Dead Love

by Linda Wells

  Eric always left the side door open into his kitchen. His red Corvette was parked in the driveway so she knew he was home, which erased any doubts of his faithfulness to her. As she walked into the kitchen, everything looked orderly, as usual. Soft afternoon light was coming through the window. She slipped off her heels and walked quietly to the bottom of the stairs. Placing her purse on the floor, Suzy took off her leather jacket, slacks, and rose-colored sweater and left them folded on the linen-covered chair in his foyer. Wearing only her pink demi-cup bra and matching sexy thong panties, she crept up the carpeted staircase. She was getting turned on thinking of him, eager to make love. She reached the landing and turned left, passing the guest bathroom to reach the master suite at the end of the hall. His bedroom door was closed, but as she approached, she heard voices. She froze in place and tried to hear what was being said. She recognized Eric’s voice but not the other one, which was distinctly female.

  Was this possible? The words weren’t clear, but they were clear enough. She grasped the door handle, turned it slowly, opening the door and saw the unthinkable. Eric was in bed, his back to the door. He was clearly naked, and there were a woman’s legs wrapped around his waist, and his movements made it obvious that he was fucking some whore, whoever she was.

  He was so engrossed that he didn’t even hear the door open until Suzy forcefully slammed it and ran down the stairs, not able to leave quickly enough. Eric managed to catch her as she was struggling to get her shoes on while racing for the kitchen door.

  He had his slacks on, unzipped, barefoot, shirtless, and he was saying, “Suzy, please, Suzy, let me explain. Please.” He was pleading with her, but she was crying and wouldn’t look at him, as he tried to grab her. He kept saying, “This means nothing. Please understand. She stopped by and came on to me. I barely know her.”

  But Suzy heard nothing. She raced to her car, not even sure how she got in, and drove away, but that was the end. Without trust, there was nothing.

  All of this was floating through her mind as she remembered the conference and how important it had been, not only the memories of the breathless love she had felt, which had shattered her heart, but the significance of the conference to her work. She had to quiet her random thoughts and her bubbling anger over the betrayal and her own stupidity for believing everything he had said. And it was only later that she realized, she had not been the only one he had betrayed.

  .

  56

  Suzy and Mark walked past Beth’s desk. Beth was stressed by the events playing out around her. She hadn’t been questioned yet, but knew she would be at some point. She and Eric had exchanged numerous intimate emails and she didn’t want to lose her job, or worse, be implicated in whatever was going on around here.

  Suzy knocked on Dr. Adams’s office door and he said, “Come in,” in a louder than normal voice. He was on his cell phone, but said an abrupt good-bye. He was obviously pissed off that this FBI geek was examining his computer.

  Mark asked Ray, the FBI tech, “Got anything?”

  Ray said, “We can discuss this later. Okay?”

  Mark knew that meant something was up, and it had to be handled just right. Mark leaned down, over Ray’s shoulder while Suzy was talking to Dr. Adams, explaining the possible problem, a compromise in the vaccine storage room.

  Suzy was standing next to Eric by the bookcase, saying, “Dr. Adams, one vial of H5N1 is missing from the containment room. A decoy vial was found in its place. We’ve had a security breach.”

  “Oh my God.” He was stunned. “You received those vials, right?”

  “Yes. All the vials were there when I placed them in the containment room. They were stored securely,” she stated.

  Eric had no reason to doubt Suzy. She was a bitch but he was certain she was not involved.

  “I need to check this out. Please come with me, Dr. Chen” Eric directed.

  Things were hitting Dr. Adams from all directions. He was exhausted from the afternoon at the motel, which hadn’t gone exactly as planned. It had been a cat and mouse experience with the bitch and ended in a wrestling match, but he finally got her convinced that she was the only one. She had flirted with him and agreed to the lunch date, but then played hard to get. Fuck that shit.

  Now he had to deal with the subway debacle and this fucking H5N1 outbreak. Dr. Adams was a womanizer, but he was also qualified for his job, had worked hard, and was a highly regarded and brilliant scientist, above all, who took his work seriously. His dedication and competence were the only reasons Suzy had stayed at Edgewood, though her motivation had changed abruptly after the Organization contacted her.

  Adams said to Mark, “I need to accompany Dr. Chen to the lab.”

  “Okay, I am going to stay with Ray.” Mark added, “Please report back here, both of you, after you have looked into the vaccine matter. It might be significant in the investigation.” He called one of the team to go with Chen and Adams to the lab.

  Dr. Adams glared at Mark, not used to being told what to do by such a lowlife, and responded contemptuously,

  “Certainly.”

  Adams and Suzy left, walking quickly to the lab and the cold storage room.

  Mark called George on her cell phone, telling her that she might want to check out the vaccine storage room with Dr. Chen and Dr. Adams.”

  “Boy, I’m glad that asshole is out of my hair, for the moment, and I think I have found something,” Ray said to Mark.

  Ray knew his way around a hard drive.

  Mark asked, “What is it?”

  After Ray explained, Mark said, “I want this laptop sealed, and we will take it back to headquarters as evidence.”

  “I assume you got fingerprints,” stated Mark.

