Collecting the samples of the other patients, Kara had just called for the porter to take them down to the lab when a flamboyant giant with a mane of graying hair and wearing a long raccoon coat came striding into the ward with a long cheroot in one hand.
"Sophie Spielman, the actress!" he demanded, his voice heavily underlined. There could be little doubt about who he was.
"Your wife is at the far end of the ward," Kara told him. "And would you please extinguish that cigar? Smoking is not allowed."
"It's not a cigar," he said.
"Whatever it is, I'll take it," Kara held out her hand authoritatively. After a moment, he bowed to her authority, but he was not done with her.
"How do you know I'm her husband?" he demanded. "I assumed," Kara replied, her tone crisp.
"Assuming can be a dange
