She turned on the radio, tuning in to WRVA. Adrenaline was shorting out Brazil’s central nervous system as he groped for just the right words. He had a right to know why she treated him the way she did. He had a right to know about Jim.

“I guess I’m realizing if I don’t eat something now, I don’t know when I will,” Brazil said, making sure she understood how busy he was, too.

“River City is closer to HQ.”

“Try parking on Main Street during rush hour.”

West decided to head Southside.

“How did you find out about The Forest?” she asked as the radio broke the news of Fishsteria.

“I’ve been there a couple times.” Brazil’s thoughts were tangled like fishing line.

“. . . believed to be a new strain of computer virus that cannot be detected by the standard antivirus software most of us have,” Johnny, of the popular Johnny in the Morning Show, went on.

“I pretty much stick to the Fan,” West said. “There are so many good restaurants, bars, like Strawberry Street Vineyard. Why go anywhere else?”

“Strawberry Street Vineyard is a wine shop,” Brazil corrected her.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t,” she fired back.

“Best wine in the city. They can get anything. I picked up a Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir the other week. Outstanding.” Brazil had to rub it in.

“. . . hibernates in bottom sediments,” explained Johnny in the Morning’s special guest, Dr. Edith Sandal-Viverette, a biologist with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. “And releases toxins that are stunning and killing all these fish. Crabs are falling victim, as well. What’s curious, Johnny, is the microbes like the temperature of the water to be eightyish. It’s a little early for that.”

“But Fishsteria isn’t related to Pfiesteria, right?” Johnny worried.

“I’m not sure we can say that at this moment.”

Brazil felt stubborn again. He didn’t care enough to ask West anything. She didn’t matter.

“I’ve really gotten into French burgundies, too,” Brazil rubbed it in some more.

“I get tired of red wine,” West said.

“Then you ought to try a white burgundy.”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” West fired back.

“Well, it’s really scary,” Johnny said as Brazil and West continued not to listen.

Bubba knew what had happened when he was half a block away from his house. The garage door was wide open. His heart was seized by fear. He pulled into the driveway and jumped out of his car, screaming his wife’s name.

“Honey!” he yelled as he ran up the front steps. “Honey! Oh my God! Honey! Are you all right!”

Bubba dropped his keys three times before he managed to unlock the front door. He burst into the living room as Honey’s slippers swished along the hallway. He ran to her and hugged her hard.

“Why, what on earth is the matter?” Honey said, rubbing his back.

Bubba started sobbing.

“I was so scared something happened to you,” he cried into her permed, honey-blond hair.