JESSICA BREATHES THROUGH her mouth, trying not to smell the odor of dried bandage and disinfectant. It makes her think of death and the long, lonely weeks at the hospital decades ago. The elevator is packed with people, some of whom are dressed in hospital gowns. Closest to the door sits a middle-aged woman with an oxygen tank strapped to her wheelchair. Jessica saw her out in front of the hospital a second ago, smoking.
Jessica and Yusuf exit the elevator on the sixth floor and follow the red line taped to the floor. At the end of the corridor, they see a muscle-bound man in a dark blue tracksuit with an earbud in one ear. Jessica recognizes him; they were on a bodyguard gig together a few years ago—and continued getting to know each other off the clock. At Jessica’s studio.
“Hey, Teo.” Jessica extends a hand.
“Detectives,” Teo says in a raspy voice, and shakes both of their hands. Jessica knows the raspiness is the result of a laryngeal injury Teo suffered during his bouncer days, when a dissatisfied customer whacked him in the neck with a wine bottle.
“This is Yusuf Pepple. Maybe you guys have met.”
“Maybe,” Yusuf says, giving the other man a flinty look.
Teo is the prototypical intimidating security guard; even the smile that flashes across his face isn’t sincere but picked up during some class. “I doubt it. How’s it hanging, Jessica?”
“As low as the bass in that earbud. Nineties rap?”
“You know it.”
Both grin wearily. Yusuf glances at them in surprise. The nostalgic moment born of the inside joke passes quickly, however, and their faces grow serious.
“Where’s the attending physician?” Jessica asks before Teo can nod in the direction of the footfalls echoing down the corridor. A tall, bearded man is approaching, tablet under his arm. Turquoise scrubs flash beneath his white lab coat.
“Dr. Alex Kuznetsov,” he says. Jessica looks at him, thrown; she knows she has seen him before somewhere.
“Detective Sergeant Jessica Niemi.”
“Yusuf Pepple.”
“Before we enter the room, I’d like to discuss a few things regarding the patient’s condition.”
“Of course,” Jessica says. Teo considerately steps to the side.
“The patient told us her name is Laura Helminen; it matches the social security number she gave us.”
“Have you reached the family yet?”
“Not yet.”
“How is she doing?”
“Well, all things considered. Her body temperature didn’t have time to drop fatally . . . ,” Dr. Kuznetsov says, scratching the side of his nose. “Do you know how long she was in the water?”
“No. I was hoping you might be able to give us an estimate.” Jessica glances at her watch. Time seems to be sprinting by surprisingly fast; it’s nearly evening again.
“The rate at which the body cools is affected by the temperature of the water as well as the patient’s physical condition, age, body type, and potential earlier exposure to cold water—if they have built up a certain tolerance through, for instance, ice swimming. Because the water was close to freezing and the patient is twenty-five and appears to be in good health, I’d say under fifteen minutes, no question. Any longer and she would have presumably lost consciousness. The fact that she was shouting and splashing when she rose to the surface could indicate an even briefer period.”
“What about the lungs? Was there water in them?”
“Not much. According to her, she had a snorkel.” Dr. Kuznetsov shoots Jessica an inquisitive look. “I’d love to know exactly what happened to her.”
“It sounds as if some sort of diving equipment was used, a mouthpiece and an oxygen tank,” Yusuf says.
Dr. Kuznetsov casts him a lingering evaluative glance. “I see.”
“What else did she tell you? For instance, did she mention how she ended up in the water?”
Dr. Kuznetsov shakes his hand and folds his arms across his chest. “She wasn’t able to say. But I believe it will be easier to talk with her now than it was a moment ago. Shock can affect the memory. I’m sure events are starting to click into place for her.”
“So she’s ready for us?”
“As I said, she’s suffered a shock but is recovering from the physical strain, which is why I’d recommend our hospital psychologist participate in any questioning—”
“We know how to be tactful,” Jessica says.
“I’m not saying you don’t.”
“Where’s the psychologist?”
“She’ll be here within half an hour.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have time to wait that long. We have cause to believe this incident is part of a series of ongoing crimes. This woman may have seen the perpetrator.”
“Do you mean—”
“We have to talk to her right away if we want to prevent further crimes from happening.”
“Fine,” Dr. Kuznetsov says, taking a step toward Jessica. “But I’m going to start the conversation by ensuring the patient is up to it.”
Jessica’s mouth draws into a taut line. She glances at the tips of her shoes and nods. Then she spins around and follows the doctor toward the door Teo has already opened.