Sam took a sip of her coffee. “I agree. There are just too many coincidences. And if we look at Ledbetter as the primary target, not Peter Leighton, the whole story shifts. I think Fletcher is off on the wrong trail, and we’re on the right one. But one thing doesn’t work for me.”
“What’s that?”
“The three must have been exposed to more abrin than the remainder of the people who were sickened. Leighton had asthma, so it’s conceivable that he would react more intensely than the others to the effects of the poison in the Metro, but he was all the way on the other side of town, and there are plenty of immunosuppressed people with lung ailments who take the Metro. The odds of it only affecting him and Conlon and Ledbetter are astronomical.”
“So what are you thinking?”
“That we’re missing something major. A delivery method. This killer disguised the murders in an attack on the masses, so he was desperate to cover his tracks. He doesn’t want recognition for himself, he just wanted three people dead and didn’t want to be caught. This took so much planning, he couldn’t leave anything to chance. I think there must be another delivery method for the three dead. I’ll bet that the abrin levels are much higher in their blood work than any of the people who got sick from the Metro attack.”
“Can you test for that?”
“The concentration levels will show clearly on the tox screens. Let me call Amado. He might be able to shed some light on this.”
She dialed Nocek’s number, and he answered right away.
“Samantha. It is good to hear from you. I understand you have been traveling.”
“Hello, Amado,” she said warmly. “Yes, I have. May I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“Has the lab returned the blood work on the victims yet?”
“It has. Are you interested in something specific?”
“Yes. What were the concentration levels of abrin in the three dead?”
She heard him flipping pages. How convenient, he had the records there on his desk, almost as if he’d known she might be calling. Then again, Nocek had always been able to interpret Sam’s next move. He was special like that. Highly focused.
“The estimated human fatal dose is 0.1–1 microgram per kilogram. The three dead had concentration levels over one microgram. Ten times the amount necessary to kill them.”
“Goodness. Were there any findings from the people sick at GW?”
“The CDC has been running tests on them. From what I’ve heard, the levels were under 0.001–0.003 micrograms.”
“Enough to sicken, but not enough to kill. Excellent.”
“Excellent?”
She heard the questioning tone in his voice. She must have sounded rather heartless.
“I don’t mean it like that. You’ve just proved my theory. I believe Leighton, Ledbetter and Conlon were all dosed separately to make sure they got enough abrin in their systems to kill them, and the Metro attack was simply to cover the killer or killers’ tracks. The question is, how were they dosed?”
“You have a keen mind, Doctor. When I saw the concentration levels today, I was wondering the same thing.”
“Ledbetter smoked. Did Conlon?”
More papers rustling. “The list of personal effects includes a pack of Camel Lights. So yes. Dr. Ledbetter does not have cigarettes within her personal items, but she was at work, so it is entirely possible the cigarettes were already in her office.”
“She was supposed to have quit, but you know how easy it is to slip up. And what’s the first thing you do after a long trip, or before you go to work, or into class?”
“As a former smoker myself, I would have to say smoke a cigarette.”
“I would suggest you get those tested, Amado. It’s entirely possible that’s the delivery method.”
“But what about the congressman? He was not a smoker—on the contrary, he would be doing all he could to make sure his lungs were not compromised.”
They said it at the same time.
“The inhaler.”
“Samantha, I will endeavor to retrieve the inhalers from the Leightons as well as the cigarettes from Conlon and Ledbetter and have them tested immediately. Thank you for this information. Would you like to share it with Detective Fletcher, or should I?”
“You feel free. I have a few more things to work on before I check in with him.”
“I will take care of this. Be safe, Samantha.”
“Thanks, Amado. You, too.”
*
Sam was enjoying the adrenaline rush she was feeling. Mildly euphoric, she soldiered on.
“Okay. The pieces are starting to come together and make more sense. Back to the photos.”
“Does she have any pictures of her time with the Mountain Blue and Gray?”
Sam clicked out of the Hawaii folder and did a search for Colorado. Forty folders showed up. “Wow. Let’s see here...”
She looked at the dates, opened the folder dated 2006.
The pictures were of what seemed to be beautiful but inconsequential things—gardens, trees, flowers. Spring in the mountains.
“She set up shop with them in the winter. This could be after the first big thaw.”
“Makes sense.”