What　about　the　daughter？'
　'Condition's　serious。　Or　at　least　it　was　several　hours　ago。'
　'And　the　body？'
　Wesley　was　behind　me；　rubbing　my　sore　shoulders　and　neck。
　'No　one's　moved　it　yet。　No　one's　sure　what　to　do；　and　the　Baltimore　Medical　Examiner's　Office　has　been　trying　to　reach　you。　So　has　CDC。'
　'Who　at　CDC？'　I　asked。
　'A　Dr　Martin。'
　'I　need　to　call　him　first；　Rose。　Meanwhile；　you　get　hold　of　Baltimore　and　tell　them　that　under　no　circumstances　are　they　to　have　that　body　sent　into　their　morgue　until　they've　heard　from　me。　What　is　Dr　Martin's　number？'
　She　gave　it　to　me　and　I　dialed　it　immediately。　He　answered　on　the　first　ring　and　sounded　keyed　up。
　'We　did　PCR　on　the　samples　you　brought　in。　Three　primers　and　two　of　them　match　with　smallpox；　but　one　of　them　didn't。'
　'Then　is　it　smallpox　or　not？'
　'We　ran　its　genomic　sequence；　and　it　doesn't　match　up　with　any　poxvirus　in　any　reference　lab　in　the　world。　Dr　Scarpetta；　I　believe　you　got　a　virus　that's　a　mutant。'
　'Meaning；　the　smallpox　vaccination　isn't　going　to　work；'　I　said　as　my　heart　seemed　to　drop　right　out　of　me。
　'All　we　can　do　is　test　in　the　animal　lab。　We're　talking　at　least　a　week　before　we　know　and　can　even　begin　thinking　about　a　new　vaccine。　For　practical　purposes；　we're　calling　this　smallpox；　but　we　really　don't　know　what　the　hell　it　is。　I'll　also　remind　you　we've　been　working　on　an　AIDS　vaccine　since　I986　and　are　no　closer　now　than　we　were　back　then。'
　'Tangier　Island　needs　to　be　quarantined　immediately。　'　We've　got　to　contain　this；'　I　exclaimed；　alarmed　to　the　edge　of　panic。
　'Believe　me；　we　know。　We're　getting　a　team　together　right　now　and　will　mobilize　the　Coast　Guard。'
　I　hung　up　and　was　frantic　when　I　said　to　Wesley；　'I've　got　to　go。　We've　got　an　outbreak　of　something　no　one's　ever　heard　of。　It's　already　killed　at　least　two　people。　Maybe　three。　Maybe　four。'
　He　was　following　me　down　the　hall　as　I　talked。
　'It's　smallpox　but　not　smallpox。　We've　got　to　find　out　how　it's　being　transmitted。　Did　Lila　Pruitt　know　the　mother　who　just　died？　Did　they　have　any　contact　at　all；　or　did　the　daughter？　Did　they　even　live　near　each　other？　What　about　the　water　supply？　A　water　tower。　Blue。　I　remember　seeing　one。'
　I　was　getting　dressed。　Wesley　stood　in　the　doorway；　his　face　almost　gray　and　like　stone。
　'You're　going　to　go　back　out　there；'　he　said。
　'I　need　to　get　downtown　first。'　I　looked　at　him。
　'I'll　drive；'　he　said。
　
　
　12
　
　WESLEY　DROPPED　ME　off　and　said　he　was　going　to　the　Richmond　Field　Office　for　a　while　and　would　check　with　me　later。　My　heels　were　loud　as　I　walked　down　the　corridor；　bidding　good　morning　to　members　of　my　staff。　Rose　was　on　the　phone　when　I　walked　in；　and　the　glimpse　of　my　desk　through　her　adjoining　doorway　was　devastating。　Hundreds　of　reports　and　death　certificates　awaited　my　initials　and　signature；　and　mail　and　phone　messages　were　cascading　out　of　my　in…basket。
　'What　is　this？'　I　said　as　she　hung　up。　'You'd　think　I've　been　gone　a　year。'
　'It　feels　like　you　have。'
　She　was　rubbing　lotion　into　her　hands　and　I　noticed　the　small　canister　of　Vita　aromatherapy　facial　spray　on　the　edge　of　my　desk；　the　open　mailing　tube　next　to　it。　There　was　also　one　on　Rose's　desk；　next　to　her　bottle　of　Vaseline　Intensive　Care。　I　stared　back　and　forth；　from　my　Vita　spray　to　hers；　my　subconscious　processing　what　I　was　seeing　before　my　reason　did。　Reality　seemed　to　turn　inside　out；　and　I　grabbed　the　door　frame。　Rose　was　on　her　feet；　her　chair　flying　back　on　its　rollers　as　she　lunged　around　her　desk　for　me。
　'Dr　Scarpetta！'
　'Where　did　you　get　this？'　I　asked；　staring　at　the　spray。
　'It's　just　a　sample。'　She　looked　bewildered。　'A　bunch　of　them　came　in　the　mail。'
　'Have　you　used　it？'
　Now　she　was　really　worried　as　she　looked　at　me。　'Well；　it　just　got　here。　I　haven't　tried　it　yet。'
　'Don't　touch　it！'　I　said；　severely。　'Who　else　got　one？'　'Gosh；　I　really　don't　know。　What　is　it？　What's　wrong？'　She　raised　her　voice。
　Getting　gloves　from　my　office；　I　grabbed　the　facial　spray　off　her　desk　and　triple…bagged　it。
　'Everybody　in　the　conference　room；　now！'
　I　ran　down　the　hall　to　the　front　office；　and　made　the　same　announcement。　Within　minutes；　my　entire　staff；　including　doctors　still　in　scrubs；　was　assembled。　Some　people　were　out　of　breath；　and　everyone　was　staring　at　me；　unnerved　and　frazzled。
　I　held　up　the　transparent　evidence　bag　containing　the　sample　size　of　Vita　spray。
　'Who　has　one　of　these？'　I　asked；　looking　around　the　room。
　Four　people　raised　their　hands。
　'Who　has　used　it？'　I　then　asked。　'I　need　to　know　if　absolutely　anybody　has。'
　Cleta；　a　clerk　from　the　front　office；　looked　frightened。　'Why？　What's　the　matter？'
　'Have　you　sprayed　this　on　your　face；'　I　said　to　her。
　'On　my　plants；'　she　said。
　'Plants　get　bagged　and　burned；'　I　said。　'Where's　Wingo？'
　'MCV。'
　'I　don't　know　this　for　a　fact；'　I　spoke　to　everyone；　'and　I　pray　I'm　wrong。　But　we　might　be　dealing　with　product　tampering。　Please　don't　panic；　but　under　no　circumstances　does　anyone　touch　this　spray。　Do　we　know　exactly　how　they　were　delivered？'
　It　was　Cleta　who　spoke。　'This　morning　I　came　in　before　anybody　up　front。　There　were　police　reports　shoved　through　the　slot；　as　always。　And　these　had　been；　too。　They　were　in　little　mailing　tubes。　There　were　eleven　of　them。　I　know　because　I　counted　to　see　if　there　was　enough　to　go　around。'
　'And　the　mailman　didn't　bring　them。　They　had　just　been　shoved　through　the　slot　of　the　front　door。'
　'I　don't　know　who　brought　them。　But　they　looke