HM-026
Chapter 26 Commissioner's Office, Port Charles Police Department
Anna held up the one marked with a "B". "This one. The thin gold banding on the bottom isn't faint. The container is better quality glass. Thicker and just a shade heavier but not by much. You'd have to know the real thing or be able to spot fakes like a … a professional to see the difference."
"Anna's right." Monica added, "At a distance, they're identical. The smell could have fooled me." She removed a bottle of GG lotion from her purse. She opened the top and passed it around. "This is the real thing. Try it on your skin, ladies."
The men took a cautious whiff but the women spread the lotion on their hands with deep appreciation. Anna spread some on her forearms and elbows.
"Now, gentlemen, smell the lotion on the skin," instructed Alan. "There is a noticeable difference between standalone from a bottle or on the skin."
Sean, Frisco and Lewis sampled the lotion on Felicia's hand. They nodded approvingly. Frisco took several more sniffs.
Robert took the opportunity to sit beside his wife. Helpfully, she extended her left arm towards him. He sniffed. He sniffed again.
"It's … nice isn't the word but it smells great," said Robert.
"Floral but in a sexy not girly way, you know," said Frisco. "Not overpowering like some." He took another sniff. "Not oldish smelling either like talcum powder."
"Yeah, what he said," said Robert.
"GG's formula is one of the best-selling brands around the world because it smells good on any woman, any age, any race," said Alan. "In the air, it's very pleasant to all noses. It's chemically clean so it doesn't set off people's allergies."
Lewis added, "I have those allergies. This one doesn't make me sneeze. I think my wife will love this."
"Felicia, Anna, you like the smell?" asked Alan.
The women nodded.
Alan pulled out a smaller plastic bag from his pocket. Inside were several long swabs with cotton ends. He gave each of them one swab. "Smell that."
The women were slow to react. The men recoiled. Lewis sneezed.
"Yuck!" said Frisco.
"Not that bad, Frisco, but not as … as attractive as the real one," noted Sean. "At first it does smell the same as the real one. But this one seems muskier, earthier. I take it this is the fake one?"
Alan nodded.
"Ah, get this away from me!" Lewis handed the swab back to Alan then wiped at his watery eyes. He sneezed one more time.
"It's all right. It's a very feminine, pretty smell," said Felicia. "Can I put some on my skin?"
"No!" said Frisco.
"Don't, Felicia. It lasts a while. Not even a shower will take it off completely," advised Alan.
Felicia handed hers and Frisco's swabs to Alan. Robert did the same with his and Anna's swabs.
"I don't like the smell much myself," said Robert.
"The smell was what made me suspicious. I could smell it in the air at Daria's apartment. I could smell it on her linens and in the bathroom," said Alan. "I saw the bottle of lotion on her dresser. Fortunately, I took it with me. The other difference is viscosity. The fake is a little bit thicker than the real one. Again, only someone familiar with it would be able to tell the difference."
"I take it this attracts snakes. Am I close?" asked Sean.
Donely Penthouse
Tiffany sauntered down the stairs in a dark pink peignoir. She noticed the pulsing red light of the answering machine. She played Sean's message.
She groaned. "He better get home before I get in the mood to change the locks."
Commissioner's Office, Port Charles Police Department
"How do snakes smell anything? They don't have noses," said Captain Lewis.
"Snakes have nostrils but they don't use it for smell. They have an organ, the Jacobsen organ, set in the roof of their mouths that collect scent particles from the air. That's why their tongue comes out - to collect the particles and bring them back inside their mouths," said Alan.
"So the snake smells this scent and what attacks?" asked Robert.
"If it was that simple, the victims would have gone into the ER for antivenin," said Sean. "There has to be more to it."
"And they would have died within hours," said Anna. "Instead, they developed the other symptoms - the rough skin, the lack of motor coordination, the raspy voice, the fever."
Sean snapped his fingers. "I remember a dry powder in the diary and pasty fluids and blood on the shower walls. Did I breath in this stuff and that's how I got sick?"
Monica nodded. "We're not entirely sure yet but I'm leaning towards some kind of contagious infection happening like that or close to it."
Robert perused the pictures and the fake lotion bottle. "Alan, how does all this fit together in your head?"
