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utilities could eat you alive. Sharing was essential. The hood, for instance: the technicians of both Pradeep and Jennifer used it. Therein lay the problem—competition.
    Pradeep put his hand on Gordon 's shoulder, sensing trouble. "I see something haunting that boyish face," said Pradeep.
    Gordon shrugged. "Have you talked to Jennifer lately?"
    Pradeep 's expression changed subtly. Gordon tried to catch its meaning, but couldn't quite make it out.
    " No. Not lately," answered Pradeep.
    Whatever it was that passed over Pradeep 's face had disappeared quickly. But the chemist had lowered his gaze. Suddenly he seemed to have other things to do. He lifted his hand from Gordon's shoulder. "I have some experiments to attend to."
    " Wait," said Gordon. He paused. "Is something wrong?"
    Pradeep smiled. "No. Funny you should ask that question. I'm not the one who looks like his best friend walked out with the wedding ring."
    " What?"
    " Nothing," said Pradeep, waving a hand. "I made a small joke."
    Gordon rose. "Listen...there may be a problem here in the lab."
    " A problem?"
    " Yes. Some people will be coming soon. Burnett's going to make an announcement later today."
    " Who? What people? This is all very vague, Gordon."
    Gordon sighed. Why was he being so evasive? "There were two unexplained deaths in Medburg, not far from Moshatowie Creek. Although I'm sure we had nothing to do with it, some medical investigators and government agents will want to come and talk with us."
    Pradeep looked shocked. "But we do not work with anything dangerous here!"
    " I know, it's just routine."
    Pradeep eyed him suspiciously. "Then why do you look so worried? This is what alarms you, is it not?"
    " It's just that...." Gordon spread his arms out wide, as if to encompass the whole building. "All of us are crammed into this small space and...."
    " Go on."
    " Well, we all have patents on our mind. Burnie set up the company so that individuals benefit from their own work. That's all well and good, it's a strong incentive, and...." Gordon felt himself floundering again. He took a deep breath. Might as well come out and say it. "I know you and Jennifer have had issues with each other."
    Everybody knew they 'd been fighting. Not the usual tiffs and petty jealousies that often invade laboratories. It had gone beyond the casual comments in the hallway to the effect that so-and-so's work seems to be slipping, and what could be the matter? Pradeep and Jennifer had argued openly and loudly.
    " I've exchanged unpleasant words with Jennifer, yes," said Pradeep. "Does it have a bearing on this investigation you're talking about?"
    " That's what I don't know," said Gordon. But Jennifer had told him that Pradeep had once threatened to sabotage her cell cultures if her technicians did not keep to their side of the hood. If he'd actually said something like that, Gordon was certain that it had been spoken in the heat of the moment. And Jennifer had an occasional temper too—who knows what she might have said. Gordon didn't believe that either scientist would consider for even a moment actually doing anything so childish and spiteful, but if their technicians and lab workers had taken any of those statements too seriously, then it was something that had to be looked into.
    " All I can tell you," said Pradeep, "is that to the best of my knowledge there has been absolutely no misconduct in my laboratory. Or, as far as I know, in Jennifer's laboratory either."
    Gordon patted Pradeep 's back. "I'm sure you're right."
    Leaving the cell transfer room, Gordon walked down the hallway. There was nothing he could do, short of interviewing the lab technicians—and he didn't want to do that without the express permission of the scientists. He believed Pradeep's denial, and he didn't want to stir up any more trouble than necessary.
    But there was a niggling worry —Jennifer. It wasn't like her to be absent without leaving word. She was as hard-working as the rest of the