3:41 p.m. General Hospital, La Crosse

Susan reached to turn off the TV in the hospital waiting room.

“No,” Maggie said. “I want to see.”

Susan sat back down.

“...unbelievable!” Chet Sparrow was saying. “Folks, if you’ve just joined us, hold onto your hats. This saga at the Passion Ministry’s taking on biblical proportions.” He grinned. “Virginia, what’s the latest?”

The camera panned to Virginia Darrow. “Thank you, Chet,” she replied. “Biblical’s the word. As you know, early yesterday I reported that Dr. Andrew Somerville of the Passion Ministry had somehow cloned Jesus Christ from the Shroud of Turin.”

Maggie moaned. “Poor Jimmy.”

“That caused a stupendous global reaction, with scientists lining up against bio-ethicists, who in turn battled religious leaders. Thousands of people are flocking to the Ministry gates. Millions more visited their website or called 1-800 PASSION. People seem to need to believe.”

Virginia paused. “Even the Vatican made a statement.”

She glanced down. “And I quote: The Shroud of Turin is a unique and important relic of the Catholic Church. It is not, nor has it ever, been intimated as proving the genuineness of Christianity. Scientifically, this astounding artifact has yet to be fully explained or authenticated; however, the image, so profound and divine, touches all those who venerate it.”

“So, do they or don’t they believe?” asked Chet.

Maggie whispered, “Of course they do.”

“That’s the trick, Chet,” Virginia replied. “Jury’s still out on the authenticity of the Shroud. Maybe that’s what blind faith’s all about?”

“I suppose so, Virginia, but much has happened since then.”

“Yes, it’s been an amazing twenty-four hours! Been in the business for years, but never seen anything like it.”

Her expression sobered. “On a sad note, last night, a suspicious fire killed Dr. Somerville and destroyed his lab and documentation. This announcement pushed the scientific community to the edge, and a number of major publications have denounced the whole cloning-of-Jesus-Christ claim as a hoax.”

“And that’s not all,” Chet jumped in.

“Uh huh. Another tragedy earlier today,” Virginia continued, “on Good Friday—the day Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified. Just after three p.m., Pacific Time, the ten-year-old boy at the center of all this, James C. Jacobs, died in hospital.” Virginia swallowed. “The cause of death is not yet known. There’s been no word from his father, John, or the Passion Ministry since—”

“Jimmy, oh…” Maggie’s face crumpled. “Jimmy!”