Alan took a deep breath then said, "I believe that the victims use the lotion on themselves. Somehow snakes were introduced into their environment. The lotion either attracts or aggravates the snakes on an instinctive level. They bite the victim without the victim being aware of it. The venom is injected and interacts with the lotion on a chemical level. The combination of the venom and the lotion results in a mixture that affects the victim's nervous and immune systems leading to the symptoms found in the victims. Like I said it's a theory, a far out one, but it's my theory. A snake expert needs to be brought in."
Robert caught Sean and Anna's eye. "A two part biological agent. It's not that farfetched, Alan. It really isn't."
Anna counted on her fingers. "Snakes. Lotion. Opportunity. Delivery. That requires patience and planning."
"And the result is a silent killer. The victim does die of a heart attack," said Sean.
"Like Alicia Montfort," added Felicia.
"It all fits in a cock-eyed sort of way." Robert stood up. "All right. We keep this to ourselves for now. Alan, I'll get the WSB in here. They've got access to every expert imaginable. Lewis, rest your nose tonight."
"Why?" asked Lewis.
"Because you and your nose are going scent-hunting tomorrow. I want to know if you smell something around the rats in the docks. Bring that fake lotion to Sadie. See if she's smelled it before," said Robert.
"Robert, rats have a different preference for odor. It can't be the same scent," said Alan.
"It doesn't have to be the exact same one. I have a hunch that its the same method being used in both cases - scent, application, delivery of animal then bite/infection," said Robert.
"Whoever did this is a very talented scientist. There can't be that many around," mused Sean.
"This case is reaching out like tentacles on an octopus. We're going to be busier than ever over the next few days," said Anna.
"That is our cue to get home. Have a good night and a good rest," said Robert. "Excellent work everybody."
Donely Penthouse
Sitting on the edge of her bed, Tiffany put a generous amount of lotion on her palm. She rubbed her palms together and applied the lotion all over her hands and shoulders.
She sniffed. "Hmm, that's pretty."
She looked at the clock. "He's so late and I have an early morning tomorrow."
Tiffany slid under the blanket. "Darlin', you don't know what you're missing tonight.
Scorpio Residence
In bed, Anna snuggled closer to Robert. His arm tightened around her. With an arm behind his head, Robert stared at the ceiling in deep thought.
"Robert, stop thinking about work," said Anna. She ran a hand down his bare chest.
"I have a question on my mind," said Robert in a neutral tone.
"You really are a workaholic."
"It's been bothering me since the meeting started."
"If it's about work I may not be the right person to ask. We're going to need experts on snakes and poisons."
"You're just the expert I need." His twined a lock of her hair around a finger.
"And if I let you ask this question, you promise no more work talk?" asked Anna.
"That depends on the answer."
Intrigued, Anna sat up and looked at her husband. "All right. Ask away."
"What does summa cum laude mean EXACTLY? Remember, Paris, honeymoon?"
Anna threw her head back and giggled. "You did say you needed motivation, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did say that. So what about it?"
Robert watched as Anna slipped off the bed, locked the door and rummaged about in his closet. She came back with one of Robert's black ties. Anna blindfolded Robert with the tie.
"We do have a busy day tomorrow. I'll give you the short but …" Anna whispered soft words into his ear that made Robert reach for her. He caught nothing but air.
He felt her get off the bed. He tried to listen to where she was in the room. "Summa cum laude means with highest distinction doesn't it?"
"Hmm, yes, but I've added some refinements over the years," said Anna. She whipped the duvet off the bed leaving Robert covered only with their thin blanket.
"Cold?" asked Anna right in his ear.
"Not at all," Robert tried and failed for a nonchalant tone. His ears picked up on the sound of rustling clothes. The GG perfume was faint but alluring. Robert felt something silky brush across then land on his lap. His hand grabbed a handful of silk negligee.
"My correspondence course encouraged practice but only with my most promising pupils," crooned Anna intertwining their legs together with the sheet between them. Her hot breath teased his throat. "Like you."
Donely Penthouse
Sean peeked into the master bedroom. Tiffany was deeply asleep.
"Guest room for me. Again," said Sean.
He sighed and made his way to the guest room.
"I'm going to end this Montfort case ASAP and get thing back to normal," Sean muttered. "We'll take a trip. Just the two of us. Yeah. Sounds like a plan."
Author Notes: Well, check off one possible theory. Now, about those flower arrangements ...
I think things are about to hit the fan. Suspects form to the right.
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