"Lead the way Kylie."
"Yes Sir."
I had stopped breathing while they were inside so I would not lose the scent.
I followed the trail of the second man to the dockyard. He lived in a small cottage with his family. By the sound of it they were ill also.
"Bert who are these people?" The woman asked.
"I do not know Kay."
The Councilwoman walked out. "They do not know that their children are already dead. They will be dead by morning."
"Next Kylie."
"Yes Sir."
I followed the trail to a big house on the hill. Someone with a lot of money lived here. This time we went in with them.
"What is the meaning of this? (cough, cough)." A man came walking out of the parlour.
"We have come to ask you a question?"
"Oh? What kind (cough) of question?"
"Where did you purchase the large quantity of blankets you sold to my colleagues?"
"Blankets? (cough) You mean these blankets?" He held up the blanket he was wrapped in.
"Yes these blankets."
"From a hospital in New York City." (cough)
"I guess you know they are the reason you are ill."
"What are you talking about?" The man became enraged. "You can not get sick from a blanket."
"We will talk if you recover then." Councilman Klaus said.
"Talk? Talk about what?"
"You will see. Maybe."
They sipped from him. There was no one else in the big house.
We left for home.
We were back in the cave the next day.
"It pleases me that the people who sold the blankets to us are also suffering." Councilman Klaus said.
"Yes Sir." Shaun said.
Councilman Klaus and Councilwoman Cleo went to their quarters.
"Come and have something to eat." Colleen said. Athos and Vincent went back to their quarters.
We followed Colleen and Shaun to their quarters. Gen was in the kitchen cooking.
"You are back." She said smiling.
"Yes Love we are." Shaun kissed Gen on the cheek.
"Good I have made some chicken stew."
"Chicken stew?" Paddy said.
"Yes Paddy."
We sat down and ate the stew. Gen was sitting beside me. She leaned close to me.
She was listening to the heartbeats. I watched her lips. She was counting silently then gave me a strange look.
"How many heartbeats have you counted?"
"I have been trying. There is too much echoing."
"No kidding."
"Echoing?" Colleen said. She looked at Paddy. "Have you listened?"
"Yes Mom. Continuous echoing just as you think you have it. The echoes interrupt."
