Pulling the cover back over the cadaver Amanda sighed 'To be honest Steve, at the moment I can't tell you much more than I did at 4.30 this morning'.
Steve ran a hand through his hair irritably. Although he'd gotten to the hospital as soon as she'd finished the autopsy, it was looking like a wasted journey. He sighed, he really wasn't getting a break here, and to add insult to injury, there was that smell again. Pungent and sickly sweet, it had already induced a headache, leaving him feeling dull and lethargic.
'What is that perfume you're wearing?' he finally growled bad-temperedly, massaging his temples in an effort to ease the dull pounding, that had been growing progressively worse since his arrival in the lab.
Certainly he was no expert, but he'd been around Amanda long enough to know that she didn't usually favour such heady aromas. He couldn't name the brand, but a subtle floral fragrance was predominantly her scent of choice. This current perfume was anything but subtle. He frowned, may be it was to Ron Wagner's taste, but it certainly wasn't doing much for him.
She was looking at him in confusion 'Steve, I'm not wearing any perfume' she replied.
He groaned irritably 'C'mon Amanda, I could smell it this morning and yesterday when I was here with you in the lab' he cocked an eyebrow 'What is it, you trying out a new scent for Ron?' He gave her a half smile 'cause I gotta tell ya it's kinda over powering'.
Her head snapped up, as the realisation dawned 'Steve' she said slowly 'It's not perfume, it's the substance I found on Schwenk's body'.
She looked at him keenly, suddenly it was all making sense.
'When you came to the lab yesterday, it must have been the samples of the substances I'd found on Peterson and Summers that you could smell' she said.
She paused, thinking back, trying to put the pieces together 'I'd been examining the substances through the microscope' she said thoughtfully, recreating the actions in her mind 'and I'd stacked the sample slides on top of the filing cabinet'. She looked at him triumphantly 'You were standing right next to them!'
He looked at her sceptically – she had that look. Just now, he wasn't sure where she was going with this, but she definitely had something on her mind.
'And we still don't know what these substances are?' he asked tiredly
'No' she replied, thinking hard 'We don't know what they are, but they certainly have an effect on you'. She frowned 'Both this morning in Schwenk's office and yesterday in the lab, you were reacting to them weren't you?'
Steve snorted scornfully, fatigue heightening his exasperation 'Oh come on Amanda that's ridiculous.'
She looked at him keenly 'Okay, so how do you feel right now?'
Embarrassed he looked down shiftily 'I feel fine.'
It didn't fool her for a second and he knew it.
Amanda raised her eyebrows meaningfully and he sighed.
'Okay' he admitted grudgingly 'I feel a little woozy and lethargic, like I can't think straight'. He paused, shrugging his shoulders 'But I was up half the night; I'm hardly likely to be feeling on top of the world'.
'Anything else?' she persisted 'C'mon Steve it could be important'. She smiled at him teasingly, giving his hand a quick squeeze 'Trust me, this is not the time to be macho'.
He let out a breath 'I don't know, dizzy, a little headache may be ..' he paused 'But it doesn't make any sense.'
'Whaddaya mean?' she asked
'Well if it is a reaction to the substances, shouldn't it be affecting you too?' he asked reasonably 'And what about Dad, he was there this morning. Neither of you seem to be affected at all'.
'Mmmmh' she frowned thoughtfully, turning over the possibilities in her mind. His logic was sound, but she wasn't ready to give up on her theory just yet. She looked at him 'I'll admit it's strange' she said finally, 'but there could be all sorts of explanations'.
'Really' he said dryly, still not convinced
'Steve' she said seriously 'We have no idea what we're dealing with here. There could be any number or combination of chemicals and solutions in these compounds'. She continued talking, thinking out loud, speaking more to herself than to him 'It's entirely possible its some sort of allergic reaction, or may be your resistance is low precisely because you haven't had much sleep lately'.
She looked at him eagerly 'You know if we did a blood test may be it'd give us more to go on'.
Steve groaned, having Amanda stick him with a needle was not top of his list of favoured things to do, especially when it wasn't gonna progress the case any. He could see the gleam in her eye, just like his father got when he thought he was on to something. Surreptitiously he looked at his watch; if left now he could get back over to the crime scene before it got dark and do some real work.
Reading his mood Amanda smiled sweetly 'Five minutes I promise.'
Shaking his head he began to roll up the sleeve of his shirt. Still grumbling as he exposed the soft inner flesh of his right arm, he allowed her to steer him to a chair by the window 'I still think this is a waste of time' he groused, 'but if it makes you happy …'
'Look Steve ' she said adamantly, hands on hips 'I have spent a week trying to figure out what these substances are and you are my first clue'. She looked at him sternly 'You have to respect the fact that I know what I'm doing and let me get on with my job'.
He sighed 'I'm sorry Amanda, you're right, I was outta line … ouch!' he looked at her reproachfully 'that hurt'.
She grinned as she attached the vial to the needle that she had just inserted none too gently into his arm. 'Honestly Steve, it's just a little needle' she teased 'there's no need to make such a fuss'.
He opened his mouth to protest, but seeing his own blood rapidly filling up the vial, changed his mind. Pulling a face he hastily looked away, and let her get on with it.
Amanda smiled; it always amazed her how many tough guys didn't like needles – not that they'd admit it of course. To make her point, she had been purposely rather heavy-handed drawing his blood. The heavy-handed jab was her way of pointing out to him that he was being heavy-handed himself. She'd seen him look at his watch, and she knew he wasn't taking her theory seriously. Instead he was riding rough-shod over her ideas and concerns. He was desperate to get back to the crime scene where the 'real' action was taking place.
She sighed, she loved him dearly, but he could be so pig headed at times. Once he got locked into an idea he wasn't interested in anything else. On reflection, that was where father and son differed, she thought. Whilst Steve was always rational, always looking for the tangible evidence, Mark was somehow freer, more open minded, willing to entertain even the most fanciful of possibilities. She guessed it was the difference between police work and medicine. Whilst the police could do nothing without proof, as doctors they often looked for any solution, no matter how remote.
'Are we done yet?' Steve's voice, still irritable, brought her back to the present.
'Here' she said firmly, handing him a clean swab, and deftly removing the now full syringe 'Hold this and press down hard.'
Keeping the swab over the incision point as instructed, he continued mulishly 'I just don't see how you can be so sure I'm reacting to the substances. May be I just feel out of it because I haven't had much sleep'.
'It's possible' she allowed 'but think about it. When have the symptoms been most intense?' She looked at him 'From what I can tell, there's three occasions – in here yesterday afternoon, this morning in Schwenk's office and then again just now. All those times you were exposed.'
He didn't reply.
'Steve?' she prompted, but he was looking right through her.
'Are you okay? she asked suddenly concerned. Perhaps taking blood when he was feeling woozy hadn't been one of her better ideas.
'Do you need some air?' she made a move to open the window, but he grasped her wrist, holding her in place 'Steve what is it?' she asked 'You're scaring me now'.
He looked at her strangely 'Four occasions' he said slowly.
'What?' she asked confused
'I've had those symptoms on four occasions' he said.
Just as she was about to ask him to elaborate, he smiled
'Thank you Amanda, I think I just got my first break!'