'And the reason we are here, ' Laurie continued, 'is because your late wife, Connie, apparently died of botulinum poisoning. Do you know what that is? ' Yuri nodded. He could hear his heart beating and was afraid the two people he was confronting could hear it as well. He was at a loss as to what to do. Should he try to get rid of them? Should he try to get them inside and wait for Curt? He had no idea.
'We're very concerned that the source might still be in your home, ' Laurie said. 'Did your wife do any home canning? '
'I don't know, ' Yuri stammered.
'Well, that would be key to review, ' Laurie persisted. 'There are other possible culprits, like fresh garlic in oil. Frozen pot pies have been a source. By the way, are you Russian? '
'Yes, ' Yuri managed.
'I thought perhaps you were from your accent, ' Laurie said.
'Where in Russia are you from? ' Jack asked, speaking for the first time.
'Ummm, ' Yuri voiced with hesitation. Then he said, 'Saint Petersburg.'
'I hear that's a beautiful city, ' Laurie said. 'Anyway, there's a kind of whitefish favored by Russian immigrants that have been known to have carried the toxin. Is that something you eat often? '
'Not too often, ' Yuri said. He had no idea what Laurie was talking about.
'We'd very much like to come inside and take a look in your kitchen, ' Laurie said. 'I cannot emphasize enough how potentially serious this could be.'
'Well, I.. .' Yuri began.
'It will not take long, ' Laurie said. 'We promise. You see, we've come all the way out here from Manhattan. Of course, we could call the Department of Health. Now, they would insist about coming in and would have legal authority to do so.'
'I suppose it would be all right if it didn't take too long, ' Yuri said. He was beginning to recover from his initial shock. He certainly didn't want any public health authorities coming out during the night armed with a warrant. Besides, he was beginning to think of a way of turning this surprise visit to his favor.
'Thank you, ' Laurie said. She and Jack came through the gate.
Yuri preceded them back to the kitchen door. He opened it and stepped inside. Laurie and Jack followed.
Laurie's eyes swept the cramped Lshaped room. 'This is.. .' she began.
She hesitated trying to think of a word until finally saying, 'Cute.' Jack nodded, but he was more interested in looking at Yuri. 'That's quite a rash you have there.' Yuri touched his face with evident embarrassment. His other hand was still in his pocket, holding onto the Glock. 'It's some kind of allergic reaction.' Jack tilted his head to the side and looked at Yuri with narrowed eyes.
'Have I met you someplace? '
'Surely not, ' Yuri said. He pointed to the kitchen. 'All the food is right here.' Laurie immediately went to the refrigerator and pulled the door open.
She bent over and looked at the contents. There was very little.
Jack followed but was curious about the objects on the table. 'What are these? ' he questioned while poking one of the clear plastic sausages with his finger.
Yuri leaped forward. 'Careful! ' he cried. He then calmed when Jack pulled his hand away. 'I don't want those to break.'
'Sorry, ' Jack said. 'I didn't touch it very hard. Is this some kind-of Russian delicacy? '
'In a way, ' Yuri said vaguely.
'Wait a second, ' Jack said suddenly. 'I remember you. But aren't you from Sverdlovsk? '
'No, I'm from Saint Petersburg, ' Yuri said.
'Didn't I meet you in the Corinthian Rug Company office? ' Jack asked.
'I mean your neighbor, Yegor, told me you drove a taxi. Didn't you come to the rug company to pick up Mr. Papparis? ' - 'It must have been someone else, ' Yuri said uneasily.
'You're the spitting image of this guy, ' Jack said.
Laurie opened the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. All that was in it was a bottle of vodka and a tray of ice cubes.
'You don't have much food in here, ' Laurie commented.
'My wife ate fast food, ' Yuri said. 'I ate on the road.' Laurie nodded. She opened the kitchen cabinets. Not finding anything suspicious, she stepped back and surveyed the tiny kitchen. 'I don't see any home-canning implements.'
'That's all downstairs, ' Yuri said.
Laurie turned to stare at the Russian. 'So your wife did do some home food processing after all? '
'She used to, ' Yuri said. 'Now that I think about it.'
'Is there any of the food left? '
'I don't know, ' Yuri said. 'I haven't looked for a long time. She used to go down there often.'
'Could we see? ' Laurie asked. She glanced at Jack, who made an expression of puzzled surprise.
'Why not? ' Yuri said. He opened the door and descended.
Laurie and Jack exchanged confused glances and followed. By the time they got to the basement level, Yuri had the padlocked combination steel and heavy plywood door to the entry chamber open. He was inside unlocking the similarly stout door to the supply room.
Laurie and Jack stepped into the entry chamber. Their eyes took in the hazmat suit, the showerhead, and the plastic bottles of bleach. They smelled the distinct odor of chlorine in the air as well as the more subtle odor of fermentation. They heard the sound of the exhaust fan.
They looked at each other in bewilderment.
Yuri was standing next to the door to the supply room. He pointed inside. 'I think this is what you are looking for.' Laurie and Jack stepped over to peer gingerly into the supply room. As they did so Yuri slipped behind them. They saw the petri dishes, the agar, the jars of nutrients, and the spare HEPA filters.
'How about stepping inside, ' Yuri said.
Laurie and Jack turned to look at the Russian and gasped. Yuri had trained a gun on them.
'Please, ' Yuri said in an even voice. 'Step inside! '
'We've seen as much as we'd like to see, ' Jack said airily, trying to sound unconcerned about the sudden appearance of the gun. He took a step forward, ahead of Laur
But in the basement with the circulating fan going, he had no concern.
Still, the noise had been deafening in the enclosed space. The bullet thudded into one of the floor joists.
Dust rained down from the ancient floorboards above. Laurie screamed.
'The next time I aim, ' Yuri said.
'No need to shoot again, ' Jack said with a voice that had lost all pretense of buoyancy. Raising his hands to chest height, he backed up, forcing Laurie, who was between him and Yuri, into the storeroom.
Jack stepped in as well.
'Move back from the door, ' Yuri commanded.
Jack and Laurie did as they were told and pressed against the concrete wall. The blood had drained from both their faces, and they appeared as pale as the whitewash covering the cement.
Yuri came forward and closed the door. He fastened the hasp and locked the padlock, then stepped back and looked at the door. He'd designed it to keep people out, but he guessed it would work just as well to keep people in.
'Shouldn't we discuss this? ' Jack called through the door.
'Absolutely, ' Yuri said. 'Otherwise you couldn't help me.'
'You'll have to explain, ' Jack said. 'But we're much better listeners and far more helpful when we don't have to yell through a door.'
'You're not coming out, probably for several days, ' Yuri said. 'So make yourself comfortable. There's distilled water on the shelf, and I apologize for the lack of a toilet.'
'We appreciate your concern, ' Jack said.
'But I can assure you, we'd be far happier upstairs. We promise to behave ourselves.'
