Тесс Герритсен - Bloodstream стр 22.

For a few seconds he stood hypnotized by the terrible view beyond that police tape. Then, abruptly, he pushed into the boys restroom.

Who was it? said Claire, turning to Lincoln. Who brought the gun to school?

It was Taylor Darnell.

She stared at him. Oh god. Hes my patient.

Thats what his father told us. Paul Darnell says the boy cant be held responsible. That he has attention deficit disorder and cant control his impulses. Is that true?

ADD doesnt cause violent behavior. And Taylor doesnt have it, anyway. But I cant comment on this case, Lincoln. Im betraying confidentiality

Well, somethings wrong with the kid. If youre his doctor, maybe you should take a look at him before hes moved to the Youth Center.

Where is he now?

Were holding him in the principals office. Lincoln paused. Just a Word of warning, Claire. Dont get too close.

5

Taylor Darnell sat handcuffed to a chair, swinging his foot, bam, bam, bam! against the principals desk. He didnt look up when Claire and Lincoln walked into the room, didnt even seem to notice they were there. Two Maine state cops were in the room with him. They looked at Lincoln and shook their heads, their thoughts transparent:

This one is totally bonkers.

We just got a call from the hospital, one of the state cops said to Lincoln.

The teachers dead.

No one spoke for a moment; both Claire and Lincoln absorbed the terrible news in silence.

Then Claire asked, softly: Where is Taylors mother?

Shes still on her way back from Portland. She drove down there on business.

And Mr. Darnell?

I think hes rounding up a lawyer. Theyre going to need one.

Taylor was kicking his foot against the desk again in a ceaseless, accelerating beat.

Claire set her medical bag down on a chair and approached the boy. You remember me, Taylor, dont you? Im Dr. Elliot. He didnt answer, just kept up that angry banging. Something was very wrong. This was more than adolescent rage she was looking at. It appeared to be some sort of drug-induced psychosis.

Without warning, Taylors gaze rose and locked on hers, focusing with predatory intensity. His pupils dilated, irises darkening to ebony pools. His lips curled up, canines gleaming, and from his throat escaped an animal sound, half hiss, half growl.

It happened so fast she had no time to react. He sprang to his feet, dragging the chair up with him, and lunged at her.

The impact of his body slamming into hers sent her toppling backwards to the floor. His teeth sank into her jacket, ripping the fabric, sending goose down and feathers flying in a white cloud. She caught a glimpse of three frantic faces as the cops struggled to separate them. They wrenched Taylor away, dragging him backwards even as he continued to thrash.

Lincoln grasped her arm and lifted her back to her feet. Claire- Jesus-

Im okay, she said, coughing on goose down. Really, Im fine.

Im okay, she said, coughing on goose down. Really, Im fine.

One of the state cops yelped. He just bit me! Look, Im bleeding!

Even cuffed to the chair, the boy was fighting, bucking against his restraints.

Let me go! he shrieked. Ill kill you all if you dont let me go!

He should be locked up in a freaking kennel!

No. No, theres something seriously wrong here, said Claire. It looks like a drug psychosis to me. PCP or amphetamines. She turned to Lincoln. I want this boy moved to the hospital. Now.

Too much movement, said Dr. Chapman, the radiologist. Were not going to get very clear definition here.

Claire leaned forward, watching intently as the first cross-section of Taylor Darnells brain appeared on the computer screen. Each image Was a compilation of pixels formed by thousands of tiny X-ray beams. Aimed at different angles along one plane, the beams distinguished between fluid and solid and air, and the various densities were reproduced in the image on the screen.

See that fuzziness there? said Chapman, pointing to the movement artifact.

We cant make him hold still unless we put him under anesthesia.

Well, thats an option.

Claire shook her head. His mentations cloudy enough. I dont want to risk anesthesia right now. Im just trying to rule out any mass shifts before I do the lumbar puncture.

You really think encephalitis could explain these symptoms? Chapman looked at her, and she saw skepticism in his eyes. In Baltimore, shed been a respected family practitioner. But here she still had to prove herself. How long would it take before her new colleagues stopped questioning her judgment and learned to trust her?

At this point, I have no choice, she said. The initial screen for both methamphetamine and PCP came back negative. But Dr. Forrest thinks this is clearly an organic psychosis, not psychiatric.

Chapman was obviously unimpressed by Dr. Forrests clinical skills. Psychiatry is hardly an exact science.

But I agree with him. The boys shown alarming personality changes in just the last few days. We have to rule out infection.

Whats the white cell count?

Thirteen thousand.

A little high, but not all that impressive. What about the differential?