Michael Palmer - Side Effects

Tom accepted the kiss and then squeezed her hand and smiled. "If you need anything at all, and I can do it or get it, you've got it, " he said. William Zimmermann greeted Kate warmly and Tom with some surprise.

It was clear from his expression and manner that he was concerned about anything that might affect the reputation of the Omnicenter, including involvement of one of the Ashburton Service senior residents. Kate sought immediately to reassure him. "Bill, as you know, Dr. Engleson's been an enormous help to me in sorting all this out. He knows, as do I, the importance of absolute discretion in discussing these matters with anyone."

"You've spoken to no one at all about this? " Zimmermann asked Tom. "No, sir. Only K… only Dr. Bennett."

"Good. Well, sit down, sit down both of you."

"I'll try not to take up too much of your time, " Kate began, "but I want to keep you abreast of what has been happening since we talked yesterday."

"You were concerned about the Ashburton Foundation."

"Exactly. You know how upset I was with Redding Pharmaceuticals after they bribed my chemist. Well-" Zimmermann stopped her with a raised hand. "Kate, please, " he said, with an edge of irritation she had never heard before. "I told you how I felt about the situation with the chemist. I believe that you believe, but no more than that." He turned to Tom. "Do you have any personal knowledge of this chemist, Toole?"

Tom thought for a moment and then shook his head. "No, not really."

"All right, then, " Zimmermann said. "Substantiated facts."

Kate took a breath, nodded, and settled herself down by smoothing out a pleat in her charcoal gray skirt. "Sorry, Bill. Okay, here's a substantiated fact." She passed a telephone number across to him. "It's the number of the Ashburton Foundation in Washington, DC. At one time, maybe seven or eight years ago, the foundation was located in Darlington, Kentucky, the same town as Redding Pharmaceuticals. I tried calling them yesterday, several times, but all I got was a stammering receptionist who promised I would hear from a Dr. James Thompson, the director, as soon as he returned to the office. I never heard. Then this morning, I went to see Norton Reese and asked to see the Ashburton Foundation files. You would have thought I asked to read his diary. He refused and then exploded at me."

"Did he give any reason for refusing? " Tom asked. Kate shook her head.

"Not really. He seemed frightened of me. Scared stiff."

"Kate, " Zimmermann asked, fingering the paper she had given him, "just what is it you're driving at? " The edge was still in his voice. Even before she spoke, she sensed her theory would not sit well with the Omnicenter director. Still, there was no way to back off. "Well, I think Redding Pharmaceuticals may be investing money in hospitals-or at least this hospital-and using the Ashburton Foundation as some kind of front, sort of a middle man."

Zimmermann's pale eyes widened. "That's absurd, " he said, "absolutely absurd. What would they have to gain?"

"I'm not certain. I have an idea, but I'm not certain. Furthermore, I think Norton Reese knows the truth."

"Well?"

Substantiated facts. Suddenly, Kate wished she had taken more time, prepared herself more thoughtfully. Then she remembered Ellen. Time was, she felt certain, running out for her friend. With that reality, nothing else really mattered. She girded herself for whatever Zimmermann's response was to be and pushed on. "I don't think the anthranilic acid in my vitamins was an accidental contaminant, " she said, forcing a levelness into her voice though she was shaking inside. "I think it was being tested on me, and probably on others as well, not tested to see whether or not it worked, because I didn't have any symptoms, but rather for adverse reactions, for side effects, if you will."

Zimmermann was incredulous. "Dr. Bennett, if such a thing were going on in the Omnicenter, in my facility, don't you think I would know about it?"

"Not really, " Kate said. "It was starting to come together for me, but Tom's description of how the intake process works made it all fit. It's Carl Horner, downstairs. Horner and his Monkeys. You and the other docs here just go on prescribing his medications and then recording his data for him. There's no reason you have to know anything, as long as the computers know."

"And you think the Ashburton Foundation is bankrolling his work? " Kate nodded. "This is getting out of control." He turned to Tom. "Do you follow what she is saying? " Reluctantly, Tom nodded. "And do you believe it?"

"I… I don't know what to believe."

"Well, I think it's time I checked on some of these things for myself,"

Zimmermann said, snatching up the telephone and setting the Ashburton number on his desk. "Dr. William Zimmermann, access number three-oh-eight-three, " he told the operator, as Kate looked on excitedly, "I'd like a Watts line, please."

Only a few more minutes, Kate told herself. Only a few more minutes, a few words from the confused, stammering receptionist, and Zimmermann would at least realize that something was not right at the Ashburton Foundation. For the moment, that would be enough. Measured against the fiascoes surrounding Bobby Geary and Ian Toole, the planting of even a small seed of doubt in the man's mind would be a major victory. "Yes, good morning, " she heard Zimmermann say. "I am Dr. William Zimmermann, from Boston. I should like to speak with the director… Yes, exactly.

Dr. Thompson." Kate turned to Tom and gave him a conspiratorial smile.

Suddenly, she realized that Zimmermann was waving to get her attention and pointing to the extension phone on the conference table. She came on the line just as did Dr. James Thompson. "This is Dr. Thompson, " the man said. "Dr. Thompson, I'm sorry to disturb you. My name is Zimmermann. I'm the director of the Omnicenter here in Boston."

"Oh, yes, Dr. Zimmermann, I know of you, " Thompson said. "You took over for poor Dr. French, what was it, four years ago?"

"Five."

"Tragic accident, tragic, as I recall."

"Yes, he drowned, " Zimmermann said, now looking directly at Kate, who was beginning to feel sick. "What can I do for you, sir? " Thompson had a deep, genteel voice. "I'm here with Dr. Kate Bennett, one of our physicians."

"Ah, yes. Her name is right in front of me here on my desk. Twice, in fact. She phoned here yesterday and was told I would return her call.

However, my secretary had no way of knowing that my son, Craig, had fallen at school and broken his wrist and that I was going to be tied up in the emergency room for hours."

"He's all right, I hope?"

Thompson laughed. "Never better. That plaster makes him the center of attention. Now, what can I do for you and Dr. Bennett?

"

"Nothing for me, actually, but Dr. Bennett has a question or two for you. One moment."

"Certainly." Zimmermann, his expression saying, "Well, you asked for it, now here it is, " motioned for her to go ahead. Kate felt as if she were being bludgeoned. She had been sure, so sure, and now… "Dr.

Thompson," she managed, "my apologies for not being more patient." She glanced over at Tom, who shrugged helplessly. "I… I was calling to find out if there was any connection between the Ashburton Foundation and Redding Pharmaceuticals."

There was no sense in trying anything other than a direct approach.

She was beaten, humiliated again, and she knew it. "Connection?"

"Yes, sir. Isn't it true that the foundation was once located in Darlington, Kentucky, the same town as Redding?"

"As a matter of fact, it was. John and Sylvia Ashburton, whose estate established the foundation, were from Lexington. Their son, John, Jr., ran one of their horse farms, Darlington Stables. For two years after his parents died, John stayed at the farm, tidying up affairs and setting up the mechanics of the foundation. I was hired in, let me see, seventy-nine, but by then, the center of operations had already been moved to Washington. I'm afraid that as far as Redding Pharmaceuticals goes, the geographical connection was pure coincidence."