days. Plus, he grabbed Katie’s arm. Sulkin said it was a simple reflex, but he was going to take another look at Lickshill’s brain to see if there was any residual activity there caused by some virus or bacteria.”
“Grabbed Katie’s arm; are you serious? Please fill me in on everything you know. Where does Katie fit in all this? I thought Pillbock wanted her off this assignment.”
“She’s back on as of yesterday as a concession to have you cover the story as well.”
“I do not follow.”
“I convinced Pillbock she could learn a lot from you, and it would be good for her career to complete this assignment.”
“Are you dinking around with her? It’s none of my business, but it could make it difficult to segment the work to cover the story.”
“Ah...no, I promise.”
“Best not. I have my reputation to consider.” Dingman crossed his arms and stiffened his body.
Asshole , Porter thought. He needs us as much as we need him. We were there when the doe took the child and in the morgue when Lickshill grabbed Katie’s arm.
“I understand your concern. If she becomes a liability, I’ll personally see she’s taken off the story.”
“Okay,” Dingman said, relaxing, “get her over here, now. Do you have any stick ‘em cards to make a storyboard? We need to jot down all the facts we know and build a research tree. Pillbock demands it. We need to—”
“Whoa, moving a little fast, aren’t we? It’s Sunday, Katie’s in church at this hour. Can’t it wait until Monday when we’re at work and have the right tools for the job?” Porter said. Dingman’s moving fast to gain the upper hand.
“Sorry, no hidden agenda intended. I find Sundays wasted if I am not getting ready for the Monday rush. You are right; we have time. I will see you Monday morning in the conference room near Pillbock’s office. It has all the tools we need. Bring your laptop. You can keep all the data on it. Do you trust me now?”
“Yeah, sure. See you then,” Porter said, giving Dingman a friendly shove toward the apartment door. I don’t trust him .
Dingman opened the door and peeked into the hallway. “Good, she’s not out there. See you Monday.”
Chapter 16
G eorge Montagno sat in the passenger seat of his new black Chrysler hybrid, staring at the headliner as his wife, Sissy, drove the back roads to the Troy Health Center. The car fishtailed over glazed ice as snow-laden wind slammed the windshield.
“Ugh, I’m getting nauseous. Slow down,” George pleaded. “What’s the rush?”
“Oops, sorry, I’m just a little excited,” Sissy said.
“I’ll bet...ooh, here it comes, pull over. Pull over!”
Sissy slammed the brake pedal while swerving the car to the curb. George opened the car door, leaned out and vomited.
“You okay?”
“I’ll...be...all right...in a minute,” George said.
~ ~ ~
“Hmm, I don’t see any redness in your inner ear. It’s probably the pills. Stop taking them. Did you bump your head recently? Tell me about the dreams. Do you wake up in a cold sweat?” the doctor probed.
George Montagno explained the incident with the deer carcass engulfing his head and shoulders, the bizarre dreams following for several days, and his newfound ability to add numbers quickly in his head.
“Might be related to the deer, or maybe the onset of Meniere’s Disease.”
“Is it fatal?” Montagno looked concerned.
“No, it can come and go. It’s a buildup of pressure in the fluid within the inner ear. I’ll give you some diuretic pills. Watch your salt intake. Or maybe...just maybe...” the doctor said, scratching his head, “you’re allergic to deer blood. Could be a toxin in there causing a reaction. Rare, but you did say you were covered with deer blood and got it up your nose and into your eyes, right?”
“Yes, but what do you make of the crazy dreams, and why am I suddenly so good at adding numbers?”
“The dreams could simply be another reaction to the toxic
“Grabbed Katie’s arm; are you serious? Please fill me in on everything you know. Where does Katie fit in all this? I thought Pillbock wanted her off this assignment.”
“She’s back on as of yesterday as a concession to have you cover the story as well.”
“I do not follow.”
“I convinced Pillbock she could learn a lot from you, and it would be good for her career to complete this assignment.”
“Are you dinking around with her? It’s none of my business, but it could make it difficult to segment the work to cover the story.”
“Ah...no, I promise.”
“Best not. I have my reputation to consider.” Dingman crossed his arms and stiffened his body.
Asshole , Porter thought. He needs us as much as we need him. We were there when the doe took the child and in the morgue when Lickshill grabbed Katie’s arm.
“I understand your concern. If she becomes a liability, I’ll personally see she’s taken off the story.”
“Okay,” Dingman said, relaxing, “get her over here, now. Do you have any stick ‘em cards to make a storyboard? We need to jot down all the facts we know and build a research tree. Pillbock demands it. We need to—”
“Whoa, moving a little fast, aren’t we? It’s Sunday, Katie’s in church at this hour. Can’t it wait until Monday when we’re at work and have the right tools for the job?” Porter said. Dingman’s moving fast to gain the upper hand.
“Sorry, no hidden agenda intended. I find Sundays wasted if I am not getting ready for the Monday rush. You are right; we have time. I will see you Monday morning in the conference room near Pillbock’s office. It has all the tools we need. Bring your laptop. You can keep all the data on it. Do you trust me now?”
“Yeah, sure. See you then,” Porter said, giving Dingman a friendly shove toward the apartment door. I don’t trust him .
Dingman opened the door and peeked into the hallway. “Good, she’s not out there. See you Monday.”
Chapter 16
G eorge Montagno sat in the passenger seat of his new black Chrysler hybrid, staring at the headliner as his wife, Sissy, drove the back roads to the Troy Health Center. The car fishtailed over glazed ice as snow-laden wind slammed the windshield.
“Ugh, I’m getting nauseous. Slow down,” George pleaded. “What’s the rush?”
“Oops, sorry, I’m just a little excited,” Sissy said.
“I’ll bet...ooh, here it comes, pull over. Pull over!”
Sissy slammed the brake pedal while swerving the car to the curb. George opened the car door, leaned out and vomited.
“You okay?”
“I’ll...be...all right...in a minute,” George said.
~ ~ ~
“Hmm, I don’t see any redness in your inner ear. It’s probably the pills. Stop taking them. Did you bump your head recently? Tell me about the dreams. Do you wake up in a cold sweat?” the doctor probed.
George Montagno explained the incident with the deer carcass engulfing his head and shoulders, the bizarre dreams following for several days, and his newfound ability to add numbers quickly in his head.
“Might be related to the deer, or maybe the onset of Meniere’s Disease.”
“Is it fatal?” Montagno looked concerned.
“No, it can come and go. It’s a buildup of pressure in the fluid within the inner ear. I’ll give you some diuretic pills. Watch your salt intake. Or maybe...just maybe...” the doctor said, scratching his head, “you’re allergic to deer blood. Could be a toxin in there causing a reaction. Rare, but you did say you were covered with deer blood and got it up your nose and into your eyes, right?”
“Yes, but what do you make of the crazy dreams, and why am I suddenly so good at adding numbers?”
“The dreams could simply be another reaction to the toxic
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