He was alone now. The two plainclothes cops had taken his phone to corroborate all that hed told them about Lexas call. Morgan had no idea how long theyd been gone. Time was losing its meaning. The room stank of stale coffee and sweat. The fluorescent light glared off the table, making Morgans eyes sting. He shut them. One of the many handy skills hed picked up as a resident was the ability to sleep almost anywhere at any time. He slowed his breathing and let his muscles relax. The sweet oblivion of unconsciousness softened the edges of his world.

The creak of the metal door opening had Morgan bolting upright. He checked his cheek quickly for drool and then looked at the woman who had walked in. She was tall, leggy. Long black hair pulled into a sleek low ponytail. She wore black slacks with a matching black blazer over a turquoise blouse. The blazer didnt hide the badge clipped to her belt or the firearm she carried.

She gave him a smile, notable in its lack of warmth, and said, Dr. Stark, I am Special Agent Danielle Hernandez with the FBI. Id like to ask you some questions. She had a slight accent, a tiny bit of sibilance.

The FBI? He stared at her, trying to get this all to make sense.

Without waiting for a response, she pulled out the chair across from him and sat. She extracted a yellow legal pad from her briefcase and a pen that she clicked open. Tell me about Lexa Windham.

He gave his head a shake, trying to get all the facts before him to fall into place. Wait. Who did you say you were? Why is the FBI here?

Hernandez sighed and leaned back in her chair. She pulled a business card out of her pocket and pushed it across the table to Morgan. Special Agent Danielle Hernandez. FBI.

He picked up the card. Okay. I still dont understand why the FBI would be involved here.

One of Hernandezs eyebrows arched and her lips tightened. For a second, Morgan didnt think she was going to answer him. Then something changed in her eyes. In a somewhat gentler tone, she said, The attack on Lexa Windham was the second attack on a hospital employee in Washington D.C. in two days. The responding officers noted some similarities between the two cases and thought it would be wise to call the Bureau in.

Morgan sank back in his chair. Second attack? Who else was attacked?

A woman named Michelle Schultz was murdered night before last. She was a laboratory technician at Bridgepoint Hospital. Hernandezs gaze never left Morgans face as she explained. What was she looking for? What kind of reaction?