Routine calls from my service; nothing from Fort Jackson. I called the base anyway and asked for Captain Katz. He came on quickly.
I reminded him who I was and told him I hoped I hadn't interrupted his dinner.
He said, 'No, that's fine, I was going to call you. Think I found what you're after.'
'Great.'
'One second-here it is. Influenza and pneumonia epidemics over the last ten years, right?'
'Exactly.'
'Well, far as I can tell, we only had one major flu epidemicone of the Thai strains back in 73. Which is before your time.'
'Nothing since?'
'Doesn't look like it. And no pneumonia, period. I mean, I'm sure we've had plenty of isolated flu cases, but nothing that would qualify as an epidemic. And we're real good about keeping those kinds of records. Only thing we usually have to worry about, in terms of contagion, is bacterial meningitis. You know how tough that can be in a closed environment.'
'Only one I observed personally was two years ago, and that was serious enough-soldiers died.'
'What about sequellae-brain damage, seizure disorders?'
'Most probably. I don't have the data handy but I can get hold of them. Thinking of changing your research protocol?'
'Not quite yet,' I said. 'Just curious.'
'Well,' he said, 'that can be a good thing, curiosity. At least out in the civilian world.'
Stephanie had her hard data, and now I had mine.
Cindy had lied about her discharge.
Maybe Laurence Ashmore found some data too. Saw Cassie's name on the admission and discharge sheets and got curious.
What else could have caused him to take another look at Chad Jones's chart?
He'd never be able to tell me, but maybe his former assistant could.
I called 2I3, 3I0, and 8r8 Informations for a listing on Dawn Kent Herbert and got nowhere. Expanded my search to Sos, 7 I4, and 659 with the same result, then phoned Milo at Parker Center. He picked up and said, 'Heard about your homicide last night.'
'I was at the hospital when it happened.' I told him about being questioned, the scene in the lobby. Feeling as if I'd been watched when I left the parking structure.
'Be careful, bucko. I got your message on Bottomley's hubby, but I've got no domestic violence calls to her address and there's no one on NCIC who could be her hubby. But she does have a troublemaker living there. Reginald Douglas Bottomley, D.O.B. 70.
Which would probably make him her son or maybe an errant nephew.'
'What'd he do to get in trouble?'
'Sure,' I said. 'Have you had epidemics of meningitis?Lots-he's got a sheet long enough to cover Abdul-Ja A few. The most recent was two years ago. Before that, 83, then 78 and ~~-almost looks cyclical, come to think of it. Might be worth checking that out, see if someone can come up with a p~~~~~~~~ 'How serious were the outbreaks?' bed.
Sealed juvenile file, then a bunch of DUIs, possession, shoplifting, petty theft, burglary, robbery, assault. Lots of busts, a few convictions, a teensy bit of jail time, mostly at County. Got a call in to a detective over at Foothill Division, see what he knows.
What's the relevance of Bottomley's home situation to the little kid?'
