Every time my brother-in-law drove me home, I would lose consciousness and wake up with unexplained aches and pains. My husband would only laugh and say, “You’re just out of shape, that’s all.” After the fourth ride, I secretly slipped a voice recorder into my purse and said nothing. That night, I listened to a phone conversation between the two of them that revealed my blackouts had never been accidental.

That was the first kindness of the day: she believed I deserved to be heard.

PART 3

The physician introduced herself as Dr.

Helen Alvarez.

She explained what she could examine, what tests might be useful, and what the limits were.

Depending on the substance and the time since exposure, testing might not identify it.

Even an unrevealing result would not mean the episodes had been harmless.

She asked permission before every examination.