“Just a minute,” Jack said. “Let me guess what areas these two other stricken employees work in. Could they be from nursing and central supply?”
Dr. Zimmerman, who was already several steps away from Martin’s door, paused and looked back at Jack. “How did you know that?” she asked.
“I’m beginning to see a pattern,” Jack said. “I can’t explain it, but it’s there. I mean, the nurse is regrettable but understandable. But someone from central supply?”
“Listen, Dr. Stapleton,” Dr. Zimmerman said. “Perhaps we’re in your debt for once again having alerted us to a dangerous disease. But we will take over from here, and we certainly don’t need any of your paranoid delusions. Good day, Dr. Stapleton.”
“Hold on a minute,” Martin called out to Dr. Zimmerman. “I’ll come with you to the ER. If this is rickettsial disease I want to be sure all samples are handled safely.” Martin grabbed his long white lab coat from a hook behind the door and ran after Dr. Zimmerman.
Jack shook his head in disbelief. Every visit he’d made to the General had been strange, and this one was no exception. On previous occasions he’d been chased out. This time he’d been all but deserted.
“Do you really think these illnesses could have been spread deliberately?” Richard asked.
Jack shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know what to think. But there certainly has been some defensive behavior, particularly on the part of those two who just left. Tell me, is Dr. Cheveau generally mercurial? He seemed to turn on me rather suddenly.”
“He’s always been a gentleman with me,” Richard said.
Jack got to his feet. “It must be me, then,” he said. “And I suppose our relations won’t improve after today. Such is life. Anyway, I’d better be going. I sure hope Nancy is okay.”
“You and me both,” Richard said.
Jack wandered out of the lab debating what to do next. He thought about either going to the emergency room to see about the three sick patients or heading up to central supply for another visit. He decided on the emergency room. Even though Dr. Zimmerman and Dr. Cheveau had headed down there, Jack thought the chance of another run-in was remote, given the size of the ER and the constant activity there.
As soon as he arrived he detected a general panic. Charles Kelley was anxiously conferring with several other administrators. Then Clint Abelard came dashing through the main ambulance entry only to disappear down the central corridor.
Jack went over to one of the nurses who was busy behind the main counter. He introduced himself and asked if the hubbub was about the three sick hospital staff.
“It most certainly is,” she said. “They’re trying to decide how best to isolate them.”
“Any diagnosis?” Jack asked.
“I just heard they suspect Rocky Mountain spotted fever,” the nurse said.
“Pretty scary,” Jack said.
“Very,” the nurse said. “One of the patients is a nurse.”
Out of the corner of his eye Jack saw Kelley approaching. Jack quickly faced away. Kelley came to the desk and asked the nurse for the phone.
Jack left the bustling ER. He thought about going up to central supply, but decided against it. Having come close to another confrontation with Charles Kelley, he thought it best to head back to the office. Although he hadn’t accomplished anything, at least he was leaving on his own volition.
“Uh-oh! Where have you been?” Chet asked as Jack came into their office.
“Over at the General,” Jack admitted. He started organizing the clutter on his desk.
“At least you must have behaved yourself; there haven’t been any frantic calls from the front office.”
“I was a good boy,” Jack said. “Well, reasonably good. The place is in an uproar. They have another outbreak. This one is Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Can you believe it?”
“That’s incredible,” Chet said.
“That’s my feeling exactly,” Jack said. He went on to tell Chet how he’d implied to the head of the lab that outbreaks of three rare, infectious, arthropod-borne diseases in as many days couldn’t occur naturally. “I bet that went over well,” Chet said.
“Oh, he was indignant,” Jack said. “But then he got preoccupied with some fresh cases and forgot about me.”