  Ray scowled at Mark, “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Let’s get Chen’s computer, and I think we need to start asking them some questions,” added Mark.

  “How about the assistant’s laptop?” asked Ray.

  “Yes, we will look at them all. Their phones, too.”

  .

  57

  The hospital beds were filled in the isolation unit at All Saints Hospital. Several of the staff members weren’t feeling well. They were being tested for the virus, lab results pending. They were in the isolation unit.

  Dr. Grant had been on the phone with Dr. Ambrose. Grant knew that they weren’t the only facility dealing with the virus. The CDC tracked pandemics, and from their statistics, most hard hit would be the highly populated areas. It was too soon to gauge the spread of this outbreak.

  Jim Lucas was making sure that the staff was being rotated with many resting in the lounges between shifts. The numerous disaster drills had paid off. Everyone was working at optimum level, and the professional atmosphere was beyond reproach. But there was an undercurrent of unexpressed fear.

  Thank God people were heeding the Mayor’s request for calm, so far. New Yorkers took most things in stride and were doing what was necessary to handle an unusual situation. Some were skeptics and felt invulnerable. They had survived 9/11 and refused to let out of the ordinary occurrences rattle them. There was the occasional patient that arrived in an anxious state but most remained calm. They were being kept for observation and were comfortable staying at the hospital, “in case.” But to most New Yorkers, it was just another day in the Big Apple.

  Lucas was following the news and had heard about the Century Air flight that was cancelled in Miami. It was the same plane that had two sick flight attendants, leaving one at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and the other hospitalized in Miami. Apparently the captain had made the decision at the last minute to cancel the flight.

  “What the hell,” thought Jim, “This whole thing is getting out of hand.”

  He was worn out and prayed his hospital could get through this crisis. The practice drills and instructions were all well and good, but reality is never so simple. He had spoken with several other hospital administrators in Manhattan, and they were getting buried w
ith new patients, some legitimately sick, others needing observation, many just frightened. If this was the beginning, where was it going to end?

  His phone rang. “Yes, Dave. What is it?”

  “I’m sick, Jim.”

  “Are you in your office?” Jim asked.

  “Yes, I am going over to isolation. Frank knows. Call Vicki, please. I think she needs to know. Tell her to stay home with the girls. They are not to go out under any circumstances. Also, tell Chris. She is with a patient. Take care of her, Jim. She has been exposed, also. Keep her away from me—do you understand? You need to lock down the hospital. Take care, Jim.”

  “Yes, Dave.” Jim heard Dave start coughing and the phone disconnect.

  “Oh my God,” he thought. “We are so fucked.”

  He was checking his contact list, looking for Dave’s home number. As it was ringing, he felt the rush of cool air blowing on him, and he looked up at the vent directly above his desk. His stomach tightened in fear.

  .

  58

  Mike Ryan was glad to hear the announcement that schools were closed as a precaution. Summer vacation was starting next week anyway. He wanted his boys at home, safe and sound, and Annie was available to babysit if he could get in to see Maggie tomorrow.

  He was sick of listening to the repetitive news coverage and wasn’t sure what to believe. He hoped this was an isolated event, but he was realistic. The Mayor underplayed it, but it was a big deal. As a scientist, he knew the dangers and possibilities, but tried not to go to the “what ifs.” He would keep calm for his boys, and he would be there for them. He would do everything that Maggie would want him to do. He was praying hard and had faith that God would take care of his beautiful wife and their baby. They had talked about wanting another baby, hoping for a little girl. He was shocked but happy to learn that she was pregnant. His feelings were so mixed up. All he cared about was Maggie.

  He wondered how Terry was doing. She was a good friend of Maggie’s and the fact that she was in the hospital in Miami was more than troubling. “What does all this mean?” he wondered.

  The news continued to be disturbing. More cases of the avian influenza virus were being reported, not just in New York City, but in Miami as well. He hoped and prayed this epidemic wasn’t out of control, but he had sufficient reason to doubt. This bug was new and unpredictable. Its airborne characteristic made it even more dangerous. He hoped the CDC would find answers soon, but his main concern was for Maggie and the safety of their boys.

  He was restless and eager to meet the boys after school and walk them home. They could stop by the deli and bring home sandwiches, potato salad, and snacks. He knew they would have plenty of questions, wanting to see their mom. He hoped he could keep his composure and be reassuring. Not just about Maggie, but about the subway attack. It scared the hell out of him. That would not be easy to hide. He would make sure Annie kept the boys inside. He checked the website about pandemics and found information about face masks and recommendations, including stocking up on supplies. He would stop at the market on the way home, also, and pick up some extra groceries. In case.

  .

  59

  Georgiana followed Chen and Adams into the refrigerated vaccine storage room. A large storage container appeared to be improperly sealed. Dr. Adams explained that all the vaccine containers were marked with certain code numbers, which defined the vaccines. George and Suzy stood quietly by as Eric cross checked the code numbers.

  He said, looking at the list, “This vaccine is not on the list. The container number is correct, but the number on each storage vial is different. These particular numbers don’t appear to be anywhere on this list.”

