“Do you think I should talk to my lawyer first?” Maurice asked.
“Lawyer? Why your lawyer?”
“My wife’s family is making ridiculous accusations,” Maurice said. “They’re suggesting I had something to do with Susanne’s death. They’re crazy. Rich, but crazy. I mean, Susanne and I had our ups and downs, but we never would have hurt each other, no way.”
“Do they know your wife died of an infectious disease?” Jack questioned.
“I’ve tried to tell them,” Maurice said.
“I don’t know what to say,” Jack said. “It’s really not my position to advise you about your personal legal situation.”
“Well, hell, go ahead and ask your questions,” Maurice said. “I can’t imagine it would make any difference. But let me ask you a question first. Was it plague?”
“That still has not been determined,” Jack said. “But I’ll call you as soon as we know for sure.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Maurice said. “Now, what are your questions?”
“I believe you have a dog,” Jack said. “Is the dog healthy?”
“For a seventeen-year-old dog he’s healthy,” Maurice said.
“I’d like to encourage you to take the pet to your vet and explain that your wife died of a serious infectious disease. I want to be sure the dog isn’t carrying the illness, whatever it was.”
“Is there a chance of that?” Maurice asked with alarm.
“It’s small, but there is a chance,” Jack said.
“Why didn’t the hospital tell me that?” he demanded.
“That I can’t answer,” Jack said. “I assume they talked to you about taking antibiotics.”
“Yeah, I’ve already started,” Maurice said. “But it bums me out about the dog. I should have been informed.”
“There’s also the issue of travel,” Jack said. “I was told your wife didn’t do any recent traveling.”
“That’s right,” Maurice said. “She was pretty uncomfortable with her pregnancy, especially with her back problem. We haven’t gone anywhere except to our house up in Connecticut.”
“When was the last visit to Connecticut?” Jack asked.
“About a week and a half ago,” Maurice said. “She liked it up there.”
“Is it rural?” Jack asked.
“Seventy acres of fields and forest land,” Maurice said proudly. “Beautiful spot. We have our own pond.”
“Did your wife ever go out into the woods?” Jack asked.
“All the time,” Maurice said. “That was her main enjoyment. She liked to feed the deer and the rabbits.”
“Were there many rabbits?” Jack asked.
“You know rabbits,” Maurice said. “Every time we went up there there were more of them. I actually thought they were a pain in the neck. In the spring and summer they ate all the goddamn flowers.”
“Any problem with rats?”
“Not that I know of,” Maurice said. “Are you sure this is all significant?”
“We never know,” Jack said. “What about your visitor from India?”
“That was Mr. Svinashan,” Maurice said. “He’s a business acquaintance from Bombay. He stayed with us for almost a week.”
“Hmm,” Jack said, remembering the plague outbreak in 1994 in Bombay. “As far as you know, he’s healthy and well?”
“As far as I know,” Maurice said.
“How about giving him a call,” Jack suggested. “If he’s been sick, let me know.”
“No problem,” Maurice said. “You don’t think he could have been involved, do you? After all, his visit was three weeks ago.”
“This episode has baffled me,” Jack admitted. “I’m not ruling anything out. What about Donald Nodelman? Did you or your wife know him?”
“Who’s he?” Maurice asked.
“He was the first victim in this plague outbreak,” Jack said. “He was a patient in the Manhattan General. I’d be curious if your wife might have visited him. He was on the same floor.”
“In OB-GYN?” Maurice questioned with surprise.
“He was on the medical ward on the opposite side of the building. He was in the hospital for diabetes.”
“Where did he live?”
“The Bronx,” Jack said.
“I doubt it,” Maurice said. “We don’t know anyone from the Bronx.”
“One last question,” Jack said. “Did your wife happen to visit the hospital during the week prior to her admission?”
“She hated hospitals,” Maurice said. “It was difficult to get her to go even when she was in labor.”
Jack thanked Maurice and hung up.