“How many times do I have to remind you that this is one of the premier medical centers in the world? Do you really believe you have anything to add? You’re going to flame out, Pia. Is that what you want? Do you have a career death wish?”

Pia thought for a moment. “Maybe.”

“Even if you persist in this self-destructive investigation or whatever you call it, I don’t see what your options are. Springer, Bourse, Spaulding—you’re on a last warning from all of them.”

“I’m not afraid of Spaulding. He took my key, but I still know where Rothman kept his. He was acting like he had something to hide.”

“As I said before, I think this is crazy. Look, if you insist on pursuing it, why don’t you check out the autopsies? There’s probably a simple pathological explanation for Rothman and Yamamoto’s clinical course. Or even a complex explanation, I don’t know. But that’s where you’re going to find the answers, not pissing off everybody in the hospital. The autopsies were probably done today so they could dispose of the bodies because they’re still hot.”

“Hot?” Pia said.

“Yeah, hot, as in contaminated with salmonella,” George said sharply. Sometimes Pia could be a little slow on the uptake. She still looked bemused, as if her mind wasn’t making a connection. “You understand what I’m saying?”

“Like you’d say someone full of virus is ‘hot.’ ”

“Exactly. No Pathology Department wants to keep hot bodies around. I tell you what you should do: Find one of the pathology residents tonight and ask what they know, or what they can find out. You haven’t worn out your welcome in that department yet. Have you?”

“Actually, that’s a good idea. I didn’t think of that.”

“If you want to look into that, I’ll come with you, so you stay within the lines.” George smiled as he said it. He wasn’t reprimanding her, he was joking because he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep her out of trouble if she was determined to get into it. She’d more than proved it.

“But I’m not going back to the lab,” he added. “If you want to do that, you’re on your own. Spaulding is bound to have alerted security. And what does it mean if there’s a sample missing in the freezer? What does that prove? Other than the fact that Spaulding’s not as good at his job as he’d like to think. Which is another thing you knew already.”