"Fortransportingavirus,asIsaid."
"Butwhatvirus?"MymindthoughtirrationallyofMichelangelo,whichwasnonsense.Michelangeloneededadifferentsortoftube.
"Anyvirus,"Lizziesaid."Virusesarehighlymysteriousandbarelyvisibleevenunderanelectronmicroscope.Oneca.n.u.suallyonlyseetheirresults.Youca.n.a.lsodetecttheantibodiestheinvadedorganismdevelopstodefenditself."
"But..."Ipausedtoorganiseafewscatteringthoughts,"wasthereanyvirusinthetubes?"
"It"simpossibletosay.Itlookslikely,consideringthatthetubeswerecarefullysealedandwerebeingcarriedinthedarkinavacuumflask-andincidentally,thevacuumflaskwouldhavebeennecessarytomaintainthetubesinachilledenvironment,say4C,notahotone-butyou"vehadthosetubesfordays,haven"tyou?"
"Theywerebeingcarriedinoneofmyhorseboxesaweekagotoday."
"That"swhat.i.thought.Well,viruseswillonlysurviveoutsidealivingorganismforaveryshorttime.Viraltransportmediumisusedfortakingvirallyinfectedmatterfromasufferertoalaboratoryfortesting,andforinfectinganotherorganismforresearchpurposes,butvirusesdon"tlivelonginthemediumoroncultureplates."
"Howlong?"
Itwoulddepend.Theconflictingviewshereintheuniversitysayoraslittleasfivehoursorforasmanyasforty-eight.Afterthat,anyviruswouldbeinactive."
"ButLizzie..."
"Yes,what?"
"Imean...Idon"treallyunderstand."
You"rehardlyalone,"shesaid."Thereareaboutsixhundredknownviruses,probablythereareatleastdoublethatnumber,andtheyareallunidentifiablebysight.They"reparticlesofDNAorRNAsurroundedbyacoatingofprotein.Theyarecylindricalorpolyhedralinshape,butyoucan"ttellwhattheydobylookingatthem.They"renotlikebacteria,wheretheorganismsarerecognisableindividuallybytheirappearance.Mostviruseslookthesame.Theylivebyinvadinglivingtissueandreproducinginanimalcells-foranimal,readalsohuman.Flu,colds,polio,smallpox,measles,rabies,AIDS,dozensofthings.Everyoneknowstheireffects.Nooneknowshowtheyevolved.Some,likeflu,areconstantlychanging."
InsilenceIthoughtaboutwhatshe"dtoldmeuntilintheendshesaid,"Freddie?Areyoustillthere?"
"Yes,"Isaid."Doyoumean,"Iaskedslowly,"thatyoucouldtakesomefluvirusfromsomeoneandtransport.i.tformilesandinfectsomeoneelse,withoutthepeopleevenmeeting?"
"Sure,youcould.Butwhywouldyou?"
"Malice?"Isuggested.
"Freddie!"
"Youcould,couldn"tyou?"
"AsfarasIgather,you"dhavetohavealargeinoculuminasmallamountofmedium,thepathogenicityoftheviruswouldhavetobehighandthereceptorwouldhavetobehighlysusceptible."
"IsthatstraightProfessorQuipp?"
Shesaidtartly,"Sinceyouask,yes."
"Lizzie,"Isaidapologetically,"it"sjustthatIneeditinplainEnglish."
"Oh.Well,inthatcase,what.i.tmeansisthatyou"dhavetohaveaveryactivevirusandasmuchofitaspossibleinrelationtotheamountofmedium,andthepersonreceivingitwouldhavetobelikelytocatchtheinfection.Itwouldn"tbeanygoodtryingtoinfectsomeonewiththepresentstrainoffluifthey"dbeeninoculatedagainst.i.t.Youcouldn"tgivepoliotoanyonewho"dtakentheSalkvaccine,orgivesmallpoxormeaslestoprotectedpeople.There"snoprovenvaccineyetagainstAIDS,andAIDSisterrifyingbecauseitmaybethat.i.tchanges,likeflu,thoughthat"snotestablishedsofar."
"Ifitwasfluvirusinthetubes,"Iasked,thinking,"wouldyouinject.i.t?"
"No,youwouldn"t.Fluisspreadthroughrespiratorydropletsorsaliva.You"dhavetosquirtthemediumupsomeone"snose.Thatmightdoit."
