“Is there another one tonight?” Veena asked apprehensively. “Don’t you think we should let things slide for a few days or a week, or at least until Jennifer Hernandez leaves?”

“It’s hard to stop with the success we’re seeing,” Cal said. “Last night in the States, all three networks picked up on CNN’s lead and ran segments about Asian medical tourism with the theme it might not be as safe as assumed. It was powerful.”

“It’s true,” Durell said. “The message is hitting home in a big way. Santana has heard from her CNN contact that they are already getting reports of medical tourism cancellations. You can’t argue with success, as my daddy always used to say.”

“What hospital is going to be involved tonight?” Veena asked, in the same serious tone. She was not trying to hide her opposition to another case so soon after the first two, especially since it had been she who had started the program.

“The Aesculapian Medical Center,” Cal said. “Raj called today to say that his patient David Lucas, who’s in his forties, was a terrific candidate. He’d had abdominal surgery to control obesity this morning. Cardiac-wise, he couldn’t be better. He had a stent inserted three years ago, so he’s known to have obstructive disease.”

“We’ve also made it easier,” Durell said. “We took Samira’s excellent suggestion about the succinylcholine. We now have our very own supply, so there will not be any dangerous sneaking around the ORs.”

“That’s right,” Cal said. “We got it today. Those are the kinds of suggestions we need to make this plan better and safer. I think we should pay bonuses for them to encourage such constructive thinking.”

“Then I think Samira should get a bonus,” Durell said, giving Samira a congratulatory squeeze.

“And Veena a bonus for breaking the ice,” Cal said. He gave Veena an equivalent hug, and the shapeliness and firmness of her body beneath her nurse’s uniform instantly turned him on.

“Does this mean you don’t plan on doing anything about Jennifer Hernandez?” Veena asked. She immediately pulled away from Cal. She was surprised Cal and Durell weren’t as concerned as she was about Jennifer’s interest in looking into her grandmother’s death. “I made the effort to find out where she was staying, thinking you’d want to know.”

“Where is she staying?”

“At the Amal Palace.”

“Is she now! What a coincidence, since that’s where we all stayed when we interviewed you women for Nurses International.”

“Cal, I’m being serious.”