Perhaps seeing it as safer ground than the topic of litigation, Nolan fielded my question.
“Ted’s a research assistant on a project that studies how poisons get blown around by air. The company I work for does sort of the same thing. You know. You were there.”
I nodded.
“Last January CRRI sent me to work the exhibit booth at a conference in Atlanta. Ted was there with his team. We met in the hotel bar.”
“And fell in lust.” Slidell’s voice was thick with disgust.
“It’s more than that.”
“Touching.”
“Where’s your husband?” I asked.
“Afghanistan.”
“We’ll order a medal to hang in your window,” Slidell snarled.
Nolan crossed her arms on her chest and puffed air through her nose, a look of blank insolence on her face.
“OK, lover boy.” Slidell finger-flicked the top of Raines’s head. “Let’s talk poison.”
Raines looked up, features gathered in a look of puzzlement.
“Let me tell you a little story.” Slidell had regained his breath, and his tone was now dangerously calm. “Two bodies turn up at a morgue. One tests positive for ricin. The other’s got abrin on board. As we both know, your average Joe can’t lay his hands on stuff like that.”
Raines’s eyes narrowed in uncertainty. Or perhaps he was considering answers to create the best possible spin.
“Fast-forward. A guy’s in the wind. Gets busted. Turns out this guy has access to abrin and ricin. You see where I’m going, Ted?”
“What are you saying?”
“I hear you’ve got a real interesting part-time job.”
“What does that have—”
“That’s a mighty big coincidence. You working with biotoxins.”
“You’re suggesting I killed someone?”
Slidell just looked at him.
“That’s insane.”
“Is it?”
“Who are these dead people?”
“Eli Hand and Wayne Gamble.”
Beside me, I heard a sharp intake of breath.
“I don’t know either of them. Why would I poison total strangers?”
“You tell me.”
“The substances I work with are strictly controlled. You can’t just waltz out of the lab with a jar in your pocket. Every gram of powder, every fricking red seed has to be accounted for.” Raines’s voice was taking on an edge of alarm. “Call my supervisor.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Do I need a lawyer?”
“Do you?” Slidell asked.
“I didn’t do anything!” Shrill.
“Why are you in Charlotte?”
Raines’s eyes bounced from Slidell to Nolan and back. He answered with a nervous snigger, conspiratorial, guy to guy. “Look, man. I was just getting a little on the side.”
“Bastard!”
I eased Nolan back into her chair.
“Your girlfriend knew Wayne Gamble.” Slidell kept his eyes on Raines as he spoke to Nolan. “Didn’t you, Mrs. Nolan?”
“What?”
“You gonna tell him? Or should I?”
“I knew his sister. Like, centuries ago. Wayne was just a kid.”
“Sweet God in heaven.” Raines flopped back like a rag doll, hands covering his face.
Slidell peeled his glare from Raines and turned it on Nolan. “You aware Gamble’s dead?”