"Orsprinkleitontheircornflakes?"
"Notreallyreliable.Arespiratoryviruswouldhavetogointotherespiratorytract,notthestomach.Fromthenoseorlungsitcouldinvadethewholesystem,but.i.tmightnothaveanyeffectifyouinjecteditintoamuscleorstraightintothebloodstream."Shepaused."Youdohavegruesomethoughts."
"It"sbeenagruesomeweek."
Sheagreedwiththea.s.sessment."IsmydearlittlehelicopterstillexactlywhereIleft.i.t?"
"Yes.Whatdoyouwantmetodowithit?"
"Mypartnerssuggestputtingitonalow-loaderandbringingithome."
"Doyouthinkitcanbesalvaged?"Iprobablysoundedsurprised,b.u.t.therewerebitsofit,shesaid,thatlookedunharmed.Thetailrotor,forexample,andthemainrotor"slinkage,themostexpensivepartoftheworks.Ahelicoptercouldberebuilt.Itwouldhavetostayasitwas,though,shesaid,untilaftertheaircraftcrashinspectorhadbeentoseeitandmadeareport.Evengroundaccidents,itseemed,hadtogothroughthemill.
"Talkingofviruses,"Isaid,"we"vehadadoozyinthecomputer."
"Awhat?"
Akiller.Novaccinegivenintime,alas."
"Whatexactlyareyoutalkingabout?"
Itoldher.
"Inconvenient,"shesaid."Letmeknowifyouneedanythingelse."
"Iwill.Incidentally,Azizsaidyouwereanicelady."
"SoIshouldhope."
IlaughedwithaffectionanddisconnectedandfrommybedroomwindowwatchedazippysmallcardriveontomytarmacandstopwithashockedjoltwithinfirstsightoftheJaguar-Robinsonembrace.
Myvisitor,asIwasdelightedtoseea.s.shestoodupintheopenairtostareatthewreckage,wasMaudieWatermead;blonde,slight,foreverlegsinbluedenim.
Iopenedmywindowandyelleddowntoher.
"Hi,"sheshoutedback."CanIcomein?"
I"llbestraightdown."
Ileaptdownthestairsandopenedthedoorforher.
Isaid,kissinghercheek,"Idon"tsupposeyou"vecometohopintobed?"
"Notachance."
"Comeinforadrink,then."
Shetookthelessdramaticinvitationforgrantedandfollowedmeintothehouse.Thestateofthesitting-roomopenedhermouth.
"Wow,"shesaidbreathlessly."AllofPixhill"sheardaboutthis,butInever...Imean..."
"Thethoroughness,"Isaiddryly,"isimpressive."
"Oh,Freddie!"Shesoundedtrulysympatheticandgavemeahug.Toochaste,however."Andyoursupercar..."Shebentdownandpickeduponeofthechoppedphotographs,sharppiecesofgla.s.sfallinginacascadefromanoldsoaringflightoverTheChairfenceintheGrandNational."Howcanyoubearit?"
"Withouttears,"Isaid.
Shegavemeaswiftsidewaysglance."You"reastoughasever."
Whatwastough,Iwondered.Unfeeling?YetIfelt.
"Iwastalkingtothecomputerboy,"Maudiesaid."Hedescribedallthis.Hesaidifanyonehaddonethistohim,he"dhavetakenanaxetohimhimself."
"Mm.Butyouhavetoaxetherightpersonandhedidn"tsignhisname."Somethingflickereddeepinmybrain.Somethingaboutsigningnames.Flickeredandvanished."Whatw.i.l.l.youdrink?"Iasked."There"schampagneinthefridge."
"Ifyoureallyfeellikeit,"shesaiddoubtfully.
"Whynot?"
Sowewentintothekitchenandsatatthetablethereanddrankfrommybestgla.s.ses,allunshatteredinsideakitchencupboard.
"Michaelwasfuriousaboutourcomputer.Thatyounggeniuswho"sfixeditforustolduswehadn"thadtheviruslurkinginsidethereformorethanamonth.Betsystartedusingnewfloppydisksasback-updisksamonthago.Theviruswasonthose,but.i.twasn"tontheback-updisksshe"dusedearlier.Sothewizardsayswedidn"thavethevirusthen."
Ithoughtabout.i.t."SoBetsyhasn"tusedtheoldback-updisksrecently?"
