by Anne Fraser
The house itself, like many of the others in the village, seemed to be built into the rock face.
A woman in a navy-blue long-sleeved dress answered their knock and after Alexander explained who they were, stepped aside to let them in.
Stéfan’s parents were sitting in a darkened room surrounded by family and friends. They clung to each other and Katherine winced at the grief she saw etched on their faces.
This, she thought, was why she was an academic. Facing other people’s pain, when she found it impossible to deal with her own, was something she’d spent most of her adult life trying to avoid. But she couldn’t afford to be squeamish—or the luxury of dwelling on her own discomfort. However much she hated to intrude on their grief, she knew it was necessary.
Alexander introduced them againand very gently explained why they were there. ‘I know this is a very difficult time for you, but we need to ask you some questions.’
Mr Popalopadous nodded. His wife seemed incapable of speaking. ‘Please,’ he said, ‘ask your questions. If we can stop this happening to someone else’s child...’
Katherine sat down and took Mrs Popalopadous’s hands in hers. ‘We need to know Stéfan’s last movements—where he’d been before he became unwell and who he’d been in contact with.’
She looked bewildered. ‘He was a teacher in the local school, but during the holidays he takes—took his boat out or went to the taverna with his friends. None of them are sick.’
Katherine exchanged a look with Alexander. None of them were sick yet.
‘Should we quarantine the village?’ Alexander murmured to her.
She shook her head slightly. ‘Not yet.’ She knew there was no point in getting ahead of themselves. What they had to do was retrace Stéfan’s movements going back at least a week to establish who had come into contact with him. After that they needed to get in touch with those people where possible and make sure they—and anyone who had spent more than a few hours in their company—were given antibiotics.
When Mrs Popalopadous started sobbing again, Katherine leaned forward. ‘I know it’s difficult, but can you think of anyone apart from his friends or his pupils he might have been in contact with?’ She ignored the warning look Alexander gave her. She wasn’t unsympathetic to Mrs Popalopadous’s grief but what mattered most now was that no one else would die.
Mr Popalopadous answered for his wife. ‘No. No one different.’ He wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. ‘Now, I’m afraid you must leave us. We have arrangements to make.’
His dignity in the face of his grief was humbling. But Katherine wanted to press him further. However, Alexander got to his feet and taking her by the elbow forced her to rise to hers too. He scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to the bereaved father. saying something in Greek Katherine couldn’t follow.
His hand still on her elbow, Alexander ushered Katherine out of the house and to his car.
‘I still had questions for them,’ she protested.
‘For God’s sake, Katherine, they’ve just lost their child. They’ve told us all they can.
‘You can’t be sure of that. It’s the things they don’t think that are important that might matter most.’
‘I gave him my mobile number and asked him to call me, day or night, if anything else does come to mind. I also told them to go to their family doctor and make sure they, and anyone else who might have been in contact with Stéfan, gets antibiotics. I’ll call the family doctor to make sure they do—although I’m sure he’ll have it in hand,’
‘It won’t hurt to make sure.’ Katherine replied.
After he’d made the call, Alexander turned to her. ‘As I thought, he plans to see them later this afternoon. As you can imagine, he’s pretty keen that we get on top of this.’ He frowned. ‘The most likely source of the infection is the high school.’
‘But not the only possibility!’
‘No, but isn’t it better to go with the most likely and work our way out from there?’
He did have a point. ‘Perhaps once we’ve interviewed the other families something will jump out. In the meantime, I’d better get onto my boss and tell him to make double sure that all the medical facilities in the area are on red alert.’
‘Shouldn’t we do that?’ Alexander asked.
‘It’s more important that we try and locate the source of the outbreak. My boss will liaise with your public heath team in Athens, although we should probably introduce ourselves at some point.’
They got into the car and Alexander turned the key in the ignition. ‘Okay. Next stop Athens.’
‘How long will it take us to get there?’
‘About two and half hours. Less if you stop interfering in the way I drive.’
Katherine gritted her teeth. ‘Just get there as soon as you can.’
* * *
Happily, it was a far better road to Athens than the one they’d come on. While they were driving, Katherine phoned the French girl’s parents. Luckily her French was considerably better than her Greek. But that didn’t make the conversation any less painful. Claire’s father held himself together long enough to tell Katherine that Claire had been on a short break with her boyfriend in Greece when she’d become unwell. It had all been very sudden—too sudden for the family to make it to her bedside in time. There had been a long pause in the conversation when Claire’s father had lost control, but eventually he had, for long enough at any rate to tell her that their family doctor had treated the family and the boyfriend with antibiotics.
Katherine repeated what she’d learned to Alexander and they’d sat in silence, each absorbed with their own thoughts. She wondered if Alexander was thinking, like she was, how devastating it was to lose someone you loved—especially when that person was young—like Claire—or Sophia. When, a while later, Katherine’s stomach growled she realised she hadn’t eaten since breakfast and Alexander would be in the same position.
