Chapter 51.

The next day started the same way. Jess went into the hospital early in the morning, and I followed later. But since I didn't have to wait for the furniture delivery guys, I made it in just after ten.

Chase was waiting in my office. "We've hit a snag in our study."

"What kind?" I dropped my bag on the floor and sat down in my desk chair.

"The preliminary testing on three of the hyperacusis patients shows that they don't have the same genetic markers that Petey and Christopher do, and at the same time, one of the control group does."

I nodded. "That doesn't prove anything. Wait until you have more complete results and have tested additional subjects."

"Should we also expand the groups?"

"Before you do that, take a look at other chromosomes. Maybe we were wrong about which one is the culprit."

"OK. I'll keep you posted."

"You do that." I watched him go and settled down at my desk. This was a bit of a setback. I hadn't realized how much I'd been counting on this study being successful. Was my team missing something, and was it time for me to take a more active part? I decided to give it another day or two before I stepped in but I couldn't ignore the fact that it bothered me.

My next visitor was Wilson. "You were right."

"I'm always right. What was I right about this time?"

"Jess Giordano has a boyfriend."

I hadn't thought out what my response to that should have been, but I went with a 'told you so' smile, and left it at that.

"She came out and told me," Wilson went on even though I didn't ask. "I wonder where she met him, and what he does."

"Does it matter?"

"No, I suppose it doesn't. She's looking for a place for the two of them."

Again, whatever I said would have been wrong, so I said nothing. There was no telling how much Wilson had learned from Bonnie about my own search for another place.

"I sent her to Bonnie," he said.

Now that was something I could comment on. I rolled my eyes and guffawed. "The worst real estate agent in central New Jersey? You didn't do her any favors."

"What do you care?"

"I don't. Maybe she and Bonnie deserve each other."

Wilson narrowed his eyes at me. I wondered what he was thinking. It would depend on how much he knew or thought he knew. If I waited long enough, he'd tell me.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"You always think I'm up to something, don't you?"

He shook his head and walked away.

I quickly dismissed Wilson's suspicions. Instead, I turned my attention to what Chase had told me. We'd been so certain that there was a correlation between the chromosome defect and hyperacusis, but if patients known to have the disease didn't have that genetic flaw, what did we have?

I pulled up the records on Petey and Christopher, even though I'd decided earlier that I'd stay out of it for at least a while longer. Nothing had changed since the last time I looked at them. They both had the same defect and the same disease. Petey was also diabetic, of course, and Chris wasn't, and yet there were very few differences in their gene sequences. I'd have to think about this.

Somehow the morning passed. I may have fallen asleep at my desk. But my growling stomach told me it was lunchtime. Wilson must have heard it, too, because he knocked at my door, stuck his head in to ask, "Lunch?"

I had to do something while I waited for a report from Jess on her apartment-hunting, and I always liked it when Wilson bought me food. The cafeteria was crowded, the way it always was at this time of day, but we managed to make it through the line and find a booth along one wall.

Wilson eyed my tray and asked, "Are you going to eat all of that?"

"Do you know me or what?"

"A Reuben and a hamburger? You usually have one or the other. Granted, you also eat half of my food."

"Only when you get fries. You can keep the cottage cheese."

"Does this mean I get to eat all of my own lunch today?"

"No promises," I said around a mouthful of meat and bread.

I would have bet I'd get the long-suffering look, but Wilson surprised me. "OK."

"OK? Is that the best you can do?"

He didn't answer, preferring to turn his attention to his food. He was no doubt determined to eat as much of it as possible before I took any.

We were both just finishing when my phone began playing 'Sexy And I Know It'. I could see that puzzled Wilson.

"What did you think?" I asked Jess, then stood and walked away so he wouldn't hear my conversation. All the while, I tried to think of how I'd explain the call, and the ringtone. When I knew I couldn't be overheard, I repeated, "What did you think?"

"I liked all three. The one you didn't see was larger than the others, all on one floor with two bedrooms and a small office. But it didn't have a jacuzzi tub, so I dismissed it. I saw the one you liked after the other two, and I felt very comfortable in it, even without any furniture."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Why had it been so important for her to like the same one I did? Or was she just saying that? No, Jess wasn't the type to do that.

"How much did she tell you it would be?" I asked.

"Two-fifty."

"So she quoted you fifteen thousand more than she quoted me. I wonder why?"

"And more important, what do we do about it?"

"I guess you can offer her two-forty. We can see what she says, and whether she calls me to tell me someone else is bidding on the place."

"OK. Will do. And then I'm heading into the hospital."

I told her about what Chase told me earlier in the day.

"Yes, Thirteen told me before I left to meet Bonnie. Is that as bad as it sounds? Is it a deal breaker?"

"Not necessarily. But we might need a new approach. You understand statistics. What would it take to prove our case?"

"That would depend. In some situations, anything over fifty percent proof is enough, but I have a feeling in medicine it needs to be quite a bit higher. I'll have to do some research. Also, the margin of error for the tests you've done would be a factor. Are they ninety-nine percent certain or better?"

"There should be a standard for that. Have Chase check."

"As soon as I get back to the hospital. I have to go now. See you later."

"Bye." I ended the call and slowly walked back to the table, where Wilson waited with an expectant look on his face. Did he really believe I'd tell him who I'd been talking to?

"Something up?"

I shook my head. "Nothing important. I just had to get the ball rolling on something." My answer was almost as vague as his question.

He waited for me to go on, but when I didn't he knew enough to drop it. That was why it was so surprising when he asked, "Are you really looking for a bigger apartment?"

"I knew Bonnie couldn't keep her big mouth shut."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

How could I spin this to my advantage? "Ever since I moved back, after living with you in the loft, my place has seemed too small."

"Uh-huh."

"You don't believe me? Why else would I want to move? You know I'm not into change."

"I don't know what your motivation is, but I'm not sure I believe you. As you're always quick to point out, everybody lies."

Obviously I hadn't convinced him, but that was OK, since he still hadn't a clue about what was going on. And he never did ask about the ringtone. Maybe he'd never heard that song.