Since there didn’t seem to be any connection between the unsub and the first victim, the same was probably true now; he was hunting randomly. Still, Sellitto asked if she’d ever seen him before, or had any awareness of being followed prior to her visit to the hospital. Or if she and her husband were wealthy or involved in anything that might make them a target of criminals.

The last query seemed to amuse Harriet. No, she explained, they were just working-class tourists – whose vacation to New York had been ruined.

Sellitto took her number and the name of the hotel where they were staying and wished her husband a fast recovery.

Harriet thanked him. Matthew nodded gruffly, grabbed the TV’s remote control and upped the volume on the History Channel.

Then the would-be victim vanished from Sellitto’s thoughts as his radio crackled to life.

‘All units, report of assault on sixth floor of physicians’ office building, where search operation for unsub is under way. Next to Upper Manhattan Medical Center. There’s been chemical weapon release, substance unknown. Only personnel with bio-chem masks are to remain in the building.’

Sellitto’s thoughts tumbled. ‘Son of a bitch.’

Gasping, he ran up the hallway and out of the hospital, into the circular drive. He looked up at the office building, which was to his left. He began jogging toward it, pulling his radio from his belt. He made a call.

‘Bo?’ He was breathless. ‘Bo?’ he tried again.

‘That you, Lon? Over.’

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just heard. The assault. What happened?’

The former drill sergeant said crisply, ‘I’m getting secondhand reports. Looks like the perp tried to steal some scrubs in a doctor’s office on the sixth floor. An orderly spotted him and he ran. But not before he opened a bottle and spilled something on the floor.’

‘Maybe formaldehyde, like with Amelia.’

‘No, he said it was bad. People puking, passing out. Fumes everywhere. Definitely toxic.’

Sellitto considered this. Finally he asked, ‘Do you know what office? That he dumped the poison in?’

‘I can find out. I’m on the first floor, near the directory. I’ll see.’ A moment later he came back on. ‘There’s only one doctor on six. He has the whole floor.’

Sellitto asked, ‘Is he a plastic surgeon?’

‘Wait. You’re right. How’d you know?’

‘Because our boy wrapped his face in bandages and is strolling down the fire stairs right now with all the other patients you’re evacuating.’

A pause. Haumann said, ‘Hell. Okay, we’ll marshal ’em in the lobby, get IDs. Nobody with a Band-Aid on is getting out the front door. Good call, Lon. We’re lucky, we’ll have him in ten minutes.’

CHAPTER 24