"No.Noneed.Imean,youonlyuseback-upsifthecomputeritselfgoeshaywire,don"tyou?"
"Yeah."
"Thewizardsaystherearehundredsofthesewretchedvirusesabout.Michael"sonthepointofreturningtoparchmentandquillpens."
"Can"tblamehim."
"BetsysaysyourIsobel"stoldhertheydidn"tmakeback-ups,even,inyouroffice."
"Onelivesandlearns."
"Butwhatw.i.l.l.youdo?
"Oh,"Isaid,"startontheparchmentandquills,Isuppose.Imean,alltherecordsandfiguresinthecomputerarestillaroundonpaper.Rosekeptpapercopiesofthebillsshesentout.We"vealltheinvoicesforsuppliescomingin.Thedrivers"logbooksstillexist."
"Yes,butwhatamammothtask."
Infuriating,"Iagreed.
"Whyaren"tyousnarlingandgnashingyourteeth?"
"Doesn"tdoanygood."
Shesighed."You"reamazing,Freddie,youreallyare."
"ButIdon"tgetwhatIwant."
SheknewwhatImeant.Shealmostblushed,thensaid,"No,youdon"t,"muchtoofirmly,anddrankherchampagne."IcametoseeifIcouldhelpyouinanyway,"shewenton,andbeforeIcouldsayanythingaddedquickly,"andnotinthatway,don"tbeafool."
"Pity."
"MichaelsaidtoaskyoutolunchonSunday."
"TellMichaelyes,thankyou."
TellMichael,Sandyhadsaid,thathisdaughter,Tessa,hadcriminalpotential.IlookedatMaudie"shighcheekbones,atherfaireyebrows,herdeliciousmouth;lookedathergoodsenseandgenerousspirit.Howcouldonewarnsuchamotherorsuchafathertolookoutfortroubleintheirdaughter?Maybeacriticalauntcouldhavemanagedit,butIcertainlycouldnot.
Ihadnorighttodoitandnoinclination,andmoreoverIwouldn"tbebelievedandwouldloseawelcomefriendship.ImightprivatelysuspectthatSandywasontarget,b.u.t.thatwaswhatthethoughtwouldremain;private.Icould,ontheotherhand,alertMaudietolessnebulousdangers.
Isaidtentatively,"HaveyoucomeacrossoneofmydriverscalledNigel?"
Thefaireyebrowsrose."WenearlyalwayshaveLewis."
"Yes.But...um...Nigel"sas.e.xyhunk,mysecretariessay,and...um..."
"Getonwithit,"Maudieurged.
"Ijustthought...youmightnotwanthimseeingtoomuchofTessa."
"Tessa!OhG.o.d.Ithought.i.twasLewisshewaskeenon.She"salwayswhisperingwithLewis."
"ThepublandlordmentionedtomethatNigelwasbuyingc.o.kesthereforTessaandEdoneevening.I"msurethere"sabsolutelynothingtoworryabout,butperhapsyoushouldknow."
"Stupidkids!"Sheseemedbasicallyunworried."Coca-Colainapub!"Shelaughed."Inmyyoungdaysitwas"myneedleoryours"thathadparentshopping."
Irefilledhergla.s.s.Shefrowned,notatthechampagne,butatasuddenmemory,andthoughtfullysaid,"YousentthatNigeltouslastweektotakeJerichoRich"sd.a.m.nedhorsesofftoNewmarket,didn"tyou?"
"Yes.Friday.ButIwon"tallocatehimtoyourworkanymore."
"Betsytoldme...Hecametooearly,orsomething,andTessaclimbedintohiscabandsaidshewantedtogowithhim,butMichaelsawherandsaidshewasn"ttogo."
ThatversionofwhathadhappenedsoundedmuchmorelikelythantheoneI"dheardfromIsobel,thatNigelhadvirtuouslysaidhewouldn"ttakeherbecauseofmybanonhitchhikers.
Maudiesaid,"Michaeltoldmehecouldn"timaginewhyshewantedtogowithJericho"shorseswhenshesaidshedetestedtheman,butifitwasNigelshewantedtogowith,itmakesmoresense.Doyoureallythinkwemighthaveaproblemthere?"
"He"sunmarriedandhaspowerfulpheromones,I"mtold."
"Whatawayofputtingit."Shewasamused."I"llkeepaneyeonthings.Andthanks."
"Idon"tliketotelltales."