At five o’clock, Daffodil was led into the waiting room of Sunnyside prison, carrying a bunch of flowers. Once again she handed the receptionist her fake ID and permission slips. “I’m here to visit my dad,” she said. “Scotty Primo.”
“You didn’t get our phone message?” The woman behind the desk looked distressed. “He’s in the prison infirmary.”
“The infirmary?” Daffodil feigned surprise. “Is he all right?”
“He has a temperature and a rash,” the receptionist said. “So, I’m afraid you can’t see him. Visits can only be conducted in the communal area.”
“But I’m going back to Africa with my mother tomorrow. She works in a hospital there. It’s my last chance.”
“Those are the rules, I’m afraid.”
“I brought him roses.” Daffodil’s lip quivered.
“I’m really sorry.”
The girl burst into tears. “I came all the way from Aberdeen by myself on the train,” she sobbed. “If I go back now, nobody will come to meet me for hours.”
“There’s nothing I can do, petal,” the woman replied wretchedly. “It’s protocol.”
“But I wanted to say goodbye,” Daffodil wailed, laying it on as thick as she dared. “I never told him I loved him and now he’s sick.”
Two guards turned from their conversation and walked over.
“It’s all right, Muriel.” The older guard laid a hand on the receptionist’s arm. “Once the girl’s been scanned and searched, I’ll get Jake here to escort her.”
“Primo’s a model prisoner and this kid can’t be more than fourteen. It’s not like she has a crowbar in those flowers.” He patted Daffodil’s head. “Though you will have to leave the bouquet behind. Just in case.”
“The White Spider is in the infirmary too, sir,” Muriel hissed. “He’s not a model prisoner.”
“That creep is in another room under heavy restraint,” the older guard replied calmly. “I can authorise it if you call the warden and let him know. He’s got a daughter about the same age. He’ll understand.”
“On you go then, love.” Muriel stamped Daffodil’s papers. “I suppose I’m being a worry wart.”
“C’mon, kid.” The junior guard beckoned to her. “Let’s get you to your father.”
They walked down the corridors together, the girl making a mental note of where everything was. While Jake’s back was turned, she held her breath until her face was red.
“You alright?” He glanced round. “You’re all sweating and flushed.”
“I don’t feel too good,” Daffodil slowly exhaled, throwing in a dramatic shiver for effect. “I hope I didn’t make my dad ill. I visited him a couple of days ago.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” All the same, the guard quickened his step, putting a few feet between himself and his escort. “Just don’t sneeze on me. I got holidays coming up.”
*
The phone rang in Warden Bishop’s office.
“Yes?”
“It’s the Health Protection Agency in Collindale.” The warden’s secretary sounded alarmed. “They need to speak to you urgently.”
“Put them through.”
In the van, parked three miles away, Charlie was ready and waiting, mobile in hand.
“This is Douglas Livingstone from the HPA,” he said in a deep baritone voice that he’d copied from the star of a medical drama on TV. “I understand you have a nurse working for you called Samantha McLaren.”
“We do,” the warden replied. “She’s off sick.”
“I’ll make this brief. We’ve just been at her house and suspect she has a virulent form of the James River Fever. It’s highly contagious and we can’t work out how she got it. It’s usually confined to remote regions of central Africa.”
The warden thought for a few moments. Then he paled. “There was a girl called Audrey Primo here a couple of days ago, visiting her father. Her papers said she’d recently been in Africa, where her mum works in a… hospital.”
“Oh dear,” Charlie said. “Just the place to pick up this disease.”
“Now her dad’s in the prison infirmary.” The warden hesitated. “And so is Audrey. She arrived a little while ago to see him.”
“Good. If she’s the carrier we need to keep her confined. Does Primo have a temperature and a rash?”
“Yes. The doctor on call has the same symptoms, and so does another inmate.” The warden licked his lips nervously. “They’re all in there.”
“Then don’t let anyone else in or out of the infirmary until we check this situation. The James River Fever is a real nasty one.”
“I’ll need to confirm your identity, you understand.”
“Of course. Call the HPA right now and ask for extension 25.”
The phone went dead.
Warden Bishop hit the intercom button with trembling fingers. “Look up the number for the Health Protection Agency and put me through,” he commanded. “Now!”
Charlie sat in the surveillance vehicle, biting his nails while Frankie watched him from the screen, which showed an emoji of a Mexican bandit in a sombrero.
“Why are you projecting that?” the boy goggled.
“I’m undercover, aren’t I?”
“Nobody but me can see you.”
“Yeah. But I’m awfully fond of this hat.”
“You look idiotic.”
“Maybe I should be imitating a clown. ’Cause that didn’t look stupid.”
“Don’t rub it in,” the boy said sullenly. “You sure you can intercept this call?”
“I’ve hacked into the prison switchboard,” his companion replied patiently. “Chill out, will you? Everything is under control.”
The mobile rang and Charlie snatched it up.
“Health Protection Agency,” he answered in the same low voice. “Douglas Livingstone here.”
“This is Warden Bishop again. Do you have any advice on how to handle the outbreak?”
“The James River Fever is spread through skin contact,” Charlie advised. “Keep all the prisoners in their cells and tell every correction officer and staff member to wash their hands thoroughly using sanitising liquid. That includes you.”
“I will. A new batch of Promundus arrived this morning, so the dispensers are all topped up.”
“Excellent. Tell any guards in the infirmary to restrain the prisoners, then leave immediately. They mustn’t touch anyone or even go near them until they’ve showered and disposed of their uniforms. You can station armed correction officers outside the infirmary door, but nobody is to enter until we arrive.”
“I can’t leave a kid there unprotected.”
“You said she’s with her father. I’m sure he’ll look after her.”
“It’s still totally against the rules,” Warden Bishop fretted. “I could lose my job.”
“Warden,” Charlie said patiently, “you shouldn’t have let the girl into the infirmary in the first place. And in closed, crowded quarters like a prison, a deadly disease could easily turn into an epidemic. Fortunately there’s a way to minimise that risk.”
“Thank God.” The man let out a deep breath. “What do you want me to do?”
“Switch off all the heating in Sunnyside. This disease goes dormant in temperatures under ten degrees and can’t spread.”
“I’ll get it done. It’ll take about fifteen minutes for the temperature to reach that level.”
“We’ll be there by then,” Charlie said. “And Warden?”
“Yes?”
“Please keep a lid on this till we arrive. I don’t want to start a mass panic. Especially if it turns out we’re wrong and all they have is a common cold.”
“I’ll give you half an hour. Then I have to alert my superiors.”
Charlie hung up and turned to the screen. “Frankie? We’ve got a few moments before Daffodil is in place.”
“And?”
“I’d like us to have a little talk.”