Read Online Going Viral by Andrew Puckett - Free Book Online
Authors: Andrew Puckett
Tags: UK
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asked for some ID.
Suppressing a smile as she wondered what affect her warrant card would have, Rebecca produced a credit card.
‘You could always ring Marc Bell if you’re still not sure,’ she said.
They decided to accept the card and Rose showed her round. The two rooms at the back were used for storage and sorting, and there were also a small kitchen, loo and a back entrance that led to a yard. There were three cars parked in it.
‘It’s where we take deliveries,’ Rose said.
‘What’s that?’ Rebecca asked, pointing to a solid iron stairway going half way up the back of the house.
‘Oh, that’s the upstairs flat. The stairs inside have been sealed off, and that’s how they get in.’
‘Anyone living there now?’
‘Oh yes, a nice young couple with a baby.’
Rebecca wondered what ‘‘Elf ‘n’ Safety’ would think about carrying a baby up the steps, but didn’t say anything. They went back inside where Rose showed her the sealed-up door to the stairs. Opposite was another door, locked. She asked where it went. Rosemary looked at each other and Mary said, ‘The basement, I think.’
‘Is it used?’ Rebecca asked.
They didn’t think so. Why?
Just curious.
She looked around a bit more. There was a keypad just inside the front door, presumably an alarm of the sort you have to mute after you’ve opened the door. She surreptitiously studied it, but it didn’t seem to have been used much.
She wandered to the back rooms again and looked at the door there… another keypad, but here, three digits were grubby – 0, 1 & 6.
1066, she thought. But why did they use the back to get in rather than the front? Because that’s where they parked their cars, dumbo…
There were two locks - a Yale and a conventional lock with the door handle. She bought a couple of books, declined the offer of tea, thanked them and left. She returned to the flat and called Brigg.
‘It’s ideal,’ she said. ‘Rose and Mary lock up in the evening, and the perps come in at night or on Sundays and work in the basement.’
‘What about the couple in the flat, are they involved?’
She hesitated… ‘You wouldn’t think so, not with a baby.’
‘No. Pretty dangerous anyway, isn’t it? Working on live smallpox in a basement…’
‘Maybe not if they’d got themselves vaccinated… I’ll talk to Herry.’
‘Then what?’
‘I’ll take a look.’
Chapter 7
After the SCRUB meeting on Monday, with banana skins in mind, I went through my Green Bag, since I’d told the others to make sure theirs were up to date. We all had a Green Bag, which held our personal protection equipment such as disposable gowns, gloves, masks, overshoes etc. I kept mine in my office.
The portable equipment for managing patients at the scene of an outbreak was kept in Red Bags, which were stored on Ward Seven – the isolation ward that had been designated in case of a smallpox outbreak. Roland, as Consultant in Infectious Diseases, was responsible for these, and I’d told him to make sure they were all checked. I’d check on his checking later.
I didn’t hear any more from Rebecca, so spent Tuesday and Wednesday catching up with my routine. My department handled all the medical virology investigations in the area, which made me responsible for all the reports we issued. When I was away, Caroline or James signed them, but when I was there, I went through them myself.
On Thursday afternoon, I was due to give a lecture to a group of housemen, and was looking through my notes and PowerPoints late in the morning when Rebecca phoned.
‘I need to see you,’ she said. ‘Can I come this afternoon?’
‘Difficult,’ I said, and told her about the lecture. ‘How about now?’
‘All right,’ she said, ‘half an hour. Can I be shown straight to your office? I don’t want to be seen hanging round.’
I told her yes, then went to arrange it with the receptionist.
She was punctual to the minute. She was wearing jeans
Suppressing a smile as she wondered what affect her warrant card would have, Rebecca produced a credit card.
‘You could always ring Marc Bell if you’re still not sure,’ she said.
They decided to accept the card and Rose showed her round. The two rooms at the back were used for storage and sorting, and there were also a small kitchen, loo and a back entrance that led to a yard. There were three cars parked in it.
‘It’s where we take deliveries,’ Rose said.
‘What’s that?’ Rebecca asked, pointing to a solid iron stairway going half way up the back of the house.
‘Oh, that’s the upstairs flat. The stairs inside have been sealed off, and that’s how they get in.’
‘Anyone living there now?’
‘Oh yes, a nice young couple with a baby.’
Rebecca wondered what ‘‘Elf ‘n’ Safety’ would think about carrying a baby up the steps, but didn’t say anything. They went back inside where Rose showed her the sealed-up door to the stairs. Opposite was another door, locked. She asked where it went. Rosemary looked at each other and Mary said, ‘The basement, I think.’
‘Is it used?’ Rebecca asked.
They didn’t think so. Why?
Just curious.
She looked around a bit more. There was a keypad just inside the front door, presumably an alarm of the sort you have to mute after you’ve opened the door. She surreptitiously studied it, but it didn’t seem to have been used much.
She wandered to the back rooms again and looked at the door there… another keypad, but here, three digits were grubby – 0, 1 & 6.
1066, she thought. But why did they use the back to get in rather than the front? Because that’s where they parked their cars, dumbo…
There were two locks - a Yale and a conventional lock with the door handle. She bought a couple of books, declined the offer of tea, thanked them and left. She returned to the flat and called Brigg.
‘It’s ideal,’ she said. ‘Rose and Mary lock up in the evening, and the perps come in at night or on Sundays and work in the basement.’
‘What about the couple in the flat, are they involved?’
She hesitated… ‘You wouldn’t think so, not with a baby.’
‘No. Pretty dangerous anyway, isn’t it? Working on live smallpox in a basement…’
‘Maybe not if they’d got themselves vaccinated… I’ll talk to Herry.’
‘Then what?’
‘I’ll take a look.’
Chapter 7
After the SCRUB meeting on Monday, with banana skins in mind, I went through my Green Bag, since I’d told the others to make sure theirs were up to date. We all had a Green Bag, which held our personal protection equipment such as disposable gowns, gloves, masks, overshoes etc. I kept mine in my office.
The portable equipment for managing patients at the scene of an outbreak was kept in Red Bags, which were stored on Ward Seven – the isolation ward that had been designated in case of a smallpox outbreak. Roland, as Consultant in Infectious Diseases, was responsible for these, and I’d told him to make sure they were all checked. I’d check on his checking later.
I didn’t hear any more from Rebecca, so spent Tuesday and Wednesday catching up with my routine. My department handled all the medical virology investigations in the area, which made me responsible for all the reports we issued. When I was away, Caroline or James signed them, but when I was there, I went through them myself.
On Thursday afternoon, I was due to give a lecture to a group of housemen, and was looking through my notes and PowerPoints late in the morning when Rebecca phoned.
‘I need to see you,’ she said. ‘Can I come this afternoon?’
‘Difficult,’ I said, and told her about the lecture. ‘How about now?’
‘All right,’ she said, ‘half an hour. Can I be shown straight to your office? I don’t want to be seen hanging round.’
I told her yes, then went to arrange it with the receptionist.
She was punctual to the minute. She was wearing jeans
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