Chapter 47

Friday, July 10, 1987, Morning

Having a couple promising means with which to destroy Red Dust related, , Steve divided his research teams into two groups , one to conduct experiments with the cactus derived enzyme, and the other with Julie's cranberry extract derived enzyme. Eager to see what might transpire, Steve stayed at Metzger well into the evening. When Ross' wife, Shelly, badgered Steve about not getting enough sleep, he purchased a cot. After checking on the progress of several Petri dishes Friday morning, he went home, showered, grabbed an early breakfast, then returned to work at his normal starting time.

By mid-Friday morning, Steve and the other researchers at Metzger understood both enzymes featured similar E. Coli destroying properties as each other. The next phase of their project included determining whether the cranberry extract derived enzyme could damage the good type of E. Coli necessary to the human digestion process. Knowing Julie wouldn't allow him to make the Seattle infants his guinea pigs, Steve decided to recruit volunteers. He instructed Shelly to place an ad in Lone Pine, California's Daily Times. Red Dust still reproduced in vast quantities in that city.

#

Donovan pulled his car out of the Med Center's southernmost parking lot, watching Julie remove a chest x-ray film from an envelope, and hold it up to the windshield. They'd just departed from the hospital's radiography department where Julie underwent more x-rays. Their next appointment was at Dr. Graham's office on the west side of the complex.

"See anything?" Donovan asked.

She grinned. "A pair of lungs."

"Normal lungs, Doc?"

"I think so."

"That's great," he said, but had doubts about her improvement, and the likelihood she was well enough to live on her own.

After re-parking the car, he flipped the sun visors down against the windshield. Today was supposed to be unusually hot. With temperatures just above ninety degrees and a dew point at sixty-nine percent, citizens of L.A. expected an afternoon rain shower.

Donovan's cotton, ribbed undershirt clung to him as he exited the car. Julie paused before closing her door then slipped the x-ray films back into their protective sleeve.

"You okay?" Donovan came around to her side.

"The air's pretty thick," she remarked.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed, although it wasn't humid enough to make him stop and take a breath like she had. "Want me to carry you?"

She smiled. "I'm fine, Mike."

They walked toward the building.

"Well, okay, because I'd be more than happy to pick you up, if it'd make you feel better."

"More than happy? What exactly does that mean?" She jabbed him in the side with her elbow exhibiting the same strength as she had on the Fourth of July evening.

"Oh!" He grunted.

Julie walked ahead of him and opened the entry door.

#

Less than two hours later, Julie strolled out of Dr. Graham's office smiling from ear to ear. Donovan didn't have to second guess at the good news; they've cleared her to go home, but how soon?

"Did he give you any restrictions?" He asked as they strolled back to the car.

"Yes," she admitted, ducking into the passenger seat.

"Are you going back to work?" He returned to the driver's seat then turned the key in the ignition.

Julie didn't reply, but the way she didn't look at Donovan answered his question.

"Did Dr. Graham approve-?"

"I need to finish the project."

"Is that the only reason?"

"You know that's not the only reason."

She needed the money to pay her bills.

Donovan pulled the car onto Westlake. "What do you plan to do after the projects finished?"

"Tackle more Red Dust problems, I suppose," she said.

I wonder how long she'll stay at my place. Maybe she wants to leave right away… Can't do it til tomorrow morning.

"When do you want to go home?"

"When it's convenient for you."

"How about Tuesday? I took Tuesday and Wednesday off, remember?"

She nodded. "Would you be too awfully upset if I visited work Monday?"

"Are you supposed to drive?"

"Well, yeah." She smiled "Don't worry. I won't spend the whole day there. It's just that Steve's—"

"I know… Your project," he said. "When do you plan to return to work full time?"

"I don't know. I'll have to see how I feel next week. I don't feel so good today."

"Is it the humidity?"

"I guess so."