“Where did you have sex with her?”
“Every time it was at my condo which is a block from the buildings we work in. She would put in a short appearance at her office and then come see me,” he replied in a voice that made my skin crawl because it was so upbeat and cheerful, like he was recalling a pleasant memory.
“Was anyone else present?”
“No, just Lisa and me although the last time she said she would consider a three-way either with Martha or my brother if he was able to get out of a lock down in New York.”
I cringed and started sweating even more profusely and felt my throat constrict. I shook it off within a few seconds.
I wanted to ask more questions, but it likely would have exposed me. At the point I was at I could justify what I had asked so far, and what more did I really need.
I turned off my recorder, grunted “Thank you for being honest — I’ll be in touch and remember to avoid contact with everyone until you get a clean bill of health so that you don’t infect others. That is especially so for Martha and Lisa.”
“If they test positive can I have sex with them?” he actually asked, indicating what a complete asshole he was.
“Not until you’ve all recovered,” I sneered.
Fortunately social greetings and good-byes no longer allowed handshakes because if I had touched him I would have likely killed him and gone to jail for it. After giving him my warnings I simply turned and walked away.
–δ–
As I drove home I was more conflicted than at any other time in my life. I had the responsibility to hold the information that I had gained from Upton confidential but how could I overlook a cheating bitch wife who may have exposed my kids to the novel coronavirus. By the time that I got home a plan had formed in my mind; the first step was to inform everyone Upton had contact with about the possibility of infection and the second thing was to get my family tested.
Within an hour I had either phoned or emailed all of Upton’s contacts except Lisa. When I talked to Martha Elwell she was especially distraught. “Is John Upton the person who tested positive?” she sobbed into the phone.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Elwell but I can’t divulge the person; if you have a suspicion that it is John Upton you should ask him directly,” I replied. I hoped that the fact that I had repeated his name back to her and even emphasized it would be enough to have her check. I hoped that somehow she would find a way to visit pain on him.
Since I worked for the Health Department I was able to get my family tested immediately, including Karen, Winston and Crystal. By “immediately” I mean that very day using the most accurate test and one that could be processed (and was) within an hour. Lisa, me, both kids, and Karen tested positive; somehow Winston and Crystal did not, even though they were given two different tests. After consultation — despite Lisa’s objections — we decided that Karen should move in with us for a quarantine period.
I found it impossible to be civil to Lisa so I tried to just ignore her. That pissed her off especially when I was extremely cordial to Karen when I helped her move into the guest room. When we went to bed Lisa confronted me. “Why are you acting like such an asshole — it’s like you’re blaming me when it’s more likely that you’re the source of the novel coronavirus infection of our family.”