Lou strained to pick up any clue in Carter’s voice regarding the severity of the infection, trying to block out the reality that Carter simply making such a call was all the indication that was needed.

“He told me yesterday he was experiencing some new discomfort,” Lou managed.

Why is the president of a huge hospital calling to tell me this?

“Well, his surgeon has done an aspiration of pus from an area beneath the incision. A drain was placed there during the surgery as a precaution, but apparently it wasn’t enough. They’ve called in the infectious disease consultant on the case, and have changed antibiotics. But what we have learned has made us all a bit nervous here, and Mr. Duncan’s team is considering taking him back to the operating room.”

“Nervous?”

The word was unusual in this context, and Lou had picked up on it immediately.

“It’s complicated,” Carter said.

Anxiety was now swarming in Lou’s throat like army ants on the march. He had little doubt Carter was holding something back—something big.

“Complicated?” Lou asked, feeling like an idiot for repeating the man’s word again.

“It looks like Mr. Duncan is the second case we’ve had at Arbor General of a very unusual bacterial infection. Something we’re not entirely sure how to contain.”

Very unusual?

Lou stopped himself at the last possible instant from another echo. He sucked in a breath and gritted his teeth as though expecting to take a punch to the gut.

“Please, tell me what you know,” he said.

“Truthfully, it’s best not discussed over the phone,” Carter said. “Obviously, I am calling you instead of having Dr. Standish do it because this germ is of concern to the whole hospital.”

“How is Cap at the moment? Can I call him? I was planning on flying down this weekend.”

“To be frank, Dr. Welcome, you may want to consider coming down sooner. I just came from visiting him. Your friend isn’t very toxic yet, but he is febrile, and there clearly has been a turn. When you get here, you can stop by my office if you wish, or better still, go to the seventh floor of the Baron Building, and have them page Dr. Ivan Puchalsky, the ID consultant handling this case.”

“I’ll do that. I’ll do it as soon as I can. Thank you, Dr. Carter. Thank you for calling.”

Lou ended the call and popped up from his chair as though it had become electrified. He raced out of the cube and was passing Babs Peterbee’s desk, headed to Filstrup’s office, when she held up her hand.

“Dr. Welcome, I wouldn’t go in there. He’s asked me to hold all his calls.”

Lou leaned over and saw that the secretary’s desktop switchboard had no “in use” lights on. The maneuver was one of Filstrup’s favorites.