“Nothing,” Lopez admitted. “But, Nelson, I know this bug as well as anyone. If there’s a hint of it in Philadelphia, I’ll pick up on it.”

Another long pause followed. “I’m still not convinced, Lina. We have such an ordinary explanation for the spread of this bug,” he sighed. “But I’ll give you a few days in Philadelphia. If you don’t dig anything up quickly, you turn over what you know to the FBI and get back to epidemiology. Am I clear?”

“Very. Thank you, Nelson.” But he’d already hung up.

She looked to see Kilburn and Cohen approaching from the other end of the hallway. Kilburn held up a thumbs-up sign.

“Good job down there in that zoo, Lina,” he said. “You’re a natural in front of the camera. Might lead to a full-time gig for you.”

“That’s cruel.” Lopez laughed.

Cohen showed her a slight, closed-mouth smile and nodded his approval.

Her mood had lifted at the sight of them. Especially Cohen. Since their last conversation, she felt a newfound closeness to Seth. The story of his mother had touched her. She knew he carried the same gnawing sense of loss as she did for Papa. And more and more, she’d caught herself thinking about his deep voice and intense brown eyes.

She flushed slightly and brushed back her hair. “I think I sold my soul down there.”

Kilburn waved the idea away. “You handled it perfectly. Especially by keeping my name out of it. Thank you.”

She smiled at Kilburn. “I won’t give up the limelight that easily.”

Cohen turned to Lopez. “Lina, my partner just called. He faxed Angie’s sketch of Dennis Tyler/Wayne Forbes to the hotel clerk in Philadelphia. The clerk is certain he’s the same man she saw in Philadelphia.”

“So we have proof,” she said with a frown.

“But if we go to the FBI now, they’ll plaster that sketch everywhere,” Cohen said.

Kilburn suggested, “Isn’t that what we want?”

“A world-class pro like Forbes?” Cohen shook his head. “No, if he knows that we suspect him, I think he’d simply vanish. New name, new identity … a new life.” He pantomimed wiping his hands clean. “Our best hope of finding him is by keeping a very low profile.”

“What do we do now?” Kilburn asked.

“I’m going to Philadelphia,” Cohen said matter-of-factly.

Lopez pointed a finger to her chest. “And I’m coming with you.”

Cohen nodded.

“Count me in,” Kilburn said. “You two can track down Forbes. I want to see Ellen Horton. Something is not right there.” He glanced at the other two. “I’m concerned about her.”

Cohen nodded again, then looked from Kilburn to Lopez. “Do either of you find it coincidental that Forbes has turned up twice in Philadelphia in the past six weeks?”

“Well, Forbes has been to several major cities in that time,” Kilburn said, sounding somewhat doubtful.