Part 23

Dr. Jones said Zander Smith could try to walk. Quinn supervised the orderlies. Making a couple of faces, he was able to start on the walker. He got across the lounge. "Sit down," Quinn said. "If you can't, the orderlies will help you."

He tried. He was able to, with a grimace. "I don't think I can get up again, though," he said.

"Rest a bit, then try. Your legs were uninjured, so they should be no weaker than not getting to use them would make them."

"I never thought of walking as a major sport before."

Quinn laughed. She wrote in the chart for awhile.

"That EKG didn't show anything sinister," she told him. "That walk didn't create any heart fluttering?"

"None."

"Good. Maybe the family genes are good, after all. Hey I have an idea. Give me an ethnic group. You know, like general family background. Maybe that makes it more or less likely; sometimes genetic conditions are more likely in this or that ethnic group. I've got another patient that reminds me of you a little. It's his hair. He's Korean. You wouldn't be half or quarter Asian, would you?"

"I'm Irish."

She rolled her eyes upward for a second, then went back to writing.

When she looked up from the chart again, he was looking at her. "I saw something on TV yesterday. Something you may not like."

"That I may not like?"

"Yeah, it was about this history thing, with the theory that Johnson had Kennedy killed."

Quinn laughed again, harder this time. "Why wouldn't I like it?"

"Didn't you say you hoped there was no conspiracy?"

"No! When?"

"I remember you said I was staring at the ceiling, and you hoped it had the answer, and that there was no conspiracy."

"Did I? I probably just meant, you were staring as if there were an answer up there."

"Oh, OK. Sorry."

"Oh, you don't have to be sorry. I like the conspiracy theories, but I guess I must just like to debate the mystery, because I know it can never be proven."

"But you know where Aunt Maggie stood."

"You have the best memory. How do you remember all the dumb stuff I told you? I better be careful what I say around you!"

"What do you think now?"

"About what?"

"Who killed him? Kennedy."

"Well, let me see. I think, these days, I think it was a mob hit. And you? Did they sell you on Johnson?"

"No, I think it was the Russians."

"Likely culprits, too. Well, let's see if you can get up now."