Jean-Guy and Gamache research asbestos, learning that it was initially celebrated and widely used before it was understood how dangerous it is to human health. They realize that the presence of asbestos in the cardboard tubes used to ship art could create poisoned canvases.

When Jean-Guy and Gamache locate Myrna and Clara, the two women have befriended a fellow passenger who is a science teacher. Gamache asks her about asbestos. She tells them that powdered asbestos can certainly trigger fatal lung disease if someone inhales it or is exposed to it over a long period, but it is hard to predict how long it will take someone to get ill. She also explains that if a canvas was blank and asbestos was applied to it, it would be dangerous to the artist who used that canvas, since they would be handling the canvas, releasing the asbestos into the air and increasing the chance of inhaling it. If a canvas had already been painted, someone would most likely apply asbestos to the back. The recipient would be exposed to asbestos in the framing process.

The group begins to fear that Norman was contaminating his

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