“You going to spread this through the county grapevine?” I asked sourly. “Dr. Hitchcock and Dr. Roque both contracted pneumonic plague, possibly from soil samples out near the old missile silo. The pathologist who did the autopsy thinks there should be a public-health warning, but the sheriff thinks it’s premature until they’re sure they know the source of the infection. The sergeant agrees with the sheriff, I agree with the pathologist.”

Simone took a step back. “This package, does it contain plague germs?”

“This package has zero to do with the plague. It has to do with trying to find the parents of a baby who died thirty-five years ago or so.”

“Connected to Cady,” Simone said.

“Not related to Cady at all, that much I know. Different baby, different daddy.”

I wrote Aanya’s name in black Magic Marker on a paper bag, stuck the box with the DNA sample in it, and borrowed some electrical tape from behind the bar to seal it shut.

Simone tucked the bag in a drawer filled with miscellany—lost glasses and phones, her own shoulder bag, a box of candles. “You ever going to tell me what this is all about?”

“If I ever know for sure what it’s all about, I will definitely tell you.”

53
Date Night at the Movies

Ever since the Cheviot lab removed the malware from my computer, I’d started seeing the Buick Enclave again. It wasn’t definitely on my tail, but it seemed to be where I was too much of the time. I wanted an anonymous car, and I thought I knew where to find one.

I also was worried about Peppy: if someone wanted to push me away from the investigation, all they’d have to do is take Peppy out of Free State Dogs and hold her hostage. But if I went into North Lawrence with her, the invisible poverty-stricken part of town, I could leave her with Nell Albritten and find a beater at one of the scrapyards.

I parked once again in the library lot. I packed my boots and change of clothes into my backpack, pulled my Faraday cage out of the trunk and tucked my devices inside, then walked with Peppy across the bridge, stopping frequently to see if anyone was following on foot. On the north side, I let her run along the river’s edge. No SUVs lingered in the parking area, and no one followed us when we continued on to Nell Albritten’s home.

Albritten greeted us with evident pleasure, stooping to pet Peppy.

I turned down an offer of iced tea. “Ma’am, I wonder if I could leave Peppy with you?” I explained my mission. One of the auto wreckers in the area would have a beater I could buy for a few hundred dollars; if my own errands turned dangerous I didn’t want my dog’s life at risk.