It was Bodie and Doyle's intention to drop the woman at Charing Cross Hospital and be on their way but the admitting physician, a Dr. Alistair Fairbairn, found her symptoms alarming and he insisted on them remaining while he ran some tests.
Doyle showed his CI5 credentials, protesting, "We have someplace to be at ten and if we're not there, our boss is going to have our guts for garters!" Bodie seconded his partner's objection.
"Nonsense," said Fairbairn. "I shall call your superior myself. What is his number?"
Bodie gulped, exchanging a glance with Doyle, then faintly volunteered the information.
"Thank you." Fairbairn beckoned to a nurse. "I want these two men in quarantine until further notice. See to it."
He strode away, ignoring Doyle's angry cry, "Wait a minute! You can't put us away!" The curly-haired officer gazed indignantly at the retreating doctor, then turned to the nurse with an ingratiating smile.
She was young and very pretty, but although she smiled back she was not to be won over. "I do hope you're not going to make a fuss. It would be a shame to have to call security."
Bodie looked at the guard sitting behind a desk. The man was in his early sixties, with a shock of pure white hair, and the dark-haired CI5 man grinned. "I could take him."
The nurse looked at him narrowly. "I'm sure you could. Do you want to? Dr Fairbairn wouldn't put you in quarantine without a good reason. I would hope you are public-spirited enough to cooperate."
"All right, all right," said Bodie, abashed. He looked at Doyle. "It's not like the Cow can blame us."
"No, but he will," said his partner dolefully. "Lead on, ma'am."
"It's Allen," said the girl. "Nurse Charlotte Allen, but…" She flashed her engaging smile again. "You may call me Charlie."
"Well, Charlie," said Bodie, "What are you doing for dinner tonight?"
She answered coolly, "Thinking of you and your friend eating hospital food while I dine out at my favorite restaurant." Having deflated Bodie a second time, she ushered him and Doyle over to the lifts and took them up to the quarantine unit.
Meanwhile, Dr Fairbairn was in a spirited conversation with Cowley. The CI5 commander did not try to hide his irritation. "Dammit, man, I need Bodie and Doyle to escort a witness to court!"
"Really, Mr Cowley, there is no need to shout," said Fairbairn with equal displeasure. "They have been in contact with an extremely sick woman who is showing all the signs of hemorrhagic fever. Your officers might have been infected. I cannot possibly take the chance of releasing them at this time. You will simply have to assign someone else to your witness. Surely these two are not the only men at your disposal."
"Hardly," said Cowley thinly. "But they are my best. Is it absolutely necessary to quarantine them?"
Fairbairn took a deep breath. "I wouldn't do it if it wasn't. Now I really must go."
"Very well. Keep me posted. I want to know immediately if either of them falls ill."
"Thank you for that, Mr Cowley," said Fairbairn coldly. "I was beginning to wonder if you cared about them at all."
Cowley slammed down the phone at that, and Fairbairn shook his head. He supposed that the CI5 commander lived in a different world, a violent world where life was cheap, but he felt unaccountably ashamed of himself, remembering a quote by Winston Churchill. We sleep soundly in our beds at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence upon those who would do us harm. It was the first time Dr Fairbairn had ever come into contact with the rough men who stood ready to give their lives to keep England safe, and he offered up a devout prayer that the two CI5 officers would be all right.