With her heart beginning to race, Rachel swiveled and rose from her chair, walking quickly to the printer. She grabbed the paper as soon as it spit out onto the output tray and turned it over.
It was beyond coincidence. Unmistakable. And even more than that … frightening. There was no explanation at all for what she was looking at.
Unless Perry had an explanation. No. That was just desperate thinking.
She continued staring, mesmerized, knowing in her gut Williams would have little more to offer than theoretical platitudes. They had agreed to meet at his house in two hours to figure things out. But that was before this.
She was roused from her trance by another ear-piercing screech from Otis, excitedly grasping the bars of his cage and shaking his body. And through the racket, she could see Bella’s soft gray nose pressed through the small bars of her own cage, whimpering and calling for Rachel by wagging her entire body.
Rachel watched the screaming chimpanzee through the doorway as she crossed the room. Then, once inside, noted the always quiet capuchin monkey, Bella, then Lester, and finally, the rabbits.
If she hurried, she could get their blood work done before meeting Williams. Maybe even a few minutes with Bella. A welcome distraction from what was happening.
She continued past the cages, prompting Otis to stop and pause as he watched her. Then on past the others, where she lightly touched the tip of Bella’s nose, finally stopping at the opposite end. Only two of the smallest cages were being used after the death of one of the mice. But when Rachel peered down at the two remaining, she noticed something in the sleeping rodents.
They weren’t breathing.
Rachel stiffened and immediately reached for the clasp of one of the cages. Opening it and reaching inside, she retrieved the mouse and splayed it out in her open palm.
After a careful examination, she lowered it onto the counter and reached for the second.
Both were dead.
Rachel stumbled back, trying to rationalize and calculate.
Was it possible that all three were within the same life-expectancy windows?
Yes. It was possible, she told herself. But was it likely? No two animals lived to the exact same age. Every creature had its own unique DNA, determining each and every facet of the animal’s life. Its makeup. Its size, its health, and, in the end, its mortality. But could they all be part of the same “chronological” litter? Born around the same time. In the same conditions. The same—
Together, she raised them up, one in each hand, and gently rolled them over with her thumbs. Sensing the coolness of each tiny cadaver. Cool, soft, and stiff.
The dread was returning. Like a mass of unease swelling behind her breastbone as she tried to fight against it. With her mind. With logic that told her, while it was possible, the odds were against it. Heavily.
Logic that was growing ever more desperate in her mental search for more explanations. Before even that came to a screeching halt. Truncated in midthought by her two eyes as they came upon the next cage.
One of the rabbits did not appear to be moving either.