right about this flu being on the increase. And did you hear the little exchange I just had?''
Pitt nodded. 'Sounds suspiciously like there might have been a personality change on the part of the husband.'
'My thought as well,' Sheila said as she threw away the gloves. 'But of course older people can be prone to disorientation.'
'I know you are busy,' Pitt said, 'but could you spare a minute? A friend and I would like to talk with you. We don't know who else to go to.'
Sheila agreed immediately despite the chaos in the ER. Pitt's opinions the day before were appearing to be prophetic. She was now convinced this flu was different; for one thing an influenza virus had yet to be isolated.
She took Pitt and Cassy back to her office. As soon as the door closed it was like an island of tranquility in the middle of a storm. Sheila sat down. She was exhausted.
Cassy told the whole story of Beau's transformation after his illness. Although she felt self-conscious about certain parts, she left nothing out. She even related what had happened the previous night, including the strange ball of light, the clandestine meeting, and the fact that everyone's eyes glowed.
When Cassy was finished, Sheila didn't say anything at first. She'd been absently doodling with a pencil. Finally she looked up. 'Under normal circumstances with a story like this I'd send you over to psychiatry and let them deal with you. But these are not normal circumstances. I don't know what to think about all this, but we should establish what facts we can. Now, Beau came down with his illness three days ago.'
Cassy and Pitt nodded in unison.
'I should see him,' Sheila said. 'Do you think he'd be willing to come in and be examined?''
'He said he would,' Cassy said. 'I asked him specifically about seeing someone professional.'
'Could you get him in here today?' Sheila asked.
Cassy shook her head. 'He's in Santa Fe.'
'When will he be back?'
Cassy felt a wave of emotion. 'I don't know,' she managed. 'He wouldn't tell me.'
'This is one of my favorite locations in the compound or the Zone as we like to call it,' Randy said. He pulled the electric golf cart to a halt and climbed out. Beau got out his side and followed the software mogul up a small grassy knoll. When they reached the top the view was spectacular.
In front of them was a crystalline lake populated with wild ducks. The backdrop was virgin woodland silhouetted against the Rocky Mountains.
'What do you think?' Randy said proudly.
'It's awe-inspiring,' Beau said. 'It shows what concern for the environment can do, and it provides a ray of hope. It's such an unbelievable tragedy for an intelligent species like human beings to have done the damage they have to this gorgeous planet. Pollution, political strife, racial divisiveness, overpopulation, mismanagement of the gene pool ... '
Randy had been nodding in agreement until the very last statement. He cast a quick look in Beau's direction, but Beau was dreamily staring off at the distant mountains. Randy wondered what Beau meant by 'mismanagement of the gene pool.' But before he could ask, Beau continued: 'These negative forces have to be controlled, and they can be. I firmly believe there are adequate resources to reverse the harm done to the planet. All it will take is a great visionary man to carry the torch, someone who knows the problems, has the power, and is not afraid to lead.'
A smile of acknowledgment spread involuntarily across Randy's face. Beau caught it out of the corner of his eye. The smile alone told Beau that he had Randy exactly where he wanted him.
'These certainly are visionary ideas for a college senior,' Randy said. 'But do you really think that human nature, such as it is, can be controlled enough to make it happen?''
'I've realized that human nature is a stumbling block,' Beau admitted. 'But with the financial resources and world community connections that you have amassed with Cipher Software, I think the obstacles can be overcome.'
'It's good to have a vision,' Randy said. Although he considered Beau overly idealistic, he was nonetheless impressed. But he wasn't impressed enough to start Beau out as his personal assistant. Beau would start in the mail room and work his way up like all his assistants.
'What is that over there on that pile of gravel?' Beau asked.
'Where?' Randy asked.
Beau walked over and bent down. He pretended to pick up one of his black discs that he'd actually pulled out of his pocket. Cradling it in his palm, he returned to Randy, and held it out.
'I don't know what it is,' Randy said. 'But I've seen some of my assistants with them over the last couple of days. What is it made of?'
'I can't tell,' Beau said. 'But it's heavy, so maybe it's metal. But take it. Maybe you can tell me.'
Randy took the object and tested its weight. 'A dense little thing,' he remarked. 'And what a smooth surface. And look at these symmetrically arranged bumps around the periphery.
'Owwww!' Randy cried. He dropped the disc to grab his finger. A drop of blood rapidly formed.
'The damn thing stung me!'
'That's odd,' Beau said. 'Let me see.'
'There have been other people who have shown personality changes,' Cassy told Sheila. 'For instance, the principal where I'm student teaching has been acting totally different since his flu episode. I've also heard of others but haven't seen them in person.'
'Frankly it is this mental status change that has me the most concerned,' Sheila said.
Cassy, Pitt, and Sheila were on their way to Dr. Halprin's office. Armed with new information, Sheila was confident the president of the medical center would have a different response than he'd had the day before. But when they arrived, they were in for a disappointment.
'I'm sorry but Dr. Halprin called this morning to say he was going to take some time off,' Mrs. Kapland told them.
'I've never known Dr. Halprin to miss a day at the hospital,' Sheila said. 'Did he give a reason?'
'He said he and his wife needed to spend some quality time together,' Mrs. Kapland said. 'But he will be calling in. Would you like to leave a message?'
'We'll be back,' Sheila said.
Sheila spun on her heels. Cassy and Pitt hurried after her. They caught up to her at the elevator.
'What now?' Pitt asked.
'It's time someone made a phone call to the people who should be looking into this problem,' she said. 'Halprin's taking a day off for personal reasons is too weird.'
'I hate suicides,' Vince said as he turned right on Main. Up ahead was a gaggle of squad cars and emergency vehicles. Crime-scene tape held back a throng of onlookers. It was late afternoon and just getting dark.
'More than homicides?' Jesse asked.
'Yeah,' Vince said. 'In homicides the victim doesn't have any choice. Suicides are just the opposite. I can't imagine what it's like to kill yourself. It gives me the creeps.'
'You're weird,' Jesse said. For him it was just the other way around. It was the innocence of the homicide victim that disturbed him. Jesse couldn't conjure up the same sympathy for a suicide. He figured that if someone wanted to do himself in, it was his business. The real problem was making sure the suicide was a suicide and not a homicide in disguise.
Vince parked as close to the scene as he could. On the sidewalk a yellow tarp covered the deceased's remains. The only gore visible was a trail of blood that ran to the curb.
The detectives climbed out of their car and looked up. On a ledge six stories up they saw several crime-scene boys nosing around.
Vince sneezed violently twice in a row.
'Bless you,' Jesse said reflexly.
Jesse approached a uniformed officer standing near the crowd barrier.
'Who's in charge here?' Jesse asked.
'Actually, the captain,' the officer said.
'Captain Hernandez is here?' Jesse asked with surprise.
