“But they-” protested Marissa.
“Enough!” interrupted Dubchek. “I’m not here to argue. What have you learned?”
Marissa tried to organize her thoughts and control her emotions. It was true that she’d not considered the legal implications, but she was not convinced there was a problem. The quarantined physicians were already considered contacts. She sat down at the desk and searched for the summary page of her findings. When she found it, she began reading in a flat monotone, without glancing up at Dubchek: “One of the initial patients is an ophthalmologist who attended the same San Diego conference as Drs. Richter and Zabriski. Another of the initial cases, an orthopedic surgeon, went on safari to East Africa two months ago. Two of the initial cases have used monkeys in their research but have not suffered recent bites.
“As a group, all eighty-four cases developed symptoms within a six-hour period, suggesting that they all were exposed at the same time. The severity of the initial symptoms suggests that they all received an overwhelming dose of the infective agent. Everyone worked at the Medica Hospital but not in the same area, which suggests the air-conditioning system was probably not the source. It seems to me we are dealing with a food- or waterborne infection, and in that regard, the only commonality that has appeared in the data is that all eighty-four people used the hospital cafeteria. In fact, as nearly as can be determined, all eighty-four people had lunch there three days ago.”
Marissa finally looked up at Dubchek, who was staring at the ceiling. When he realized that she had finished speaking, he said, “What about contact with any of the patients in the L.A. or St. Louis episodes?”
“None,” said Marissa. “At least none that we can discover.”
“Have you sent blood samples to Tad?”
“Yes,” said Marissa.
Cyril headed for the door. “I think you should redouble your efforts to associate this outbreak with one of the other two. There has to be a connection.”
“What about the cafeteria?” asked Marissa.
“You’re on your own there,” said Dubchek. “Ebola has never been spread by food, so I can’t see how the cafeteria could be associated
.” He pulled open the door. “Still, the coincidence is curious, and I suppose you’ll follow your own instincts no matter what I recommend. Just be sure you exhaust the possibilities of a connection with L.A. or St. Louis.”
For a moment Marissa stared at the closed door. Then she looked back at her summary sheet and the huge pile of histories. It was depressing.
Almost as if Cyrill’s last words had been a challenge, Marissa decided to visit the cafeteria, which had been built as a separate wing over a garden courtyard. The double doors leading to the large room were closed, and on the right one a notice had been tacked up stating: CLOSED BY ORDER OF STATE HEALTH COMMISSIONER. Marissa tried the door. It was unlocked.
Inside, the room was spotlessly clean and furnished in stainless steel and molded plastic. Directly ahead of Marissa was the steam table, with stacks of trays at one end and a cash register at the other.
A second set of double doors, with little round windows, was located behind the steam table and led to the kitchen. Just as Marissa was deciding whether to go through or not, they opened, and a stout but attractive middle-aged woman appeared and called out to Marissa that the cafeteria was closed. Marissa introduced herself and asked if she could ask the woman a few questions.
“Certainly,” replied the woman, who explained with a faint Scandinavian accent that her name was Jana Beronson and that she was the cafeteria manager. Marissa followed her into her office, a windowless cubicle whose walls were filled with schedules and menus.
After some polite conversation, Marissa asked to see the lunch menu for three days ago. Miss Beronson got it out of the file, and Marissa scanned the page. It was a usual cafeteria menu, with three entrées, two soups and a selection of desserts.
“Is this all the food offered?”
“Those are all the specials,” answered Miss Beronson. “Of course we always offer a selection of sandwiches and salads and beverages.”