‘I don’t know about you but I’m starving,’ she admitted.
‘Would you like to stop at one of the tavernas?’ he asked.
‘I’d prefer not to take too long over lunch. I’m keen to talk to David’s family.’
‘I know a place near here that does pastries and decent coffee. We could pick something up and get back on our way.’
She was pleased he was in just as much of a hurry to get to the hospital as she was. She didn’t think she could have beared to have stopped at a café and had a proper lunch, especially when she’d learned that in Greece there was no such thing as fast food served in a restaurant. While most times she appreciated the care they put into their cooking, today wasn’t one of them.
When they stopped, she bought some bread rolls and cheese while Alexander downed a couple of cups of espresso in quick succession. She didn’t care for the heavy, thick Greek coffee so she bought some fresh orange juice to go with their picnic lunch instead.
She took a few moments to split open the rolls and fill them. Alexander pulled a penknife from his pocket and offered it to her, and she quickly sliced the tomatoes and added them to the cheese. Once she’d done that she handed one of the rolls to Alexander. When she next looked up it was gone. He had to have wolfed it down in a couple of bites.
‘Should I get some more?’ she asked, astonished.
‘No, that will do me for the time being. Shall we get on?’
She wrapped her half-eaten sandwich in a napkin. ‘Suits me. I can finish this in the car.’
After they’d been driving for a while she asked, ‘How long before we get there?’
He glanced at his watch. ‘Another hour.’
She did some calculations in her head. An hour to get there, a couple more at the hospital and then what? A three or a three-and-a-half-hour journey back. They’d be lucky to reach home before
midnight and they still had the other families to see.
However, it seemed he was there before her. ‘I phoned a colleague while you were in the ladies. He’s agreed to contact the doctors on our list and ask the families some preliminary questions. He said he’d call me back as soon as he had some information for us.’
Although Katherine would have preferred to have made the calls herself, she knew that Alexander had made the right decision. Every minute could make a difference—a life-changing difference—for one patient and his, or her, family.
* * *
Finally they arrived in Athens. After the peace of the countryside Katherine found the noise of tooting horns and the fumes of the cars that crept along the roads nose to tail almost overwhelming. She craned her neck to see the Acropolis, which dominated the city. It was on her list of places to visit but, like the rest of her plans, it would have to wait.
She was glad Alexander was with her to negotiate his way around the hospital. Although her spoken Greek wasn’t too bad now, reading it was a completely different matter and despite many of the signposts being in English, it was still a busy and confusing hospital.
They made their way to the intensive care unit and she listened as Alexander explained to the doctor why they were there. Then he asked for an update on the patient.
‘David is holding his own,’ he said. ‘But the septicaemia means we might have to amputate his hand. We have a theatre on standby.’
Oh, no! The boy was so young to be facing such drastic surgery. His parents must be beside themselves. And indeed, it seemed that they were too distraught to speak to them. The doctor apologised and suggested they come back in the morning when David’s condition might have stabilised and the parents be more willing to see them.
‘It can’t wait,’ Katherine protested. ‘We have to find out where he’s been and who he came into contact with. His family are the only people who can tell us.’
Once more, Alexander took her by the arm and led her away and out of earshot of the doctor.
‘For God’s sake, Katherine. Their child may be about to go into Theatre. Could you talk to anyone if you were in their position? I’m not sure I could.’
She knew why he was saying that, but she also knew that in circumstances such as these they couldn’t afford the luxury of waiting.
‘I know it’s a bad time, but we need information as quickly as possible.’
‘It can wait.’
‘No, it can’t.’ She held his gaze. ‘No it can’t,’ she repeated more softly. ‘If you won’t talk to them, I’ll have to.’
He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck in what, she was beginning to realise, was a habit of his when he was thinking.
‘Look, why don’t I try to find another, less distressed family member to talk to? There’s bound to be at least one here at the hospital—if I’m not mistaken most of the extended family will have gathered by now.’
‘Fair enough,’ Katherine conceded. ‘But if they can’t help I’m going to have to insist on speaking to David’s parents.’
He nodded and Katherine was left kicking her heels while Alexander went in search of the extended family. While she waited she opened up her laptop and started creating a database. Then she reviewed what they’d learned so far—which wasn’t much. They still didn’t know what the cases had in common or how they might have come into contact with the virus. It was almost two hours before Alexander reappeared. He looked tired and in need of a shave.
‘They decided they had to take David to Theatre and they’ve just taken him through to Recovery. They had to amputate the fingers on his left hand. Thank God he’s right-handed.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘But it could have been so much worse.’ She waited a few moments. ‘Did you find out anything that might help?’
‘Not really. I found his aunt, who lives next door to her sister. According to her, apart from school, a party and a trip to the beach he’s not been anywhere out of the usual.’ He held out a piece of paper. ‘She’s given me the names of the other kids at the party. None of them are the other victims, though.’
