"I guess visiting the state police headquarters couldn't be very dangerous," Angela said. "It's not as if I'm participating in the investigation."
"I suppose it's okay," David said. "Provided there's no chance of getting into trouble with the police."
"No chance," Calhoun said. "The worst thing that could happen is they wouldn't give her the copies."
"When?" Angela asked.
"How about tomorrow?" Calhoun suggested.
"It will have to be on my lunch hour," Angela said.
"I'll come pick you up at noon in front of the hospital," Calhoun said. He stood up, thanking them for the beers.
Angela offered to walk Calhoun to his truck while David went back in the house.
"I hope I'm not causing trouble between you and your husband," Calhoun said as they approached his vehicle. "He didn't seem at all pleased about my investigation."
"It won't be a problem," Angela said. "But we'll have to stick to the one-week agreement."
"Should be plenty of time," Calhoun said.
"There is something else I wanted to tell you," Angela said. She explained her new theory on her assault.
"Hmmm," Calhoun said. "This is getting more interesting than I thought. You'd better be doubly sure to leave the sleuthing to me."
"I intend to," Angela said.
"I've been careful about not letting it be known that you've retained me," Calhoun said.
"I appreciate the discretion."
"Maybe tomorrow I should pick you up in the parking lot behind the library instead of in front of the hospital," Calhoun said. "No sense taking chances."
20
To David's and Angela's dismay, Nikki awoke with congestion and a deep, productive cough. Both were fearful that she might be coming down with the same illness that had briefly afflicted Caroline. David was particularly concerned because it had been his decision to allow Nikki to visit Caroline the previous afternoon.
Despite extra attention to Nikki's morning respiratory therapy, she failed to improve. To Nikki's keen disappointment, David and Angela decided she shouldn't go to school. They called Alice, who agreed to come over for the day.
Already tense from events at home, David was edgy as he started his rounds. With so many recent deaths, he was spooked to see his patients. But his worries were groundless. Everyone was doing fine. Even Sandra was much better.
"Your swelling is down," David told her as he tenderly palpated the side of her face.
"I can tell," Sandra said.
"And your fever is below one hundred," David said.
"I'm pleased," Sandra said. "Thank you. I won't even pressure you about when I can get out of here."
"Very clever," David said with a laugh. "The indirect approach is often far more effective than the direct. But I think we have to keep you until we're one hundred percent sure this infection is under control."
"Oh, all right," Sandra said, feigning irritation. "But if I have to stay, could you do me a favor?"
"Of course," David said.
"The electric controls of my bed stopped working," Sandra said. "I told the nurses, but they said there wasn't anything they could do about it."
"I'll do something," David promised. "It's a chronic problem around here, I'm afraid. I'll go out and ask about it right away. We want you to be as comfortable as possible."
Returning to the nurses' station, David found Janet Colburn and complained about the bed situation. "There's really nothing that can be done?" David asked.
"That's what maintenance told us when we reported it," Janet said. "I wasn't about to argue with the man. It's hard enough talking with him. And frankly, we don't have another bed to spare at the moment."
David couldn't believe that he'd have to go to see Van Slyke over another maintenance detail. But it seemed his choice was either to go ask why the bed couldn't be repaired, or go to Beaton directly. It was an absurd situation.
David found Van Slyke in his windowless office.
"I have a patient upstairs who was told her bed couldn't be repaired," David said irritably after a cursory knock. "What's the story?"
"The hospital bought the wrong kind of beds," Van Slyke said. "They're a maintenance nightmare."
"It can't be fixed?" David asked.
"It can be fixed, but it will break again," Van Slyke said.
"I want it fixed," David said.
"We'll do it when we get around to it," Van Slyke said. "Don't bother me. I have more important work to do."
"Why are you so rude?" David demanded.
"Look who's talking," Van Slyke said. "You came down here yelling at me, not vice versa. If you have a problem, go tell it to administration."
"I'll do that," David said. He turned around and climbed up the stairs intending to go directly to Helen Beaton. But when he got to the lobby he saw Dr. Pilsner coming into the hospital, heading for the main stairs.
"Bert," David called. "Can I speak to you a moment?"
Dr. Pilsner paused.
David approached him, described Nikki's congestion, and started to ask whether he thought Nikki should start some oral antibiotics. But David stopped in mid-sentence. He noticed that Dr. Pilsner was agitated; he was hardly listening to what David was saying.
"Is something wrong?" David asked.
"I'm sorry," Dr. Pilsner said. "I'm distracted. Caroline Helmsford took an unexpected turn for the worse during the night. I've been here almost continuously. I just went home to shower and change."
"What happened?" David asked.
"Come and see for yourself," Dr. Pilsner said. He started up the stairs. David had to jog to stay with him.
"She's in the ICU," Dr. Pilsner explained. "It started with a seizure of all things."
David's steps faltered. Then he had to sprint to catch back up to the quickly moving pediatrician. David didn't like the idea of Caroline having a seizure. It brought back disturbing memories of his own patients.
"Then pneumonia developed rapidly," Dr. Pilsner continued. "I've tried everything. Nothing seemed to make a difference."
They arrived at the ICU. Dr. Pilsner hesitated, leaning against the door. He sighed from exhaustion. "I'm afraid she's now in septic shock. We're having to maintain her blood pressure. It doesn't look good at all. I'm afraid I'm going to lose her."
They went into the unit. Caroline was in a coma. A tube issued from her mouth and was connected to a respirator. Her body was covered with wires and intravenous lines. Monitors recorded her pulse and blood pressure. David shuddered as he looked down at the stricken child. In his mind's eye he saw Nikki in Caroline's place, and the image terrorized him.
The ICU nurse handling Caroline gave a capsule report. Nothing had improved since Dr. Pilsner had left an hour earlier. As soon as Dr. Pilsner had been fully briefed, he and David walked over to the central desk. David used the opportunity to discuss Nikki's condition with him. Dr. Pilsner listened and then agreed that oral antibiotics were indicated. He suggested the type and dosage.
Before leaving the unit David tried to bolster Dr. Pilsner with an encouraging word. David knew all too well how the pediatrician felt.
Before seeing his office patients, David called Angela to tell her about Nikki's antibiotics. Then he told her about Caroline. Angela was dumbstruck.
"You think she's going to die?" Angela asked.
"That's Dr. Pilsner's feeling," David said.
"Nikki was with her yesterday," Angela said.
"You don't have to remind me," David said. "But Caroline was much better. She was afebrile."
"Oh, God," Angela said. "It seems to be one thing after another. Can you get the antibiotics for Nikki and take them home over your lunch hour?"
"Okay," David said agreeably.
"I'll be heading up to Burlington as planned," Angela said.
"You're still going?" David asked.
"Of course," Angela said. "Calhoun called me to confirm. Apparently he's already spoken to the officer in charge of the crime-scene division up in Burlington."