by Frank Perry
weren’t giving it, and he was out of excuses. “Okay, if you follow me, I’d like to keep this in the executive area so that other people don’t get alarmed.”
“Certainly, sir.”
He led the way, and the police followed, Detective McAlister at the front. Hanson was first on the list and had the office next to the conference room. He was shaking nervously when Jules told him to see the police. The boss wanted to communicate with Hanson privately, but the police were always there. They exchanged knowing glances, but didn’t allow time to coordinate answers. In reality, Jules wasn’t aware of any assaults and wanted to hush everyone. Who assaulted who?
As soon as the door closed, Jules raced to find Irina working in lab 4B. He entered the key code and passed through the heavy glass door to stop her before going into the containment chamber. In his haste, he didn’t realize that the uniformed officer was close behind. Irina sensed something urgent and raised a hand to stop Jules before he could speak, motioning him to see the officer standing outside the lab door watching his interactions. He stiffened with his back to the door, “Dr. Petronova, there are two police detectives in the executive conference room interviewing one of our employees.”
She didn’t fluster easily, but knew immediately that something dire was happening. “What is it about, Jules?” Both of them were careful to continue the charade with eyes watching. The officer couldn’t hear the dialogue, but could probably recognize if people were acting normally under the circumstances.
Honestly, Irina, I don’t have any idea. “Were you assaulted recently?”
So that’s what this is about. She dismissed it. “It can be explained, Jules. My apartment has thin walls, and I am sure that my neighbor misunderstood a program I was watching on television. That would be the answer.”
Jules didn’t believe her. If that was it, then why was Hanson being interviewed? … And why the request for the order of people to be interviewed? The officer’s presence outside the lab was a concern. Jules couldn’t appear to be coaching Petronova. But something was definitely wrong and he didn’t know about it, it scared him. Their unholy alliance was something he never wanted, but at least they should be honest amongst themselves for mutual preservation, even if for no other reason. Why had Hanson and Irina both been assaulted? The police don’t send all this manpower to meet this many people without a connection to something big. His knees shook and he hoped the officer wasn’t watching closely. Petronova knew enough now at least to be on guard. Beyond that, Jules felt sick that he wasn’t the one in charge, the one with all the answers. Two or even three people, counting Fred Cooper, could be involved in something that he didn’t know about. No matter what it was, he was chained to them like slaves on a sinking galley boat. Jules figured he needed to show correct protocol and a presumed lack of concern, so he asked Petronova to tell Cooper to be ready. Neither was aware that Cooper was still out “sick.” He left the lab, figuring the officer would follow, which was the case, giving Irina time alone with Cooper to arrange their stories.
Answers
The interviews took all day in private. The following morning, Detective McAlister ordered that prisoner Hollis be brought to their interview room. John wore an orange jump suit and handcuffs that were removed when he was alone with her. She spoke first. “Well, John, we’re going to release you. There will not be any indictments issued against you.”
His face revealed his astonishment. “Didn’t you get anything?”
She thought for a moment. “I don’t know. We questioned each of them in the sequence as we agreed, and nobody would verify an assault. Along with this, they didn’t admit talking to you at all about an illegal shipment. They all said some disparaging things about your behavior recently. Jules even mentioned that you were “on the bubble” for hanky-panky with one of the scientists who works and lives with you. He called it unprofessional for colleagues to be openly affectionate. He mentioned that you’d both been missing and that they had tracked your time at the hospital.”
It had never been certain that his plan would work, but he was livid anyway. “That bullshit artist! He’s painting me as a bad employee. That’s crazy. I’m one of their best; I work in the most secure lab at the Institute. I’ve only been there a little over a year and they’ve moved me into the most secure lab.”
McAlister remained passive. “Don’t get worked up. There’s something going on there. I’m not sure where it leads, but not all of the answers seemed to mesh.”
He was focused. He might have put his future welfare on the line, but that didn’t bother him. He wanted the truth to come out. “Did you ask them about discrepancies in the virus inventory?”
She looked at him. “Yes. I asked everyone, and Matt Hanson was the most evasive. You said that he was the one who maintained the records, and he really squirmed when I asked about it. I asked several times, and he got more nervous each time. He didn’t admit anything, but I’d bet a week’s salary that he did alter some records.”
John wanted something more incriminating. “He did it. That bitch Petronova killed my sponsor, Dr. Bridger, to cover it up. But, you’ll never get her to admit it, and I don’t have any idea how she did it. Somehow, she got the virus in him without him knowing it and timed it perfectly so that he was in some remote part of African when it flared. She’s not the brightest person at the Institute, but she’s certainly the most vicious one.
“What about Charlie? He’s the real technologist over everyone. Do you think he knew what was going on?”
She checked her notes. “He was interesting. He was really upset about you and Kelly. I think it was genuine. He was shocked by some of the questions. I didn’t tell him about the others, but he’s intuitive. He knows something’s going on.”
She closed her notes. “I’m sorry, John, but there’s no smoking gun. I’m going to release you today.”
He realized how odd it would be for him to object. He just shook his head and went back to the holding cell to wait.
Confrontation
“What the hell was that all about, Jules?” Charlie Ritter was furious. He knew Jules well; he could tell by evasions that something was wrong. The police presence upset him. He’d known Jules to be cunning and maybe willing to skirt around regulations to sell the Institute. Had something more sinister happened? He didn’t want to think about it, but he had to get to the bottom of it. He would talk to all of the others.
Jules didn’t have the patience right now. “Cool off, Charlie. It’s nothing. It will blow over. The cops didn’t find anything.”
“What were they looking for, Jules? That female detective kept saying something about viruses mis-handled or missing. Are they suspecting something about Lorne’s death? It WAS a coincidental exposure in country, right? Is it anything other than that?”
“Look, Charlie, I don’t know, nor do I have time to speculate now. Let it go. I’ve got to work on the sale. The police won’t be back. They didn’t get anything.” Inside, he was seething.
“That’s not what I’m asking Jules, I don’t want to speculate either … What the hell’s going on?”
Jules was avoiding eye contact. “There’s nothing that I know of. Look, it may be something in your area. They may be asking if our virus cultures are all accounted for.” Jules regretted saying it. He knew that was the point. He also knew Charlie would hunt down the answer. Charlie would figure it out eventually. It was the assaults that worried Jules. He would strangle that answers out of his two co-conspirators if need be.
Charlie looked at him blankly. It was like his old friend had suddenly put up a wall. It was a wall with a small sign saying “verify the inventory.” He walked out without saying anything more, which worried Jules.
Jules had wanted to meet with all of the employees who had been interviewed. He needed to know what was going on. Why were the police talking to these specific people? He was furious and sc
ared, but the damned uniformed officer had seemed to be lingering around his office and Jules couldn’t talk to anyone while the police were there. It would have raised too much suspicion. Later, when the police had gone, all of the people they had questioned had left the building and wouldn’t answer their phones. It terrified him to think someone had blabbed.
Compression
The still unfinished gin bottle was in the fridge. He thought about it. He’d been thinking about it for almost an hour since coming home. He kept rolling McAlister’s answers over and over. Maybe something had been accomplished. He just wasn’t sure what it might be. He decided to get a good night’s sleep before his next decision.
Meanwhile, Jules was trying to sleep hours later when another message from Africa arrived at the Institute:
“Dear Doctors, kindly answer my last email. We must determine how to administer the medicines if they are for that purpose. Please advise us of that fact.
Josef Leedjärv”
The next morning, Jules was in the office before six o’clock. His anxiety had