‘They might be yet,’ she said. ‘We need to make sure everyone on that list and their doctors are contacted.’
‘I telephoned Diane while I was waiting to hear how David got on in Theatre. She promised to get onto it straight away.’
She was impressed. She’d been right. Alexander was the perfect person to help with the crises.
‘What about the other GP? The one you called—has he got back to you?’
‘He phoned a few minutes ago. He’s spoken to all the doctors, who have agreed to do as we requested.’
Alexander stepped forward and brushed a lock of her hair away from her forehead. The unexpected and tender gesture made her heart tighten. ‘We’ve done all we can for the moment,’ he said gently. ‘Let’s go home. We can discuss what we’re going to do next on the way.’
* * *
On the way back. Alexander pulled off the main road. Katherine looked at him, surprised. ‘Where are we going?’
‘Neither of us have eaten since the rolls we had for lunch. I don’t know about you but my brain doesn’t work unless it’s kept fuelled.’
Katherine had to agree. Now that he’d mentioned food she realised she was ravenous.
A short while later he stopped at a small taverna with tables set out on a veranda upstairs. Despite the hour, and its location, it was thronged with people enjoying meals and drinks in the cool evening breeze of the mountains. Alexander led her over to a table away from the other diners. The view was spectacular. In the crevasses of the mountain hundreds of lights glittered a snaking path downwards towards the sea. When the waitress came Alexander raised his eyebrow in Katherine’s direction.
‘You order,’ she said, reading his meaning. ‘I don’t care what I eat as long as it’s filling.’
Alexander rattled off something in Greek so rapidly she couldn’t follow. While he did so she studied him from under her lashes. His earlier tiredness seemed to have disappeared and his usual energy was back. Although she was exhausted, she felt it too. Perhaps it was the urgency of the situation, the need to find answers that was making them both restless.
‘So, what next?’ Alexander asked, after the waiter had placed their meals in front of them. He’d ordered moussaka and a Greek salad to share. She speared a chunk of tomato on her fork and popped it into her mouth. Delicious.
‘We should check in with Public Health in Athens and see if any more cases have been reported.’ She laid her fork down, rummaged in her bag, pulled out her mini-laptop and fired it up. ‘While you were in with David’s parents I made some notes.’ She moved it so he could see the screen.
‘I’ve made a table. In the first column I’ve put the patient’s name, the second has the date when they first came to the attention of the medical services and the third has a list of immediate family and friends and anyone else we know of who might have come into contact with them. It’s not complete yet—there’s bound to be names missing. Next to each name on the list is a column indicating whether they have been given prophylactic antibiotics. The last column is for places they have been in the last couple of weeks and will include swimming clubs, parties, et cetera. By creating a database I can sort the information any way I want. Sooner or later I’m hoping a common link will leap out. In the meantime, I’ve emailed a copy to my opposite number in Athens.’
Alexander looked impressed. ‘You did all that? In, what? A couple of hours. Less.’
Warmth spread through her. Her reaction to him confused her. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt more at ease in someone’s company, yet at the same time her heart raced all the time she was with him.
‘It’s what I’ve been trained to do. If I were back at the hospital I’d have access to much mor
e sophisticated programs to do it. On the other hand, entering the data myself helps me to understand it.’
He frowned. ‘Is that what they’ve become? Data?’
‘Of course they’re not simply data,’ Katherine retorted, stung. ‘I’m a doctor but also a scientist. Trust me, this is the best way to approach this. Getting too close to individual patients can hinder a person when it comes to seeing patterns.’ Hurt, she lowered her glass and pushed her half-eaten meal away. Her appetite had deserted her. ‘Give me a moment, will you?’ And without waiting for a reply, she stalked away.
* * *
Hearing footsteps behind her, Katherine turned. Somehow she wasn’t surprised to find Alexander standing behind her.
‘Aren’t you cold?’ he said softly.
‘No. It’s a perfect evening,’ she murmured.
‘May I join you?’ he asked. When she nodded, he sat down next to her. She could smell his aftershave, almost feel the heat radiating from his body.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘That was a stupid thing to say. I know you don’t see the patients as data.’ He grinned sheepishly. ‘I’m perfectly aware that underneath the scientist façade beats a soft heart.’ He placed a hand over hers. ‘Will you forgive me?’
Her heart started pounding so hard she could barely breathe. What was it about him that made her feel that a whole world of possibility lay out there somewhere? She’d accepted that she would remain alone for the rest of her life, which, apart from the sorrow of her parents’ deaths and a deep regret about the life she might have had had she made different choices, was a happy one. Then why did she feel she’d been fooling herself all this time?
‘What are those lights out at sea?’ she asked, to break the tension.
‘It’s the fishermen. A lot of them like to fish at night.’
‘What about you? Is that what you use your boat for? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you go out in it.’
