Chameleon

The full meaning of the earlier biochemical test results now became clear to Jamieson. The bugs had differed from the text book values because they had been artificially mutated! Evans had deliberately induced genetic changes in the bacteria. He had done it to make them more virulent and virtually untreatable but the procedure would have induced many other mutations in the bugs at the same time. This is what Richardson and later Moira Lippman must have deduced!

Jamieson finally reached Ryan. 'Can you come back to CSSD at Kerr Memorial? It's urgent.'

Ryman was back within ten minutes and Jamieson told him everything. He showed him what he had discovered about the plumbing at the back of the steriliser. Jamieson had left the side shielding off the machine so Ryan could trace the pipes with his hand as it was pointed out to him what would happen when the wheel valves were altered.

'The mad bastard,' murmured Ryan.

Jamieson told Ryan about the report from Costello Court.

'Then why the hell didn't they put him under lock and key?' said Ryan angrily.

'Medical opinion was divided.'

Ryan's look said what he thought of medical opinion.

'Can all the contaminated material be traced back to this machine?' asked Ryan.

Jamieson nodded and said, 'I checked that while I was waiting for you to arrive. The instruments, the dressings and the contaminated saline were all sterilised in this machine and in each case immediately after Evans had carried out "testing" of the machine.'

'Well that's it then,' said Ryan.

'Not quite everything,' said Jamieson. He told Ryan about the genetically altered bacteria. 'I don't know where or how he did it but I'd like to find out.'

'How do you go about inducing mutations in bacteria?' asked Ryan.

'There are several ways. You can treat them with chemicals or you can irradiate them with X-Rays or Ultra-Violet light. It's really not that difficult… ' Jamieson suddenly stopped in mid sentence and exclaimed, 'No Blisters!'

'Pardon?'

John Richardson's wife told me that just before her husband died he seemed very troubled. She heard him repeat over and over to himself, No blisters. He was talking about Evans' arm!'

'I'm sorry. You've lost me.'

'When I first came here I had an 'accident' with an electric heater although this puts new light on it. Evans appeared later with a burn mark on his arm and we assumed that he had got it 'rescuing' me. But there were no blisters, just a red mark. It was a radiation burn! Richardson must have worked out that the infections were being caused by mutant bacteria and then realised the significance of the mark on Evans' arm.'

'So he confronted Evans and Evans murdered him,' said Ryan.

'Is Evans in the lab just now?' asked Ryan getting up.

'No, he went up to the county lab. He won't be back for another hour or so.'

Ryan thought for a moment and then said, 'There's no point in putting out an alert for him. Nothing has happened to make him suspicious. We'll wait till he returns and then grab him.'

'I want to have a look round his lab and office to see if I can find a clue to the radiation source,' said Jamieson.

'I'll get more of our people down here,' said Ryan.

The technician who had loaned Jamieson his diagnostic bacteriology book came into Evans' lab while Jamieson was rummaging through one of the cupboards.

'Is there something I can help you with?' he asked, his tone hovering between puzzlement and accusation.

'Is there an Ultra-Violet lamp anywhere in the lab?' Jamieson asked.

'No, why?'

'How about an X-Ray source?'

'No.'

'Is there a spare key to the office that Dr Evans uses?'

'There's a sub-master key in the office.'

'Get it will you.'

'Are you sure you should be doing this?' the technician asked as Jamieson opened up Evans' office and started to work his way through the drawers and cupboards.'

'I'm dead certain,' replied Jamieson and added, 'You can help if you like. We're looking for any radiation source but probably a UV lamp.'

The technician shrugged his shoulders and started to open up cupboard doors.

Ten minutes later Jamieson admitted defeat and sat down in Evans' chair. 'Nothing, damn it,' he said.

'Nothing,' agreed the technician closing up the last of the cupboards.

'What the hell did he do with it?' murmured Jamieson.

The technician stayed silent. Jamieson opened the desk drawer and was about to close it again when he noticed a small brown bottle lying on top of an old domestic electricity bill. He picked it up, expecting it to be Aspirin, and read the label. N-Nitrosoguanidine it said. He read it out and asked, 'What would you use this for?'

'We wouldn't,' replied the technician. 'But be careful how you handle it. It's a powerful mutagen.'

'That was the answer to my next question,' smiled Jamieson. 'But we still haven't found the radiation source.'

'Would you like me to continue the search in the other labs?'

'I'd be grateful. If you find anything let me know at once would you. I'll be in the residency.'

'What should I say when Dr Evans returns?'

'He won't be returning.'

Jamieson ran up the steps to his room and was disappointed to find no one there. There was a note lying on the coffee table. Jamieson turned deathly pale when he read it. It said: -

Have gone with Clive to the county lab.

See you later.

Love,

Sue.

Jamieson fought hard to keep a grip on himself. There was no need to worry he told himself; Clive Evans had no idea that they were on to him. There was no conceivable reason why Evans should do anything to harm Sue and draw attention to himself. The fact that Sue had gone off in the company of a psychopathic killer with a particular hatred of women was no cause for alarm. The hell it wasn't! A knot of fear settled in Jamieson's stomach as he flew down the stairs and rushed back to CSSD to tell Ryan.

'Take it easy!' soothed Ryan and started telling him all the things he had been telling himself.

'I want him picked up!' said Jamieson. 'Now!'

'If police cars should suddenly appear in his mirrors and start chasing him your wife might be in a lot more danger than she is now,' maintained Ryan.

Jamieson had to concede the point but he was in no mood for common sense. He wanted action. He was like a cat on hot coals.

'I'll tell you what,' said Ryan. 'Call the county lab and if Evans is still there ask to speak to your wife. You can get her to make some excuse for not accepting a lift back. Say you have to go out there yourself and you will bring her back.'

'Good idea,' said Jamieson. He snatched at the phone and asked the operator for the county lab. He looked at Ryan and drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk while he waited.

'County Laboratories.'

'This is Dr Jamieson at Kerr Memorial Hospital. Are Dr Evans and my wife still with you?'

'Pardon?' said the voice.

'Dr Evans was bringing some bacterial cultures over to you for analysis. He made the arrangement this morning by telephone. I wondered if he might still be there.'

'One moment please.'

'What's the problem?' whispered Ryan.

'I don't know,' shrugged Jamieson. But inside he felt ill. He heard the receiver at the other end being picked up.

'We have no record of Dr Evans having contacted us,' said the voice.

Jamieson felt his head swim. 'Are you quite sure?' he croaked.

'Quite.'

'So he's not been there?'

'No.'

Jamieson put down the phone and couldn't speak for a moment.

'What is it?' demanded Ryan. 'What's happened?'

'Evans isn't there. He never was. He didn't call them. He never intended going there. He must have known I was getting close and now he's got Sue!'