Ken McClure - Pandora's Helix

“Quite,” said Klein without a trace of humour. “I meant, you in the general sense of the area. We’re just acquainting ourselves with all the local medical and scientific personnel who have been involved in the investigation so far. I understand from Dr Lennon that it was you who raised the possibility of a virus being responsible for the cancer outbreak.”

“One of my colleagues suggested it,” corrected Neef. “I just passed it on.”

“This would be...” Klein paused while he thumbed through a sheaf of papers. “Dr Pereira.”

“That’s right.”

“What made Dr Pereira suspect a virus?”

Neef shrugged and said, “Case pattern, I think, failure to establish any other cause.”

“If all else fails, blame a virus,” said Waters with a smirk.

Neef and Frank MacSween had often made the same kind of comment but somehow, coming from Waters, Neef found it offensive. He took a dislike to the man.

“There were other things,” said Neef. “But you’ll have to ask Dr Pereira; he’s the expert on viruses, not me.”

“But you actually got as far as looking for this supposed virus, I understand?” said Klein.

“Not personally,” said Neef. “Another of my colleagues did some electron microscopy on lung samples taken from Charles Morse. He didn’t find anything.”

“That would be...” Klein referred to his notes again. “Dr Farro-Jones at the university medical school?”

“That’s right.”

“Is Dr Pereira here at the moment?” asked Waters.

Neef said not. “Dr Pereira is not actually on the staff. He’s an employee of Menogen, a commercial biotechnology company. We’re conducting a trial of their Gene Therapy vectors at the moment.”

“We know,” said Waters. “I just thought he might be here.”

“He only comes in a couple of times a week,” said Neef.

“Why was Dr Pereira’s opinion sought in the first place?” asked Klein.

“The subject came up in conversation I suppose,” said Neef

“In conversation?” said Klein. “Do you often discuss confidential medical matters with outsiders, Doctor?”

“I regard Dr Pereira as a colleague. He is also an expert virologist who had an opinion to offer at a time when no one else did. I’m sure Dr Lennon valued his contribution too.”

“Dr Lennon is no longer in charge of this investigation,” said Klein coldly.

Neef chose not to comment.

“We must point out that there a question of confidentiality at stake,” said Klein. “Dr Pereira is an outsider.”

“I don’t understand,” said Neef. “How is this a problem?”

“The ministry has instructed us to enforce a total information ban while we conduct our inquiry. No member of the hospital or university staff will be permitted to say anything at all to the press and you of course, will no longer be at liberty to discuss any aspect of the problem with Dr Pereira.”

Neef had to consider for a moment before the full implication of what Klein was saying dawned on him. “Or what?” he challenged.

“I sincerely hope it won’t come to that, Doctor,” said Klein. “It’s all for the best. I’m sure the last thing either of us wants is to create unnecessary fear and alarm among the general public.”

Here we go again, thought Neef. “So you think it’s a virus too,” he said, giving Klein a jaundiced look.

“I think we can do without rash statements like that, Doctor.”

“Are you here to investigate the problem or cover it up?” asked Neef, his hackles rising.

“The ministry has only the public interest at heart,” said Klein.

“A comfort,” said Neef.

“I had hoped we might have a better working relationship than we appear to be developing,” said Klein.

“All you have done since you came in is tell me to keep my mouth shut,” said Neef. “Why did you bother to come all the way over here to do that?”

Klein and Waters exchanged looks. “We understand you have an association with a journalist,” said Klein. Klein made the word sound obscene.

“Miss Eve Sayers,” added Waters, referring again to his notes.

“So what?”

“We just wanted to make sure you understood how important the ministry considers confidentiality in this matter and how seriously it would view unwelcome publicity should it arise.”

“Just so there’s no misunderstanding,” added Waters.

Neef had difficulty keeping rein on his temper but he managed. Instead of arguing, he looked at his watch and said, “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m rather busy.”

“We may want to speak to you again, Doctor,” said Waters.

“My secretary, Mrs Miles will arrange an appointment,” said Neef curtly.

Waters gave a lop-sided smile and Klein said, “Thank you for your time, Doctor.” They left.

Neef picked up the phone and called David Farro-Jones. “I’ve just been interviewed by the bloody Gestapo,” he said.

“Klein and Waters? They’re not exactly Laurel and Hardy, are they?”

“Pompous pricks,” said Neef. “What exactly are they?”

“Klein’s an epidemiologist from DOH. He’s been given charge of the investigation. Waters is a virologist from Porton Down.”

“Looking for his next ‘defensive’ weapon no doubt,” said Neef.

“Careful, the phone might be tapped,” said Farro-Jones in a joking whisper.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” said Neef. “You didn’t say anything about the Langholm connection, did you?” asked Neef.

“It wouldn’t have been fair to Max,” said Farro-Jones. “We didn’t come up with any evidence so I saw no point in telling them. They may of course, spot it themselves.”

“Well, if they alienate everyone as much as they have me they’re going to have to spot just about everything for themselves.” said Neef.

“Let’s wait and see how it goes,” said Farro-Jones.

Neef discovered that Eve had been in to visit Neil earlier. He had missed her but she had left a message inviting him over for dinner. If he couldn’t make it, he was to leave a message on her answering machine. He could, so there was no need. It was something to look forward to for the next few hours while he waded through paperwork, most of which he regarded as unnecessary.

It was a pity, he thought, that someone in government couldn’t have foreseen what the laudably sounding phrase, accurately monitoring performance, actually meant in practice — assessments, appraisals, audits, endless form filling. The practice of medicine was now very much secondary to the administration of it.

Neef arrived at Eve’s apartment to find her hopping mad.

“What on earth is going on?” she asked.

“Hello to you too,” Neef replied.

“I’m sorry,” said Eve with a guilty look. “It’s just been such a frustrating day. I went down to Sutton Place to get an update on the story and there’s been some kind of coup . Lennon is no longer in charge and the men from the ministry are saying nothing. Has there been some dramatic new development?”

“Not that I know of,” said Neef. “The men from the ministry, as you call them, were sent in in response to some MP calling for action. They came to see me this afternoon and warned me to keep my mouth shut, especially where you were concerned.”

“And people call this a free country.” said Eve. “The more I see of government departments the more convinced I become that no one working in them actually knows what they’re doing. As soon as the spotlight falls on them, their knee-jerk response is to find ways of turning it off, rather than be pleased to show the public how well they’re dealing with things.”

“So what will you do?” asked Neef.

“I’ll write a protest story about unnecessary government secrecy; the other papers will do the same and the powers that be will end up in a worse mess than if they had spoken to us in the first place,” said Eve.