“You’re judging me on how I react to what you’ve told me? I haven’t been enthusiastic enough? Is that it? Are you waiting for smoke to come out of my ears? Or would you prefer that I jump on this table and dance a jig? Maybe we should plan a testimonial dinner for you. We’ll ask the mayor to—”

I try to interrupt. “Listen. All I’m saying—”

“No. Listen for once to what I’m saying. Could you do that, Ms. Ryuan?”

My teeth are clenched. I’d like to punch this dude. But I shut up. He quickly calms down, runs his hand through his hair. He tries to sound even-tempered, and then he begins to explain.

“My job is to gather all the information. Got that? All the information. Yes, the catch you made on the video, the nurse in high heels, that’s terrific. Absolutely terrific. This news about what Patrik Kovac told you is equally terrific. It’s a goddamn lucky break.”

Now he looks at the ceiling. Then he looks at the wall. Then he looks at his laptop screen. This is a guy trying to calm down.

The silence that accompanies all this looking is stunning. I, of course, take the opportunity to speak.

“So? What does it all mean? Your little lecture? Your anger?” I ask.

Then he says calmly, “There are some things you don’t know.”

I rub my burning eyes. I wipe my sweaty palms against my shirt.

“There’s some other news,” he says. He looks at me, then sits down again in his chair. “This is not good news.”

“For Chrissake, tell me. Just tell me,” I yell.

“We’ve had another kidnapping,” he says.

Both Blumenthal and I allow quite a few seconds to pass.

“Holy shit,” I say. “With all the security? The guards? The alarms? The—”

“Hold it, Ms. Ryuan. Hold it for just a minute. Let me finish.”

I hold it. And knowing me, it will probably be “for just a minute.”

“The baby wasn’t taken from this hospital. The baby, one hour old, I should add, was kidnapped from Immaculate Conception down in Chelsea.”

“Oh, my God,” I say. “Didn’t they have security? Didn’t they have guards? What with everything that’s happened up here?”

“Of course they had extra security and guards. They had security all over the place. Every hospital in every borough is on high alert. But it happened. And it’ll probably happen again. And I’m going to move heaven and earth and even hell to try to stop it.”

I nod…gently. I notice that Blumenthal’s hands now have a slight quiver to them. I see the big patches of sweat on his forehead, his upper lip, his shirt.

“Holy shit,” I say. “What does this mean?”

“It means, in medical terms, that we’ve got an epidemic.”

Chapter 35

Chapter 35