“How’s that better than being fired?” I said in pained outrage.

“We’ll take it as it comes, Kay.” He looked at me. “I’m dismissing Ring from CASKU.”

“Be careful what you do because of me.”

“It’s done,” he said.

Fujitsubo did not stop by my room again until early the next morning, and then he was smiling and opening blinds to let in sunlight so dazzling it hurt my eyes.

“Good morning, and so far, so good,” he said. “I’m very pleased that you do not seem to be getting sick on us, Kay.”

“Then I can go,” I said, ready to leap out of bed right then.

“Not so fast.” He was reviewing my chart. “I know how hard this is for you, but I’m not comfortable letting you go quite so soon. Stick it out a little longer, and you can leave the day after tomorrow, if all goes well.”

I felt like crying when he left because I did not see how I could endure one more hour of quarantine. Miserable, I sat up under the covers and looked out at the day. The sky was bright blue with wisps of clouds beneath the pale shadow of a morning moon. Trees beyond my window were bare and rocking in a gentle wind. I thought of my home in Richmond, of plants to be potted and work piling up on my desk. I wanted to take a walk in the cold, to cook broccoli and homemade barley soup. I wanted spaghetti with ricotta or stuffed frittata, and music and wine.

For half the day, I simply felt sorry for myself and did not do a thing except stare at television and doze. Then the nurse for the next shift came in with the phone and said there was a call for me. I waited until it was transferred and snatched up the receiver as if this were the most exciting thing that had ever happened in my life.

“It’s me,” Lucy said.

“Thank God.” I was thrilled to hear her voice.

“Grans says hi. Rumor has it that you win the bad patient award.”

“The rumor is accurate. All the work in my office. If only I had it here.”

“You need to rest,” she said. “To keep your defenses up.”

This made me worry about Wingo again.

“How come you haven’t been on the laptop?” She then got to the point.

I was quiet.

“Aunt Kay, he’s not going to talk to us. He’s only going to talk to you.”

“Then one of you sign on as me,” I replied.

“No way. If he senses that’s what’s going on, we lose him for good. This guy is scary, he’s so clever.”

My silence was my comment, and Lucy rushed to fill it.

“What?” she said with feeling. “I’m supposed to pretend I’m a forensic pathologist with a law degree who’s already worked at least one of this guy’s cases? I don’t think so.”

“I don’t want to connect with him, Lucy,” I said. “People like him get off on that, they want it, want the attention. The more I play his game, the more it might encourage him. Have you thought about that?”