Page 23 of Airborne
His concern for Heather mounted, and he sent her an audio message. “Heather, I learned you’re on flight3879.” He paused so his words would sink in. “I was told the virus hasn’t infected you. Good news.” Was she aware of his FBI interrogation?
The early July morning hadn’t met the intense heat of the day, but humidity hung thick, and his shirt stuck to his body. How he longed to be on a plane to JFK, making history and changing lives for the better. Agent Rivera had told him not to leave town, but once the FBI cleared him, he’d catch the next flight out.
While he waited for Heather to return his message, he checked in with Andy, his assistant. Got the young doctor out of bed. Chadasked him to be at the office by 6a.m. He ended the call, and Heather still hadn’t responded. This time he text messaged her.
Check your audio message. Are you okay? Please contact me.
Twenty minutes ticked by without hearing from her or the taxi. Why the delays? If the taxi ever arrived, he’d head straight to his lab. No place else to go. Certainly not his apartment. Other projects awaited his attention, despite the responsible investment in Heather’s circumstances. He chose control instead of allowing uncertainty to rule his actions. His mild blowup during the interview showed a lack of discipline.
A creeping thought rooted. He’d signed the CDC employment contract and worked with HR to secure an apartment. They’d note he’d done his best to cooperate with the FBI during the questioning.
Who was he kidding? The FBI’s questioning and his newly acquired status could destroy his chances to be a leading authority of a possible new contagion.
The trip to Salzburg had been Heather’s dream for the two of them, to experience the music festival and explore everything the city had to offer.
If he hadn’t moved out, he’d have been with her.
If he hadn’t applied at the CDC, he’d have been with her.
If he’d been with her, he’d not be a suspect in a despicable crime.
But a promise made to shield Heather drove him to stop the worst viruses known to medicine.
Once the plane landed, authorities would inspect the plane microscopically for evidence. But what if the answers didn’t lie within the metal encasing the aircraft? What then?
Chad swallowed hard. Heather had faced the full effect of a tragic illness, and so far, she’d escaped the deadly sickness. While she prided herself in strength, she also had a tender heart. Knowing her, she’d volunteered to help with the sick andincreased her exposure to the contagion. Planes didn’t carry a supply of masks.
Haunting memories of his friend’s sickness floated across his mind, all too vivid. Paul’s condition had deteriorated, and his internal organs hemorrhaged...
Heather deserved happiness and a good life. Neither he’d supplied. He placed his trust in medical science, the only reliable deity.
Chad checked his phone and logged into a secure medical site that provided information for those working around the world in various areas of disease control. Before he could read the latest reports, a man called his name.
Agent Rivera pulled his truck into the visitor area and powered down his window. “Your taxi hasn’t arrived? Need a ride?”
“It’ll be here soon.”
“Have you talked to your wife?”
“No. Has she implicated anyone else or just me?”
“The answer is above my pay grade.”
“I’ll find out.”
“The people who requested your questioning aren’t important.”
“As in more than one? I don’t understand. The who is critical to me.”
“I’d feel the same way if others suspected my involvement in this.”
“What’s with the sudden empathy?”
Rivera frowned. “The idea of all the people sick from an unnamed virus hits home. My sister died of flu three years ago. Fever, vomiting. Seizures. Until her body gave up. I can relate to the passengers and crew.”
Chad sympathized with what Rivera had witnessed, but he didn’t trust the agent, especially if his congeniality stemmed from digging for evidence against him. “How old was she?”
“Thirty-two. She left three children under the age of six. My wife and I are doing what we can to help their dad give them anormal life.” He narrowed his gaze. “Dr. Lawrence, you’re either a proficient liar or blameless. But if you had any hand in spreading the virus, I’ll personally make sure you’re prosecuted.”
