Chapter 11 Summary

Al Hunt's words are still replaying in Kay's head and his death causing guilt as she and Pete ride the pre-dawn train to Baltimore, MD. She feels calmer as they leave Richmond behind. Al's psychiatrist, Dr. Masterson, had been reserved on the phone about Al's teenage treatment for severe depression. The police have found nothing to link Al to the murders. Kay is delivering Sterling's frozen samples to Johns Hopkins for special testing for an isotope of dextromethorphan, levomethorphan, that is a powerful, potentially deadly narcotic, but cannot be distinguished in normal testing.

Hearing about Sterling's trips to Baltimore, Kay suspects and confirms cancer treatment and arranges with Dr. Ismail to use the polarimeter. Ismail explains to Pete how the tests look for bending light. Ismail is sad about the suicide, noting that Sterling had been doing well, and remarking how lovely her...