  Suzy, apparently perplexed, responded, “Let’s look at all the containers and see if we can get some sort of ID from them. Perhaps someone mistakenly marked these or moved a storage container.”

  Neither Suzy nor Eric believed that was possible. They were searching carefully through the large storage container, wearing sterile gloves, trying to find a label that would identify the mysterious vaccine. This room was used infrequently, only as vaccines were needed. Most were for rare contagious diseases, such as polio, smallpox, and others.

  Adams looked frantically for some confirmation of the contents of this container. This one had no known origin or label, but someone in the lab must have knowledge of this. How could this mix up be accounted for? Eric had no idea and was perplexed that he had missed this.

  Trying to remain calm, Adams said, “Indeed, this is quite remarkable.”

  He was looking deep inside the container, and then, on a boldly printed sticker, were the letters and numbers: H5N1. It was a large container, and in it were possibly innumerable doses of vaccine.

  As the realization of what he may have found hit him, he turned to Dr. Chen and said, “What do you make of this?” He was clearly incredulous at the discovery.

  Suzy reacted, “I have no idea,” and she seemed shocked as well.

  George said, “Let’s check for fingerprints,” though George knew that was highly unlikely.

  The forensics scientists would have to check out exactly what was in the vials. They would get the CDC to help as well. George didn’t want the Edgewood staff to be involved any further. Her bullshit meter was off scale.

  George had been watching Chen and Adams very carefully, and her instincts were on high alert, big time. She wanted Dr. Ambrose here, or someone from the CDC, to oversee the work of his staff. The FBI needed to begin the interrogation process of the Edgewood department heads, specifically Chen and Adams, and others who might provide evidence as this situation was becoming more complex. She had ordered background checks on all those who worked at Edgewood and hoped something would stick out and give them a lead.

  George stepped out of the room and called Ambrose on his cell phone.

  “Yes, Agent Reed?” She explained the situation, and he said, “I’ll arrange to send extra staff there immediately.”

  “The most experienced chemists from the CDC and FBI are needed to analyze the vials to determine if it is indeed the H5N1 vaccine,” thought George. “How the hell did it get there, if it was actual H5N1 vaccine? Was it somehow connected to the perpetrator or perpetrators of the terror attack? How brilliant but also an anomaly. What kind of desperate insanity would result in such action? There were many twists in this bizarre event, but George was determined to figure them out. If this was vaccine, it must be determined quickly. How many lives might be saved?” Her thoughts were scattered.

  George’s cell phone rang. It was Jim Berger, one of the forensic techs who had been examining the stored vials of H5N1. He had stepped out of the viral storage room and removed his biohazard gear to place the call.

  “Yes, Berger. What have you got?”

  He responded, “We checked out the H5N1 vials, and after examination, we discovered one of the vials is empty.”

  George said, “Are you sure?”

  He said, “Yep, and the Edgewood lab guy confirmed it. He was pretty upset to say the least. Guess he came to the same conclusion I did.”

  George said, “That the perp could be someone he works with and trusts, right?”

  “Yep,” he said.

  “Great job, Berger. Can you bag the evidence safely?”

  “Done,” he responded.

  “I want the room sealed and guarded. Got it?”

  Yes, ma’am,” he said, pleased with the discovery.

  .

  60

  Suzy didn’t get to her condo until after dark. It had been an exhausting day. The FBI interrogation was thorough. Suzy had been released, but they were still talking to Adams. Suzy had not requested an attorney, but Eric had called his immediately. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but as head of the department, he knew that if anyone was going to be held responsible, he would be the target, no matter what evidence, if any, was found.

  From the news reports she heard when driving home, Suzy knew that the virus was spreadi
ng. She had done everything the Organization had required of her, and she hoped they lived up to their agreement. They didn’t know about the vaccine she had manufactured, and she hoped they wouldn’t. The Organization had provided a large sum of cash for her mother and father, the roundtrip airplane tickets to Hong Kong, and all documents necessary to allow Lee to enter the United States. Suzy hoped she had covered her tracks well enough that nothing could be linked to her. The Organization had promised protection.

  “Max will be here soon,” Suzy thought.

  All she had to hold on to was Max and the thoughts of her parents and Lee. Seeing him was dangerous, but she couldn’t say no. She needed him and the comfort of his loving arms. If only for one last time. For his protection, she must tell him nothing, only that there is an investigation. Nothing more.

  She touched the garage door opener and pulled in, parking her Lexus in its usual spot. She grabbed her purse and briefcase, opened the car door, and stepped out. The silent figure slipped into the garage, crept up to her car, two feet behind Suzy, and placed the muzzle of his BerettaTomcat .32 ACP, loaded with hot FMJ rounds, at the base of her skull and fired one crisp, clean shot into her brain stem. She fell instantly onto the concrete, her purse and briefcase scattering, her legs askew, one black high heel resting near her small stockinged foot.

  The figure slipped out, undetected, hidden in the darkness behind her condo. He reached the street and began a light jog, looking casual, just another jogger out for his evening run, in black baggy running shorts and lightweight gray nylon jacket. The Tomcat was invisible in the palm of his hand. The passive surveillance tracking device he had placed on her Lexus several months ago had paid off. He smiled.